PRECEDENTIAL CAVC CASE ALERT: Martinez v. Wilkie (17-1551)(38 USC 5103A, the Duty to Assist and C&P Opinions)
What is the Deep Issue in the Case? This case had two issues: one statutory and the other constitutional. Issue#1: 38 U.S.C. §5103A(a)(1) requires the Secretary “assist a claimant in obtaining evidence to substantiate the claim.” The Secretary d…
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May 28th, 2019
Contributor: Chris Attig
Categories: Veterans Law Updates
Tags: 38 USC 5103A, 38 USC 5104, 38 USC 5109, 38 USC 7109, Ashley D. Varga, due process violation, Duty to Assist, Judge Amanda L. Meredith, Judge Joseph L. Falvey Jr., Judge Joseph L. Toth, Michael Martin, Morgan & Morgan, St. Petersburg FL VARO, Stacey Clark, University of Missouri Law School Veterans Clinic
How the BVA misapplies the Presumption of Soundness.
May 15th, 2019
Contributor: Chris Attig
Categories: Veterans Law Updates
Tags: 38 USC 1111, Bergman and Moore law firm, BVA Decisions, clearly erroneous, Crowe v. Brown 7 Vet. App. 238 (1994), David A.F. Litvak, Horn v Shinseki 25 Vet. App. 231 (2012), inadequate reasons and bases, Judge Amanda L. Meredith, M. Tenner, McKinney v McDonald 28 Vet. App. 15 (2016), Nathan P. Kirschner, presumption of soundness, shoulder, Wagner v Principi 370 F3d 1089 (Fed Cir 2004)
Reviewing the Record Before the Agency (RBA) may be the most important thing you do in your CAVC appeal.
Every appeal to the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) begins by filing a Notice of Appeal with the CAVC. Shortly after receiving a Notice of Appeal, the CAVC assigns a docket number. The CAVC Docket Number is the reference number that is…
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May 13th, 2019
Contributor: Jennifer Steel
3 common errors in BVA "continuity of symptomatology" decisions.
If I could write a list of the most common errors in BVA decisions, erroneous continuity of symptomatology decisions would top the list.
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May 6th, 2019
Contributor: Chris Attig
Categories: Veterans Law Updates
