Participants: Yvonne Lewis (Host), Esq., Anna Towns
Series Code: UBR
Program Code: UBR000046S
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00:01 Did you know that after veterans have served in the military,
00:04 have been honorably discharged, and file claims for injuries 00:08 sustained during active duty, it may take years 00:12 before they are awarded the compensation 00:14 to which they are entitled. If you are a veteran 00:17 or you know one, you won't want to miss today's program... 00:20 My name is Yvonne Lewis and you're watching 00:22 Urban Report... 00:45 Hello and welcome to Urban Report 00:47 Many, many veterans are homeless, unemployed, 00:51 and living with untreated disabilities 00:54 due to the backlog of more than 900 claims... 00:57 it currently takes more than a year for a veteran 01:01 to receive a response from the VA relative to their claim filed 01:05 and usually... the response is simply asking for additional 01:09 information... My guest today is Anna Towns, 01:12 a United States Veterans Administration accredited 01:16 attorney.. that's a long title. She's going to tell us more 01:20 about this disservice... Welcome to Urban Report Anna 01:24 Thank you... it's such a pleasure to be here... Yvonne... 01:27 AT... that's what I call you, AT... I have to tell our viewers 01:33 that you and I go way, way back, I met you, when I was an intern, 01:39 you were already a Social Worker and I was an 01:42 intern... getting my Master's in Social Work, 01:44 and I met you at my internship site... 01:47 Yes... And we became fast friends 01:51 I found out that you sang... AT has a lovely voice... 01:55 Are you still singing AT? Yes... of course, of course... 02:00 ...and then I was in this group The Futuristics... 02:04 and then... I left and I asked them to bring you into the group 02:10 then... you and I sang together with them for a while... 02:12 and then... I had to leave... That was a wonderful experience! 02:15 I know... I know... it's amazing we go back a long time... 02:19 We won't say how long ago... but... it's been a long time... 02:23 and now... you're an attorney... doing this wonderful work... 02:27 tell us about what you're doing. Well, Yvonne, what I'm doing now 02:32 is actually representing veterans in their 02:36 service-connected disabilities and their requests for 02:39 compensation for their disabilities... 02:42 and this is quite a challenging area as you indicated 02:45 in the opening... there is such a backlog of 02:49 VA cases that are pending now, in fact, I think, 02:52 the statistic is that as of this month is more than a million... 02:56 however, that does not even account for all of the veterans 03:00 who are suffering with disabilities and are not even 03:02 yet in the system... My... more than a million? 03:07 More than a million, pending, VA claim cases... 03:11 Yes... as of this month... So AT, when the veterans 03:16 come home... and they apply... they have to wait for almost a 03:22 year... even sometimes... to find out that they need 03:26 additional information sent... is that true? 03:28 Yes... when veterans come home, particularly those with 03:32 known disabilities... of course PTSD is one of the 03:35 main ones or many other disabilities that they may have, 03:39 that may have been determined or diagnosed while they were 03:42 in the military, thereafter, or even a couple years after that 03:46 when they come home and learn that they are 03:50 suffering from a disability... then, they go to their regional 03:53 office and make an application, and that's when the wait begins. 03:57 It could take a year... usually, upon your initial 04:01 application... the VA will immediately inform the veteran 04:06 that it will be within a year that that they will receive 04:09 a decision on their case... and sometimes, 04:12 it's longer than that as you indicated... 04:15 when they then receive their documentation from the VA 04:19 regarding that claim, after a year, it generally is asking for 04:23 additional information... My!... 04:27 And then the veteran is given a year to respond... 04:30 and again... when they submit the response, 04:32 the VA is again... so you can see that the whole 04:35 process could be years before the veteran actually 04:38 receives a decision on their claim. 04:41 And so, in the meantime, that veteran is without 04:44 assistance... correct? Yes! very definitely... 04:48 many of them are homeless, many of them, of course, 04:50 turn to drugs and of course you know, 04:52 with the veterans... there's a high rate of suicide.. 04:56 so... it's such a critical area that, I think, has just not 05:00 gotten the focus that it needs, of course, you know, 05:02 I am glad to say that the President has really made this.. 05:06 one of his top priorities... to make certain that veterans 05:09 receive the services that they need... but it seems that 05:11 there is something... in the system... 05:13 that is keeping it from running smoothly.. for veterans. 05:18 That's what I was going to ask, Why is.. we know the bureaucracy 05:24 tends to take longer and run less smoothly... 