VA Warned These Companies They May Be Breaking the Law. Most Are Still in Business
Helping veterans get through the red tape of applying for VA disability benefits has become a multibillion-dollar industry over the past decade. Which might be surprising, because charging vets for such help may be against federal law.
An investigation by The War Horse and NPR reveals that over the past 10 years, the Department of Veterans Affairs has sent more than 40 letters to dozens of claims consulting companies, sometimes called “claims sharks” by critics, warning them to review their practices and “immediately cease” any illegal activities.
Yet this hasn’t stopped them; on the contrary, many of these companies have only gotten bigger and bolder. One company even sent The War Horse a cease and desist letter, trying to prevent parts of this story from being published.
These companies exist in a wild west, raking in huge sums as lawmakers and regulators struggle to keep up with legal loopholes. Some of them are multimillion-dollar firms with more than 100 employees on their payroll, while others are small, family-owned businesses. Many are founded and run by veterans, who claim that their primary goal is to help other veterans get the benefits they deserve. But under federal law, only representatives accredited by VA—such as lawyers and nonprofit veterans service organizations—can provide such help, and the department has been trying for years to crack down on unauthorized firms with little to no success.
https://thewarhorse.org/veterans-affairs-claim-benefit-company-letters/
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