National Veterans Legal Services Program Inc

TO PROVIDE FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO VETERANS OF THE U.S. ARMED FORCES AND CURRENT SERVICE MEMBERS.

INDIVIDUAL REPRESENTATION:NVLSP PROVIDES FREE LEGAL SERVICES TO HELP VETERANS, SERVICE MEMBERS, AND THEIR FAMILIES SECURE DISABILITY AND DEATH BENEFITS FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. NVLSP'S INDIVIDUAL REPRESENTATION SERVICES INCLUDE PRO BONO REPRESENTATION BEFORE VA REGIONAL OFFICES, THE BOARD OF VETERANS' APPEALS, THE U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS (CAVC), OTHER FEDERAL COURTS, AND MILITARY DISCHARGE REVIEW AGENCIES. IN 2021, NVLSP FILED CLOSE TO 600 NEW INDIVIDUAL APPEALS IN THE CAVC ON BEHALF OF A VETERAN OR SURVIVOR DENIED BENEFITS BY THE BOARD OF VETERANS' APPEALS (BVA) AND CONTINUED LITIGATING HUNDREDS OF PENDING APPEALS. HISTORICALLY, IN A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THE CASES NVLSP HAS APPEALED, NVLSP HAS BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN A REVERSAL OF THE BVA DENIAL AND AN ORDER TO GRANT BENEFITS OR (MUCH MORE OFTEN) AN ORDER SETTING THE BVA DENIAL ASIDE BASED ON ADMINISTRATIVE ERROR AND REMANDING FOR FURTHER ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDINGS.

IMPACT LITIGATION:NVLSP BRINGS CLASS ACTIONS AND OTHER LAW REFORM LITIGATION TO BENEFIT LARGE NUMBERS OF VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. BY COMPELLING THE VA AND MILITARY DEPARTMENTS TO BRING THEIR REGULATIONS AND PRACTICES INTO COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE FEDERAL LAWS, ONE CASE CAN HELP THOUSANDS OF VETERANS OBTAIN THE FEDERAL BENEFITS THEY ARE DUE. IN 2021, NVLSP'S DOCKET INCLUDED TEN CERTIFIED OR PUTATIVE CLASS ACTIONS AGAINST THE VA OR MILITARY BRANCHES. BECAUSE OF THESE ONGOING CASES, NVLSP SUCCEEDED IN FORCING THE VA TO PAY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN IN RETROACTIVE BENEFITS TO SURVIVORS OF DECEASED VIETNAM VETERANS WHO SUFFERED FROM DISEASES THAT WERE THE RESULT OF EXPOSURE TO AGENT ORANGE; TO PROVIDE NOTICES OF APPEAL RIGHTS TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SEVERELY DISABLED VETERANS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS WHO RECEIVED DECISIONS FROM VA REGARDING THE PROGRAM OF COMPREHENSIVE ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILY CAREGIVERS (PCAFC); AND TO READJUDICATE THOUSANDS OF DENIALS OF REIMBURSEMENTS FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE AT NON-VA FACILITIES. A U.S. DISTRICT COURT ALSO ORDERED THE MILITARY TO PAY RETROACTIVE COMPENSATION TO A CLASS OF MORE THAN 7,000 COMBAT VETERANS IN A LAWSUIT BROUGHT BY NVLSP CHALLENGING THE MILITARY'S POLICY TO IMPOSE A CAP OF A MAXIMUM OF SIX YEARS OF RETROACTIVE COMPENSATION TO VETERANS WHO ARE AWARDED COMBAT RELATED SPECIAL COMPENSATION (CRSC). NVLSP ALSO ENGAGED IN OTHER IMPACT LITIGATION, INCLUDING A CHALLENGE TO VA RULEMAKING IN THE U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FEDERAL CIRCUIT, AN ONGOING RULEMAKING PETITION AT THE VA, AND LITIGATION AND ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS RELATING TO VARIOUS REQUESTS FOR RECORDS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. IN SEPTEMBER 2021, NVLSP ALSO LAUNCHED A BURN PIT CLAIMS ASSISTANCE PROJECT, IN WHICH NVLSP REPRESENTS VETERANS BEFORE THE VA IN THEIR CLAIMS FOR DISABILITY COMPENSATION FOR DISEASES RELATED TO EXPOSURE TO TOXIC CHEMICALS SPEWED BY OPEN-AIR BURN PITS USED BY THE MILITARY TO DISPOSE OF WASTE IN SOUTHWEST ASIA.

