Wounded Warrior Project Statement on Department of Veterans Affairs Mismanagement of Claims CBS News Report Latest in String of Stories detailing Mishandling of Claims and Culture of Unaccountability
Jacksonville, Fla. (March 5, 2015) – Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) is appalled to learn of yet another allegation of mismanaged claims at The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in a new report from CBS News. CBS News reported widespread mismanagement of VA claims that has led to veterans being denied the benefits they have earned, and according to the report, many veterans have died before they ever received an answer from VA. This CBS News piece is the latest in a string of stories detailing the mishandling of claims and the culture of unaccountability at VA.
“Our nation’s veterans are not receiving the level of care and support they deserve and have earned on the battlefield due to the continued lack of accountability and urgency seen at VA,” said John Roberts, executive vice president of warrior relations at WWP. “We’ve seen story after story in the last six months detailing the broken system and culture at VA, yet we’ve seen no resolution. VA must accept responsibility for the gross mismanagement of claims and tackle headon the systemic problems that have allowed these lapses in care to occur.”
WWP calls on VA to identify the root problem – be it understaffing, underperformance, lack of training, or inadequate oversight – and create a culture where those responsible are held accountable. The need is too great, and the stakes are too high, to allow our nation’s heroes to slip through the cracks of a broken system. WWP remains committed to honoring and empowering Wounded Warriors, and will continue to fight for real solutions that serve the best interests of our nation’s veterans.
One of 20 free programs, WWP’s Benefits Service provides support and education to warriors and caregivers navigating the VA claims process. The Benefits Service team works closely with warriors throughout the claims process, ensuring that claims are processed correctly and proper follow-up and documentation is performed. In Fiscal Year 2014, Wounded Warrior Project helped secure over $38 million in veterans’ benefits dollars, and so far in Fiscal Year 2015, WWP has already secured over $17 million in benefits dollars. Since the Benefits Service’s inception in 2008, WWP has secured over $109 million in total veterans’ benefits dollars.
About Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) has a vision of fostering the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded service members in our nation’s history. To achieve this objective, WWP is committed to a lifetime of service and commitment through its mission: to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. WWP currently serves nearly 65,000 warriors and 10,000 family members through its 20 unique programs and services. The purpose of WWP is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.