Alabama Injury Attorney Blog

The Department of Veterans Affairs has recently added Parkinson's Disease and Ischemic Heart Disease to their list of increased their "presumptive illnesses" relating to Agent Orange exposure. This means that if a veteran served in Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975, and that veteran is now disabled with either of these conditions, it will be presumed by the VA to be service-connected. Now the Veteran should be able to make a claim for disability benefits and health-care services without having to prove that their conditions are related to exposure to the deadly herbicide.

Before this change, the veteran had to prove to the VA that these diseases which they suffered from were related to Agent Orange. Fortunately (and finally), the VA has realized that these deadly diseases are more than likely a result of their service and should just be presumed to be related. If you, or a family member, believe that they meet the above criteria and you have been denied your disability claim, call the experienced Alabama VA attorneys of Martinson & Beason to assist you in your appeal.

For more information on this topic see our previous blog post: "Agent Orange and VA Benefits."

SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS:
WHAT TO DO WHEN A BENEFICIARY DIES

In June of 2010, 7,837,400 people in America were receiving social security benefits. This is 200,000 more people receiving these benefits than the same month a year earlier. With the number of individuals receiving social security benefits increasing at this rate, it is inevitable that you will know someone or be the family member of someone who is receiving these benefits.

When someone you know or someone you are related to dies while they are receiving social security benefits, there are a few things that you should know to do. A family member or other person responsible for the beneficiary's affairs should do the following:

1. Promptly notify the Social Security Administration of the beneficiary's death by calling SSA toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. It will be helpful if you already have information such as the decedent's social security number, date of death, and possibly a copy of their death certificate.

2. If the monthly benefits were being paid via direct deposit, notify the bank or other financial institution of the beneficiary's death. Request that any funds received for the month of death and later be returned to Social Security as soon as possible.

3. If the monthly benefits were being paid by check, DO NOT CASH the checks received for the month in which the beneficiary died or thereafter. Return the checks to Social Security as soon as possible.

These steps may help you and the family members of the decedent from having to pay back any undeserved payments and may help you avoid any liability to the Social Security Administration.

The attorneys of Martinson & Beason have years of experience in social security law, VA benefits, Medicaid issues and spend downs, Wills and Trusts, probate matters, and other issues that affect an elderly person and their loved ones. If you, a family member, or a friend is in need of assistance in these complicated matters, call the experienced attorneys at Martinson & Beason, P.C. toll-free at 1-800-255-6534 or visit them online at www.martinsonandbeason.com.

Almost four decades after stopping the wartime spraying of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, the deadly effects of the chemical can still be felt both in Vietnam, and here in America. During the course of the War in Vietnam, Agent Orange was sprayed on jungles to deprive Vietnamese troops of ground cover. Recently, the U.S. and Vietnam have launched a health panel to look into the lasting effects of Agent Orange.
Since the 1990s, the Department of Veterans Affairs has been linking the deadly herbicide to diseases and disabilities sustained by Vietnam Veterans.
The VA now recognizes the following diseases and disorders as being linked to Agent Orange exposure:
• Cancer of the Bronchus, Larynx, Lungs, Prostate, Trachea, Hodgkins Disease, Multiple Myeloma, Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
• Soft Tissue Sarcoma
• Peripheral Neuropathy
• Type 2 Diabetes and many more.
If you are a Veteran of the Vietnam War and you suffer from a chronic disease or disability, you may be entitled to disability compensation. Call the Alabama VA Benefits attorneys of Martinson & Beason to see if they can assist you in receiving your deserved benefits.