05:28 but why is it taking so long to be responsive to this 05:34 segment of society? Yes... well... it is quite a 05:38 process for the VA to make the determination as to 05:42 whether the disability is service-connected 05:45 and then... after that's decided they have to determine 05:48 whether... the seriousness of the disability 05:51 and so.. there's a rating system after that 05:54 however, what has happened... and they are acknowledging 05:58 now that because of having a paper system... 06:00 there are warehouses... that are full to the brim... 06:03 with cases that have not even been evaluated... 06:06 the VA has committed that they are going to address 06:09 the backlog and that by 2015... a veteran will, in fact, 06:13 receive information from the VA within a matter of 06:17 2 to 3 months... but right now, it can be years... 06:21 so that without actually representation... 06:23 it's kind of difficult for a veteran to get through 06:26 the system... to get what they are so 06:28 entitled to... My! my! so tell us what you do 06:33 for the veterans... OK, OK, what I do... 06:36 Number one as a VA Certified Attorney... 06:40 I am not authorized to actually represent a veteran 06:43 until the VA has made an initial determination 06:46 so, you see, where that puts me on the chain... 06:49 they have to get through that long process, 06:52 and then, contact an attorney if the decision that they 06:56 received from the VA is not favorable, however, 06:59 the focus of my work now is actually to find, educate, 07:05 advocate and get veterans into the system... 07:09 so most of my work is spent addressing veterans' groups at 07:14 churches and community organizations and sponsoring 07:19 workshops to educate veterans because... although there is... 07:23 I indicated... more than a million veterans 07:26 who have applied for services, that are waiting for an answer, 07:30 there are many more who are on the street... homeless, 07:35 perhaps in drug treatment facilities or perhaps not even 07:39 having the courage to apply for that benefit, so there are 07:43 many more, who are not even in the system... 07:46 and that is a focus of the work that I am called to doing... 07:51 to find, locate, educate, advocate and get as many 07:54 veterans as I can in the system. Now, for those veterans, 07:58 who I am certified to represent... 08:02 they are the veterans who have received a letter... 08:06 a decision letter from the VA indicating that either that 08:11 their claim has been denied... or, it may be that their claim 08:15 has been accepted but at a lower rating than the veteran feels is 08:19 appropriate for their disability so, those, we are legally 08:24 are required to represent... communicate on their behalf 08:28 with the VA.. take the necessary steps to have that decision 08:32 turned around and we've been quite successful with a number 08:36 of veterans in this process. That's wonderful, now let me 08:39 ask you... How do they find out about you? 08:43 How do they know... once they have been denied 08:46 how do they know that they can come to you 08:49 to actually... kind of... work with them as an advocate? 08:52 Yes, well in that letter of decision from the VA 08:57 they will inform them that they can seek legal representation 09:02 now that the initial decision has been made... 09:05 and many of them will go to the local veterans service 09:09 organizations, you know, Vietnam Vets of America, 09:13 Disabled Veterans of America, but another choice is to seek 09:18 legal representation through private attorneys 09:22 and that's when... we are able to get involved... 09:24 so they will find out about our firm through word of mouth or 09:30 I have a website or, you know, usually, it's by word of mouth 09:35 from the veterans that we have been able to be successful 09:38 in changing their situation around... 09:41 that makes a big difference and it's very difficult 09:45 to do this work without having the training and the experience 09:49 to do so. Absolutely... tell us about 09:51 some of the veterans that you've helped... 09:54 Well, a typical case is a veteran who actually 10:00 was from the Korean War... so any... 10:02 in order to receive benefits, a veteran must have been active 10:06 must have been... at least... one-day active 10:09 in a war time... so, one of the veterans 10:11 who was from the Korean War... had been fighting his case 10:16 since 1954... and he was fighting this case 10:20 in a way... that he was not able to win, because the VA 10:24 for disabilities... you must have a diagnosed case, 10:27 a diagnosis... in order to receive the benefits, 10:31 and he was complaining about how they treated him in the VA, 10:34 he was going to his Congress persons... I mean, he has 10:38 really literally been fighting it every day... every year, 10:42 we were able to help him to see that he needed a diagnosis... 10:46 which... in this case... the diagnosis was PTSD, 10:50 so I arranged for him to be evaluated by a psychiatrist 10:56 who determined that he did have a diagnosis of PTSD, 11:00 and the psychiatrist also suggested... that based on the 11:04 symptoms that we are seeing, determined that the rating 11:08 for this veteran was about 100% so this veteran, pretty much, 11:15 within a couple of months, went from receiving a 10% 11:19 for x-ray for asthma... a 10% rating for asthma... 