VETERAN #1 Since 1982, this African American veteran had been trying to become service connected for various physical and mental disabilities related to his period of service. However, the VA refused to grant his claim. In 2001, the veteran became an ABS client and in 2002, he first became service connected. The percentages of impairment have increased since his service connection. He has also been granted dependent benefits for his four children.

VETERAN #2 This WWII veteran, who was already service connected for a physical disability, had been unsuccessful in finding someone to represent him on his claim for a substantial back pay award. ABS began representing him in 2001 and in 2002, he won the substantial back pay award he was seeking.

VETERAN #3 This Vietnam veteran who suffers from severe PTSD had been seeking to be service connected for his condition for a number of years, but the VA had always denied his claim. In 2000, the veteran asked ABS LEGAL SERVICES to help him. We fought his claim up the to Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA) and won service connection for PTSD in 2002 for him. We are currently battling the VA Regional Office for a 100% impairment Rating which appears to be imminent.

VETERAN #4 This female African American Gulf War veteran was discharged from service with a 40% disability but her monthly check was withheld because the VA claimed that it had paid her a lump sum to leave the service. In 2000, she asked ABS LEGAL SERVICES to help her because she could not work. In 2001, she was awarded 100% service connection and enough in back pay benefits to buy her first home. ABS is still representing her on her social security claims and on this issue of the withholding of her VA disability monthly benefit after she left the service.

VETERAN #5 This WWII veteran who was wounded at the Battle of Iwo Jima was discharged from the Navy in 1945 with 50% service connection for shell shock, now called PTSD. The VA took the disability benefit away from the veteran four years later. In 1999, the veteran filed to have his disability benefit restored for shell shock. Currently, ABS LEGAL SERVICES represents this veteran on that claim and is trying to restore his service connection back to the date on which the VA took it away from him.

VETERAN #6 The VA has pronounced this very much alive Gulf War veteran dead and ABS LEGAL SERVICES had to point out the mistake and get his benefits restored, while pursuing his claims for service connection. The VA admitted that it had made a mistake.

VETERAN #7 The VA decided to reduce the service connected benefits of this Vietnam veteran and when he filed to have them restored, his claims file was lost by the VA. ABS LEGAL SERVICES stepped in to represent the veteran and demanded that the veteran’s claims file be found. The VA was forced to “recreate” the veteran’s claims file which no longer contained key pieces of evidence and this fact was used to bolster the veteran’s claim.