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They’ve been talking about the backlog ever since I got out. How about you? Here’s a look back.
1974
17 Feb 1994 The Galveston Daily News Veterans the casualties of VA’s claims backlog
1994
Va Claims Backlog Reaches Crisis Stage .By Jim Abrams . Daily Union Feb 17, 1994 By JIM AP writer
This article is a scanned page from the Daily Union newspaper. WASHINGTON – Sam Ledwith thought he’d been wronged when the VA in the 1980s cut his disability payments for ear dam age suffered in …
Article Highlights:
“I looked for compassion, but you don’t get it,” said Ledwith, 73 Korean War Veteran
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“VA says they have lots of compassion but no quick fixes for a rapidly growing backlog…”
“The number grew from over 37,000 in 1990 to over 550.000 in 1983, could hit 870,000 by the end of fiscal year 1995.”
“The average time needed to process a compensation claim has gone from 150 days to more than 200 days”
“VA Secretary Jesse Brown said the backlog “remains one of the foremost concerns.” He blamed the rapid downsizing of the military, the increased complexity of claims and the creation several years ago of a new Court of Veterans Appeals, which has required the VA to be more thorough in explaining it’s decisions.”
1995
VA Cuts Ruling Delays, But Critics Still Angry Pay-Per-View -Washington Post – May 4, 1995
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Meanwhile the VA claims backlog remains what Cragin described as “a very, very basic problem. . . . The system is taking in more claims in a year than {benefit } …
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“To the VA’s critics, Winsett’s case is not an isolated incident, but a symbol of a bureaucracy gone awry. Unhappy over long delays handling claims, Congress last year created a special commission to determine what is snarling claims within the VA.”
2005
VA Claims Backlog Is Stacking Up Quickly .Officials Cite…Lakeland Ledger – May 27, 2005By CORY REISS .Ledger Washington Bureau . WASHINGTON —
Veterans’ disability and pension claims are stacking up fast in a system that showed signs of …
This article is a scanned page from the Lakeland Ledger newspaper.
Article Highlights:
“Officials cite rules changes and claims by veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan wars.”
“Officials told the Senate VA Committee that claims are surging as older veterans seek more compensation for disabilities that have gotten worse and also because congress added incentives for vets to reopen claims or appeal the results.”
“Pending claims hit 421,000 in 2001, but a concerted effort by the department whittled that to 254,000 in 2003. Now there are 340,000 claims pending…”
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