Articles Posted in Retiree and Military Issue

Texas with flagAs we have mentioned in previous blogs, the State of Texas is grateful to Veterans and their families.  Texas is notable for its numerous programs designed to assist Veterans and their families through discounts on various licenses, financial assistance, educational benefits, and more.

The following summary is intended as a gateway to some of the Texas agencies responsible for the many Veteran programs offered by the State of Texas.

CEMETERY – The Veterans Land Board (VLB) maintains four Texas State Cemeteries for Veterans.  The cemeteries are located in Abilene, Corpus Christi, Killeen, and Mission. Continue reading

Bob Goss, founder of the Law Office of Robert B. Goss, P.C.

Bob Goss, founder of the Law Office of Robert B. Goss, P.C.

Robert B. Goss is a Veteran, attorney, and the founder of the Law Office of Robert B. Goss, P.C.  Bob, as he prefers to be called, started his law firm in response to the need he saw for a level playing field between Veterans and the government system intended to provide benefits to Veterans.  Recently, I had an opportunity to discuss with Bob some of his thoughts on how Veterans can be better served.  The following is Part II of a two-part conversation.

Eleanor Meltzer:  Bob, I know Veterans can contact you directly.  What recommendations do you have for Veterans who are struggling to obtain benefits?

Robert Goss:  “Don’t wait to contact me.”  I hope everyone reading this interview tells their active-duty friends the following: if you are just leaving the service, make the service give you a physical.  Once you leave service (and are now a Veteran), claim ALL your disabilities.  For instance, a paratrooper most likely is going to have orthopedic issues, tinnitus, hearing loss.  Depending on the individual, there may be other service-connected traumas such as PTSD and burn-pit related injuries.  FILE WITHIN THE 1ST YEAR after leaving the service.  Why?  Because then your benefits go back to the day after separation.  If a Veteran has been out longer than a year, they still need to file.  The sooner the better. Continue reading

gasmasks-twoThe 2010 Census offers unique insight to U.S. Veterans.  Over 835,000 Americans are Veterans who served during both Gulf War eras.  Almost 50,000 more American Veterans served in Vietnam era and both Gulf War eras.  Clearly, there is a large population of Veterans who likely have service-connected injuries which manifest themselves more painfully as time goes on.

If you are a Gulf War-era Veteran, would you recognize a service-connected medical condition?  Among the most common types of service-connected health problems now suffered by Gulf War-era Veterans are: Continue reading

court_room2Start today.  Your Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits payments accrue from the day you file, no matter how long it takes to get the claim settled. However, they don’t accrue from the day before you filed.  If you wait months or years to initiate your claim, those months or years are pure lost money.

Meeting with a VA-accredited attorney is one way to ensure your claims are submitted properly.  Completing VA’s forms accurately and correctly affects the outcome of your request.  You benefit from the counsel and guidance of an expert who understands not only VA but also the laws governing VA’s actions.

Another reason to start today is VA’s well-known backlog.  Here’s an example of why obtaining counsel now can serve you very well. Continue reading

TxDOTAs a service to Veterans and their families, The Law Office of Robert B. Goss, P.C. is pleased to present the following information about specialty license plates for Texas Veterans and their families.

Advantages of a “Disabled Veteran” (DV) & Certain Military Specialty License Plates

  1. TxTag toll waiver for Veterans with a Texas DV, Purple Heart, or Legion of Valor (Air Force Cross, Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross) specialty license plate
  2. Fee waivers on other tolling agencies in Texas, including Harris County Toll Road Authority’s EZ-Tag (once you register the EZ-Tag pass/license with EZ-Tag)
  3. DV, Purple Heart, and Meritorious Service Medal recipients are also eligible for parking-fee exemptions in certain instances.

Qualifying Veterans pay only $3 for their Disabled Veteran (DV) or Purple Heart license plate, and nothing for a Legion of Valor license plate.  TxDOT has other categories of free or significantly discounted license plates for Texas Veterans as well as for their surviving spouses and family members. Continue reading

homeless-1254833Fortunately, today our understanding of combat and war-induced trauma, together with a healthy societal openness about diagnosis and treatment, means now is as good a time as any to obtain assistance for your Veteran.  When it comes to applying for and obtaining service-connected mental disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the key is having a knowledgeable advocate on your side.

VA largely relies on the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders when evaluating mental disabilities.  The manual was most recently updated in 2013 and is referred to as “DSM-5,” meaning the fifth edition of the manual.  You don’t need to know all the details of DSM-5.  That’s why you have a VA-accredited representative.  What is important is that you (the Veteran) or you (the loved one of a Veteran) recognize signs of possible service-connected mental disorder.  Continue reading

493px-Pop_Haydn_the_Shell_Game_by_Billy_BaqueAlmost without exception, if you are still alive when the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) responds to you initial claim for benefits, VA’s response will be a rejection.  This means you must – if you want the benefits you’ve earned – file a “Notice of Disagreement.”

Prior to March 24, 2015, it was a lot easier to file a “Notice of Disagreement” or NOD.  Now, VA requires use of a specific, fairly prejudicial form, the VA Form 21-0958.  The form is being challenged as illegal, but here are some tips for you in the meantime. Continue reading

WtdfishwildThe 84th legislative session for Texas ended on June 1, 2015.  Texas legislators were active on behalf of Veterans and Veterans’ dependents.  At least 20 bills which provide immediate or future assistance to Veterans became law. The following information focuses on four new laws which affect licenses and fees paid by Veterans and, in some instances, their spouses. Continue reading

megaphone-50092_640On October 26th and 27th, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is holding an Advisory Committee on Disability Compensation meeting.  The meeting is open to the public.  Last year, not one member of the public attended the meeting…probably because it was in Washington, D.C.   This year, the Advisory Committee meeting is still in D.C. and still NOT SCHEDULED FOR BROADCAST to the public.  Sounds like VA really wants the Advisory Committee to hear from you about problems with disability compensation.

Date & Time:  Monday, October 26, 2015 & Tuesday, October 27, 2015.  The meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. both days. Continue reading

Are you protecting your domestic partner?

Are you protecting your domestic partner?

Remember the old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?”  This statement could not be more true for planning your estate.  Let’s take an issue that’s been in the news quite a bit these days:  domestic partnership.  If you have a domestic partner, will they receive your benefits?  What happens if you become gravely ill? If you want your domestic partner to make vital health decisions on your behalf, do they have legal permission?  If you are gravely ill and have minor children from a previous relationship, will your domestic partner have the legal right to care for your children as you wish?

While it’s easy to be fooled into thinking you are protecting your significant other when you’re not, it is also easy to forgo significant benefits for your partner.  One of the most important loving acts you can do for your domestic partner is ensure that they receive all the Veterans benefits to which they are, through you, entitled. Continue reading

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