LAWYERS SERVING WARRIORS (LSW) PRO BONO PROGRAM: NVLSP PROVIDES FREE REPRESENTATION THROUGH LAWYERS SERVING WARRIORS (LSW), OUR NATIONAL PRO BONO PROGRAM. LSW OFFERS FREE LEGAL HELP TO VETERANS AND SERVICE MEMBERS ON A NUMBER OF BENEFITS ISSUES; CASES ARE PLACED WITH VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS FROM LAW FIRMS AND CORPORATE LEGAL DEPARTMENTS NATIONWIDE. EACH VOLUNTEER RECEIVES TRAINING AND GUIDANCE BY NVLSP'S TEAM OF EXPERT ATTORNEYS, ENSURING THAT EVERY VETERAN RECEIVES TOP NOTCH LEGAL REPRESENTATION.LSW OFFERS ASSISTANCE IN FIVE DISABILITY CLAIMS AREAS: 1) VA CLAIMS FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND RELATED CONDITIONS RESULTING FROM MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA; 2) APPLICATIONS FOR COMBAT-RELATED SPECIAL COMPENSATION; 3) REPRESENTATION OF SERVICE MEMBERS AND VETERANS SEEKING MILITARY MEDICAL RETIREMENT THROUGH THE INTEGRATED DISABILITY EVALUATION SYSTEM, APPLICATIONS TO THE PHYSICAL DISABILITY BOARD OF REVIEW FOR AN INCREASE IN THE DISABILITY RATING THAT THE MILITARY ASSIGNED AT THE TIME OF MEDICAL SEPARATION FROM SERVICE, AND CORRECTIONS OF MILITARY RECORDS TO GRANT MILITARY MEDICAL RETIREMENT; 4) APPEALS TO THE BOARD OF VETERANS' APPEALS AND THE US COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS; AND 5) UPGRADING LESS THAN HONORABLE DISCHARGES AND APPLICATIONS TO BOARDS FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS FOR VETERANS WHO WERE WRONGFULLY DISCHARGED FOR PERSONALITY DISORDER OR ADJUSTMENT DISORDER. THE PRO BONO PROGRAM ALSO HANDLES LITIGATION IN FEDERAL COURT TO APPEAL UNFAVORABLE DECISIONS AT ADMINISTRATIVE BOARDS.IN 2021, THE LSW PROGRAM PLACED APPROXIMATELY 500 INDIVIDUAL CASES FOR FULL REPRESENTATION. IN-PERSON CLINICS WERE DISCONTINUED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. REMOTE CLINIC APPOINTMENTS WERE PROVIDED TO APPROXIMATELY 170 VETERANS AND SERVICE MEMBERS. WE ALSO PROVIDED VIRTUAL KNOW YOUR RIGHTS PRESENTATIONS TO VETERANS, SERVICE MEMBERS, AND THE VETERANS COMMUNITY.

PUBLICATIONS AND TRAINING:NVLSP RECRUITS, TRAINS, AND MENTORS LAWYER AND NON-LAWYER ADVOCATES WHO REPRESENT VETERANS, SERVICE MEMBERS, AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS ON A PRO BONO BASIS ON CLAIMS FOR BENEFITS. NVLSP ACTS AS A FORCE MULTIPLIER, PROVIDING IN-PERSON AND WEBINAR TRAININGS. NVLSP'S WEBINAR AND IN-PERSON TRAINING PROGRAMS EDUCATE VETERANS SERVICE OFFICERS, ATTORNEYS, AND CLAIMS AGENTS ABOUT THE LATEST COURT DECISIONS AND BEST PRACTICES IN VETERANS LAW. OUR TRAINERS SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE WITH A BROAD AUDIENCE, HELPING TO EXPAND OUR ADVOCACY NETWORK THAT CONTINUALLY ASSISTS VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.IN 2021, OVER 5,300 ATTORNEYS, SERVICE OFFICERS, AND ADVOCATES PARTICIPATED IN ONE OF OUR 30 WEBINAR-SERIES WEBINARS AND 18 WEBINAR TRAININGS CONDUCTED FOR SPECIFIC STATE VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS. TOPICS INCLUDED: RECENT COURT DECISIONS ADVOCATES NEED TO KNOW ABOUT; EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR WRITTEN AND ORAL ADVOCACY BEFORE THE VA; UNDERSTANDING RECENT CHANGES TO THE VA'S RATING OF MUSCULOSKELETAL DISABILITIES; ESTABLISHING SERVICE CONNECTION FOR HEARING LOSS AND TINNITUS; REVISIONS OF VA DECISIONS BASED ON CLEAR AND UNMISTAKABLE ERROR; AND ETHICS FOR VETERANS ADVOCATES. NVLSP ALSO ADMINISTERS THE BASIC TRAINING COURSE IN VETERANS BENEFITS, AN ONLINE COURSE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ADVOCATES NEW TO VETERANS LAW WITH A WORKING UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE THE VA BENEFITS SYSTEM. NVLSP CREATED THE VA BENEFIT IDENTIFIER APP TO HELP VETERANS AND ADVOCATES DETERMINE THE SPECIFIC VA BENEFITS TO WHICH A VETERAN IS LIKELY ENTITLED; THE APP IS AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. NVLSP ALSO PUBLISHES EDUCATIONAL ADVOCACY MATERIALS THAT EMPOWER ADVOCATES FOR VETERANS AND SERVICE MEMBERS. SINCE 1991, WE HAVE PRODUCED THE VETERANS BENEFITS MANUAL, THE COMPREHENSIVE TREATISE ON VETERANS LAW. NVLSP UPDATES AND REVISES THE VETERANS BENEFITS MANUAL ANNUALLY.