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 Vallarta Living | Veteran Affairs | May 2007 
The Claim Hoax, Less is More
 David Lord - PVNN
One of the best rewards of being in Mexico is the freedom from the pressures of daily life. The hub-bub of American life is not getting easier amidst the chaos and the hectic pace of de-stabilization in the middle class.
We left that behind. As Veterans we live our lives in a setting that has greater beauty than anywhere else we could afford to live. The Extranjeros here are given (for the most part) an opportunity to enjoy this paradise along with Mexico's own citizens, as if we belonged here as much as they did.
We Veterans find refuge from daily frustrations, but we are still in the hands of bureaucratic technocrats running The Department of Veterans Affairs. I do my small part for Veterans here by attending specialized training given by Legal Professionals in the specialized domain of Veterans Law.
The Government's effort to address benefits issues has resulted in socialized medicine (VA Care,) a supposed non-adversarial position (Veterans Law) and Statutory Benefits when conditions are met.
For this group of people, who defended the very fabric of America, to allow these bureau-techno-poly-crats the position to have that much control over our lives is unjust and a disgrace.
If as a Veteran, you attempted to hire an attorneys to carry out the fight for benefits you would find that we are not allowed to do so. Under the current laws, Veterans do not have the right to an attorney until their claims have been formally denied.
The right to an attorney only comes after your denial. The presentation of the claim, including all your attending documents of the treatment that were used to substantiate your claim, cannot be used again on appeal.
The fact that you have been denied your claim in effect gives you the right to finally hire a legal professional. But the attorneys' hands are tied, they are unable to use your previously submitted documented treatments, statements, and/or evidence to re-open your claim.
To reopen the claim you must have NEW EVIDENCE that has not been previously considered by the VA.
This catch 22 is why thousands of Veterans seeking benefits, are denied benefits. The intended help was passed into law by Congress, however the Department of Veterans Affairs has thousands of attorneys working to deny Veterans' claims.
The Veterans have yet to learn that the so called "Non-Adversarial Claims Process" is anything but. My suggestion to all Veterans is to keep your evidence for the fight. If the VA denies your claim, that is when you have the right to an attorney, and the time to submit all of your documented treatments, statements and evidence to substantiate the re-opening of your claim.
You are now as likely as not to be awarded compensation or pension by not providing evidence. The fact is that this Government Agency is so screwed up that filling out the paperwork they provide you is in itself sufficient to gain your benefits.
I know this sounds ridiculous, but as presented at National Service Officer Training (by employees from the adjudication section within the Administration who actually grant or deny claims,) if you limit the information you present in the first place, you will receive favorable treatment over the case that arrives with extra medical documents intended to substantiate the claim.
Once your claim is denied, we at the Military Order of the Purple Heart will re-open the case, or the attorney you hire can re-open it, and at least you'll have the right to use the documentation needed to pursue your claim.
 David Lord served in Vietnam as combat Marine for 1st Battalion 26th Marines, during which time he was severely wounded. He received the Purple Heart and the Presidential Unit Citation for his actions during the war in Vietnam. In Mexico, David now represents all veterans south of the U.S. border all the way to Panama, before the V.A. and the Board of Veterans Appeals. David Lord provides service to veterans at no fee. Veterans are welcome to drop in and discuss claims/benefits to which they are entitled by law at his office located at Bayside Properties, 160 Francisca Rodriguez, tel.: 223-4424, call him at home 299-5367, on his cell: 044 (322) 205-1323, or email him at david.lord@yahoo.com.
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