# Veterans being ‘kept in the dark’ when applying for disability benefits: Ombudsm



## 57Chevy (4 Feb 2013)

Article is shared with provisions of The Copyright Act

This is just unreal what they are capable of doing !

Veterans being ‘kept in the dark’ when applying for disability benefits: Ombudsman
 04 Feb By Lee Berthiaume
 Postmedia News 
OTTAWA – The veterans’ ombudsman has slammed what he says is an “unfair” process that keeps military and RCMP members “in the dark” when it comes to applying for a disability benefits.

In a report released Monday, Guy Parent says Veterans Affairs officials have taken it upon themselves to collect information for retired and serving military personnel and Mounties applying for disability assistance.

This includes gathering service and health records taken from Library and Archives and Canadian Forces bases across the country or RCMP headquarters.

Officials also routinely flag aspects of an applicant’s service and health history before the information arrives on an adjudicator’s desk, Parent found, even though they don’t have the authority to do so.

While both efforts are designed to speed up the process and make the veterans’ disability system more efficient, Parent wrote that both could undermine an applicant’s right to a fair and impartial hearing.

Article continues at link...


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## BeyondTheNow (4 Feb 2013)

My closest friend is experiencing this first-hand at the the moment. She is RCMP and was diagnosed with Post-Concussion Syndrome.  Her experiences while trying to claim have been awful at best...


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## maniac (9 Feb 2013)

"Officials also routinely flag aspects of an applicant’s service and health history before the information arrives on an adjudicator’s desk, Parent found, even though they don’t have the authority to do so."

Where I'm from is called "MISCONDUCT" and a breach of the Public Service Code of Ethics,  they should be identified and disciplined for wrong doing.
  For that to happen, someone whom it's happened to must complain.  Since they're not tell you they are doing it,  proves what they're doing is wrong and they know it.


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## wesleyd (10 Feb 2013)

The process is flawed. For example when you make an application you are asked to describe your disability and how it affects life etc. From my denial of claim letter I knew that the things that I had written down weren't even taken into consideration. I received a phone call from a local VAC office and they told me my claim would more than likely be denied because of a car accident I had off duty. Even though this had nothing to do with the claimed disability.
But I guess the local office knows something because that was one of the factors for denial. EVEN though I was referred to a specialist and the specialist booked me for immediate surgery for my claimed condition.
How can a local office determine who claims will go prior to the decision being made by the people in Charlotte Town?


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## Old and Tired (10 Feb 2013)

What we are all forgetting is, that in this day in age, where we have people in government and parliament as well as the bureaucracy that have said that it would be better if we were to die instead of being wounded and thus a drain on the government, we are a hindrance to their orderly little world.

I firmly believe that the primary function of DVA these days is to through as many roads blocks and hurdles in a claimants way, in the hopes that we (claimants or beneficiaries) will all just die off before they have to pay any money.

To be blunt, I believe that the GOVENMENT (in all its connotations) does not give one Red Rat's A** about any of us other than if we can make them look good.


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