11:23 we were able to put forth to the VA the diagnosis of PTSD 11:28 and he went from a $128 a month to $3,000 a month 11:34 for the rest of his life. So that is the kind of case, 11:37 that is the kind of work that we know... is so important 11:40 that veterans cannot... really... it is very difficult 11:42 for them to do that... without legal representation 11:45 where you have to know the law, you have to be familiar with 11:49 the VA process... which is unique only to the VA 11:52 and then you have to be prepared or able to 11:55 apply the law and the VA process particular to every single 12:00 veteran's case in a different manner. 12:02 That's tremendous AT... I mean... to go from a $128 12:06 to over $3,000 a month... for the rest of his life... 12:10 Yes, yes for the.. rest of his life, 12:12 you know, what is unfortunate 12:13 is that it is... for the rest of his life.. 12:14 and, of course, he is in his 70s now but what happens 12:18 also is that once the VA determines that you are 12:21 eligible.. then you will receive a retroactive pay based to the 12:26 date that you originally applied well, unfortunately, 12:29 although he had been working on this case since 1954... 12:33 he really only legally applied after we assisted him 12:36 in getting his case with a diagnosis into the system... 12:40 My! so he didn't even realize the steps that were necessary 12:44 to actually accomplish his goals he needed that diagnosis... 12:48 and he didn't have that until ... was that.. he got that after 12:53 he started working with you or... you helped him? 12:56 After he started working with us That's amazing... 13:00 so... walk me through the steps, ok, so I'm a veteran... 13:06 I finally... I come back with PTSD and I contact you... 13:12 what happens then? OK, OK, all right... 13:15 the initial phase... as I indicated... 13:17 that is work that we do because that is my mission 13:20 to find and educate... what I would do with that 13:23 veteran... is number one if they have not applied 13:26 for the claim... for a claim... 13:28 I would assist them in getting the claim filed... 13:33 so after he has filed his claim, then we also assist him 13:38 in ordering his records... his complete records from the VA 13:43 which... that's available to any veteran who requests that 13:47 of the VA... and then... we take the step to... 13:51 assist him into filing... and then... 13:54 we have to wait for the VA to respond, 13:57 so he actually joins that number of a million who are waiting... 14:01 however, after we have worked with him 14:05 or after his case has been filed for a number of months, 14:09 then we take other steps to make sure that his case comes 14:12 to the top.. and one of those... is actually seeking the support 14:16 of his Congressional Law Office to ask them to enquire 14:20 about the status of his case, so... various methods we have 14:24 to try to bring the veterans case out from the million 14:29 to his getting a response 14:33 sooner than others, 14:34 but you can't do that without representation... 14:38 Yes, so you are able to kind of expedite the process a bit? 14:42 Yes... well through methods that we are able to use... Yes... 14:46 and of course it's different for each veteran's case... 14:48 So what are some of the disabilities that have a 14:53 high ranking with the VA... what are some of those 14:57 disabilities? All right... well the VA has... 15:00 OK... there must be over 250 disabilities that they have 15:07 ratings for... and each disability... 15:09 they would give you the symptoms for the level... from zero 15:13 or from 10% to a 100%... they would give you the 15:17 corresponding symptoms that a veteran would have... 15:22 I have a case of a veteran who has Leukemia... 15:27 and he was on active duty in the Gulf War... 15:32 and the VA had denied him based on the fact that his 15:37 Leukemia was not service-connected. 15:40 So there again... what we had to do... is to identify a 15:46 physician or actually... in this case... 15:48 it was his own physician... to ask him if he could state 15:52 that the Leukemia that he now is suffering from... 15:56 is as likely as not to have been service-connected. 16:01 That is the magic language that the VA doesn't necessarily 16:06 share this with veterans but as long as a physician can 16:12 determine that the diagnosis is as likely as not 16:16 to have been connected... with their military service 16:18 and because... this particular veteran... in the Gulf War was 16:21 exposed to so many fumes when he was over there, 16:24 then... his doctor did give that determination and the VA turned 16:29 the situation around and determined that he 16:31 was eligible for compensation... Ah... that is great... 16:37 what a blessing this is... this work must be for you... 16:42 how has this work impacted your life? 16:44 Well, you know my background, you know, I grew up in a home 16:52 where my father was a Minister and my mother... 