Fighting on Too Many Fronts: Concerns Facing Elderly Veterans in Navigating the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits System

Abstract

Approximately twenty-three million Veterans of the United States military live in the United States today. All too commonly, these Veterans suffer from extremely damaging delays and inaccuracies when the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) processes their claims for federal benefits. These delays and related problems particularly harm America's elderly Veterans, who often greatly need the financial gains that these benefits provide. In addition, elderly Veterans face unique challenges in navigating the VA benefits system, including the VA's outdated federal fiduciary program that can leave a total stranger in charge of a Veteran's VA benefits -- even if that Veteran previously designated an agent in a valid Power of Attorney. This article discusses these problems in detail, and proposes some potential solutions to ensure that Veterans and their loved ones receive the VA benefits that they earned in uniform.

Keywords: Veterans, Elder Law, VA benefits, VA pension, VA disability compensation, dependency and indemnity compensation, backlog, delay, accuracy, disability rating, military