16:55 and they always taught us that we had a responsibility 16:58 to determine... why we are here and what we are called to do... 17:02 and so that all of my career... I have basically had 17:06 the blessing of doing ministry along with my work... 17:09 so, I consider anything that I am doing as being 17:12 mission work that I am called to doing... 17:15 When I determined... I was called by several groups 17:19 to just do a presentation on VA benefits... 17:22 these groups have happened to be groups of men... 17:25 although we know that female veterans face the same problems, 17:29 so, in researching and determining... 17:31 what the steps veterans needed to do to receive their benefits 17:35 I just realized that it was an overwhelming process 17:38 and it was very difficult for the average veteran 17:42 to know that process... so in the process of kind of 17:46 preparing for that and then working with a number of the 17:49 veterans that came out of that, I just received a call that 17:53 this is such an area of disparity... 17:55 that this is what I am now called to doing... 17:59 You know, AT, God is so amazing... 18:02 Yes... He is... Because, you know, 18:05 OK... here you are... you've been able to... 18:09 this journey that you've been on has prepared you for this work, 18:14 Yes... it has... Yes... it has... 18:16 Your social work background, your law background, 18:20 culminating in this advocacy for the veterans... 18:23 that is so tremendous... Do you feel as though 18:27 you're walking now in your destiny that this is what 18:31 God has put you on the planet to do... 18:33 Without a question... this is where God has placed me 18:36 and I am doing my best to make good of what He has given me... 18:42 and as you indicated... my experience as a Social Worker 18:45 my experience working with families and children, 18:48 my experience working in Foster Care and Adoptions, 18:51 my experience working at HUD and Housing, 18:54 all of these have come together and is much needed 18:57 as I impact the lives of veterans... 19:00 who have been deprived of housing... 19:02 been deprived of their rightful served compensation. 19:07 That's tremendous, AT, and you seem so fulfilled... 19:11 you know, I tell our viewers on Urban Report all the time 19:15 that God has a plan for each of us... 19:18 that we have a divine destiny... and there's no fulfillment 19:22 like walking in that destiny... Yes... 19:25 But you first have to know, what it is... 19:28 and God will reveal it... and all of your experiences... 19:32 lead you on to that path of your destiny... 19:36 and I am just so thankful for what you are doing... 19:40 What would you tell a veteran today... 19:44 coming home from Afghanistan... what would you tell a veteran... 19:51 as to how... you know, somebody that's disabled... 19:54 the veteran is disabled... give us... just a capsule... 19:59 a brief capsule... of what you would tell that 20:02 veteran... on how to proceed... where to start... 20:05 OK... all right... the good thing is that the VA 20:08 is now having the process of educating the veterans... 20:12 prior to their discharge... which is good... 20:15 they are starting at a better place... 20:16 although I've got to tell you that only about 20% of veterans 20:20 really have the knowledge that they need 20:24 in order to pursue their claims but, what I tell veterans 20:28 is that the first step... Number one... is to really 20:32 determine whether you sincerely feel that you have a disability 20:35 that was connected with your service... 20:37 we know how difficult it is for veterans to reintegrate 20:40 into the community... so that there are many 20:42 disabilities that they may not have identified... 20:46 may be experiencing but have not identified... 20:49 so my first step is to recommend them to go to the VA 20:54 to have a complete Physical to determine if there are 20:58 any disabilities that may be connected with the VA. 21:02 That is the first step. Once they determine that there 21:05 is a disability... that there is something that's 21:08 not right or the doctor, perhaps, gave them a diagnosis 21:11 then they need to fill out... complete the claim... 21:14 and the claim... they can get assistance for 21:18 completing the claim... either through my office 21:21 but I usually refer them to the local veterans service 21:25 organizations or the local VA regional office... 21:29 they have people there who will assist them with the 21:32 initial claim... although, as I said, we don't 21:35 turn any veterans away... so whatever they need, 21:37 we're here to give them that... after they have completed 21:41 the claim... then, of course, there is the wait... 21:44 and we make sure... one of the major things that 21:46 will prevent a veteran from getting a timely response 21:50 is... that the application is not filled out completely... 21:56 so a completed claim... makes for a more speedy result 22:03 so, we try to oversee that process... 22:05 to make sure... give them assistance, if necessary, 22:07 in filling out the initial claim and just let them know that 22:10 when they receive a response from the VA 22:13 that they need to contact our office immediately because 22:16 it is at that point that we would be able to assist them. 22:20 Now, let me just ask you this, AT, where... 22:23 you are in the D.C. area but are you... 22:28 because you are a VA accredited attorney... 22:33 may you work with everybody... all around the country... 22:38 or does it have to be localized to your area? 22:41 No... because... VA Law is Federal Law... 22:45 then... I can represent veterans all over the country... 22:49 I have a number of veterans who are outside of the Maryland, 22:53 D.C. area... and that is not a problem at all... 22:56 to represent veterans and most of the work is 22:59 you know, they will send me copies of their reports or 23:02 send me copies of letters that they have received... 23:05 from the VA and I usually communicate with them 23:08 by phone or e-mail... That's tremendous... 23:11 Yes... so that is not a problem any VA certified attorney 23:15 can represent any veteran over the country... 23:17 And what is your website address? What is your website? 23:22 Yes... my website is www. annatowns. com 23:31 annatowns. com that is my website 23:37 and on my website, by the way, I do have a link for an 23:43 application for a disability compensation and pension 23:49 and I also have a phone number that they can call and speak 23:54 with one of the attorneys in the Firm... 23:56 That's wonderful... Give us your phone number 23:59 as well please... OK... that phone number is 24:01 202-681-7730 Give it one more time... 24:10 OK... that's 202-681-7730 24:19 and they will be able to talk with one of the attorneys here. 24:23 That's great... so they have to make sure that they 24:28 fill out the application completely... 24:31 that means... don't leave blank spaces 24:34 on the application... that's a very common problem... 24:36 Yes, yes, and then... because it might take a year 24:39 to get back to them to tell them that the 24:42 application was incomplete... correct? 24:44 That is typically what happens, that is typically what happens, 24:47 and the veteran, of course, is disappointed that, you know, 24:50 they are thinking that in a year in that letter... 24:52 there's going to be a check... and when the VA tells them 24:55 that they need additional information or that there 24:57 is a denial or they are not satisfied with the response, 25:00 usually the veteran will just stop the process, 25:04 but that, in fact, is the time that they are in a position 25:08 or they are authorized to contact our office or any 25:13 attorney and receive representation. 25:15 Now, we also, we have an e-mail address for you 25:20 and it's all right if our viewers e-mail you as well? 25:24 Oh yes, oh yes... well, let me just say that 25:27 on the website... there is a form for VA Evaluation 25:32 that is a VA Evaluation Form, and we will assess 25:36 any veteran's claim and let them know... steps that need to 25:41 be taken in order to, you know, move their 25:44 move their claim along... so they can give us information 25:48 on that claim form and submit it to us... 25:50 or, you are right, they can certainly e-mail us at 25:53 law@annatowns. com law@annatowns. com 26:00 great... thank you... So what is the cost for this 26:04 service... AT... What is the general cost 26:08 for this? Well, actually... there is no 26:11 cost to the veteran to receive our services, 26:15 if we are able to turn their situation around, 26:19 then the VA will pay the attorney 26:22 20% of the veteran's "back money"... in other words... 26:25 if the veteran has applied for a claim... 26:28 that starts the process for him, if, after he receives a denial, 26:33 for instance... and they come to our law firm... 26:36 and we are able to turn that around... 26:38 then the VA will typically, and this is common for all 26:42 lawyers... that the VA authorizes the 26:47 attorney to receive 20% of the veteran's back money... 26:51 but there is no charge... to the veteran... 26:55 That is tremendous! I am sure that our viewers 26:58 that are veterans or friends or family of veterans 27:02 that are hearing what you're saying... 27:04 are just going to be astounded that they don't even have to 27:07 pay for this service... We're here... we're here... 27:11 and we're here to help them and we don't anyone to feel 27:14 that they cannot retain... typically the veterans 27:18 or most people feel that in order to retain the services 27:20 of an attorney... that you've got to pay... 27:23 well, for us, it's different... we will reach out... 27:25 we will help them in any way possible... 27:27 money will not be a factor... and we will not be paid 27:31 unless the veteran's situation is turned around 27:34 and then... the VA will then pay us 20% of the veteran's 27:37 back money... That's tremendous... 27:40 AT our time is up... I can't believe it... 27:42 Thank you so much for being with us... 27:44 May God bless you in your work. Thank you Yvonne, 27:48 it was a pleasure to be here today... 27:49 Thank you... Well, once again, 27:52 our time has slipped away from us... 27:53 thank you so much for tuning in, join us next time... 27:56 you know... it just wouldn't be the same... 27:59 without you... |
Revised 2025-01-04