Programs

  • Veterans Legal Assistance Program

    APPEALS TO THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS: NVLSP PROVIDES FREE LEGAL SERVICES TO HELP VETERANS, SERVICE MEMBERS, AND THEIR FAMILIES SECURE DISABILITY AND DEATH BENEFITS FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. NVLSP'S INDIVIDUAL REPRESENTATION SERVICES INCLUDE PRO BONO REPRESENTATION BEFORE VA REGIONAL OFFICES, THE BOARD OF VETERANS' APPEALS, THE U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS (CAVC), OTHER FEDERAL COURTS, AND MILITARY DISCHARGE REVIEW AGENCIES. IN 2023, NVLSP FILED OVER 650 NEW INDIVIDUAL APPEALS IN THE CAVC ON BEHALF OF A VETERAN OR SURVIVOR DENIED BENEFITS BY THE BOARD OF VETERANS' APPEALS (BVA) AND CONTINUED LITIGATING HUNDREDS OF PENDING APPEALS. HISTORICALLY, IN A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THE CASES THAT NVLSP HAS APPEALED TO THE CAVC, NVLSP HAS BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN AN ORDER SETTING THE BVA DENIAL ASIDE BASED ON ADMINISTRATIVE ERROR AND REMANDING FOR FURTHER PROCEEDINGS, OR AN ORDER GRANTING BENEFITS TO VETERANS OUTRIGHT.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2023
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $3.5M

  • Lawyers Serving Warriors Pro Bono Program

    LAWYERS SERVING WARRIORS (LSW) PRO BONO PROGRAM:NVLSP PROVIDES FREE REPRESENTATION THROUGH LAWYERS SERVING WARRIORS, OUR NATIONAL PRO BONO PROGRAM. LSW OFFERS FREE LEGAL HELP TO VETERANS AND SERVICE MEMBERS ON A NUMBER OF BENEFITS ISSUES; CASES ARE PLACED WITH VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS FROM LAW FIRMS AND CORPORATE LEGAL DEPARTMENTS NATIONWIDE. EACH VOLUNTEER RECEIVES TRAINING AND GUIDANCE BY NVLSP'S TEAM OF EXPERT ATTORNEYS, ENSURING THAT EVERY VETERAN RECEIVES TOP NOTCH LEGAL REPRESENTATION. LSW OFFERS ASSISTANCE IN SIX DISABILITY CLAIMS AREAS: 1) VA CLAIMS FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND RELATED CONDITIONS RESULTING FROM MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA; 2) APPLICATIONS FOR COMBAT-RELATED SPECIAL COMPENSATION; 3) REPRESENTATION OF SERVICE MEMBERS AND VETERANS SEEKING MILITARY MEDICAL RETIREMENT THROUGH THE INTEGRATED DISABILITY EVALUATION SYSTEM, APPLICATIONS TO THE PHYSICAL DISABILITY BOARD OF REVIEW FOR AN INCREASE IN THE DISABILITY RATING THAT THE MILITARY ASSIGNED AT THE TIME OF MEDICAL SEPARATION FROM SERVICE, AND CORRECTIONS OF MILITARY RECORDS TO GRANT MILITARY MEDICAL RETIREMENT; 4) APPEALS TO THE BOARD OF VETERANS' APPEALS AND THE US COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS; 5) UPGRADING LESS THAN HONORABLE DISCHARGES AND APPLICATIONS TO BOARDS FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS FOR VETERANS WHO WERE WRONGFULLY DISCHARGED FOR PERSONALITY DISORDER OR ADJUSTMENT DISORDER; 6) APPLICATIONS AND APPEALS FOR SERVICEMEMBERS' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE TRAUMATIC INJURY PROTECTION (TSGLI) . THE PRO BONO PROGRAM ALSO HANDLES LITIGATION IN FEDERAL COURT TO APPEAL UNFAVORABLE DECISIONS AT ADMINISTRATIVE BOARDS. IN 2023, THE LSW PROGRAM PLACED APPROXIMATELY 500 INDIVIDUAL CASES FOR FULL REPRESENTATION. IN-PERSON CLINICS WERE RESTARTED IN 2023, AND REMOTE CLINICS CONTINUED. CLINIC APPOINTMENTS (BOTH IN-PERSON AND REMOTE WERE PROVED TO APPROXIMATELY 200 VETERANS AND SERVICE MEMBERS. WE ALSO PROVIDED VIRTUAL KNOW YOUR RIGHTS PRESENTATIONS TO VETERANS, SERVICE MEMBERS, AND THE VETERANS COMMUNITY. WE TRAINED PRO BONO ATTORNEYS TO ASSIST WITH BRIEF SERVICES AND FULL REPRESENTATION.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2023
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $1.6M

  • Impact Litigation for Veterans

    IMPACT LITIGATION:NVLSP BRINGS CLASS ACTIONS AND OTHER LAW REFORM LITIGATION TO BENEFIT LARGE NUMBERS OF VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. BY COMPELLING THE VA AND MILITARY DEPARTMENTS TO BRING THEIR REGULATIONS AND PRACTICES INTO COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE FEDERAL LAWS, ONE CASE CAN HELP THOUSANDS OF VETERANS OBTAIN THE FEDERAL BENEFITS THEY ARE DUE. IN 2023, NVLSP'S DOCKET INCLUDED ELEVEN CERTIFIED OR PUTATIVE CLASS ACTIONS AGAINST THE VA OR MILITARY BRANCHES. AS PART OF NVLSP'S WORK ON ITS LONGEST-RUNNING CLASS ACTION, NEHMER V. DEP'T OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS (N.D. CAL NO. 86-6160), NVLSP SUCCEEDED IN FORCING THE VA TO PAY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN RETROACTIVE BENEFITS TO SURVIVORS OF DECEASED VIETNAM VETERANS WHO SUFFERED FROM DISEASES THAT WERE THE RESULT OF EXPOSURE TO AGENT ORANGE. OTHER CLASS ACTIONS HAVE RESULTED IN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VETERANS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS GAINING ACCESS TO JUDICIAL REVIEW OF UNFAVORABLE DECISIONS RELATED TO CAREGIVING STIPENDS; VA EXPANDING ACCESS TO IN VITRO FERTILIZATION MEDICAL CARE; AND THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY READ JUDICATING THOUSANDS OF SAILORS' MEDICAL SEPARATIONS WHO MAY BE ENTITLED TO MEDICAL RETIREMENT PAY. NVLSP ALSO ENGAGED IN OTHER IMPACT LITIGATION, INCLUDING AN ONGOING RULEMAKING PETITION AT THE VA AND RELATED LITIGATION, AND LITIGATION AND ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS RELATING TO VARIOUS REQUESTS FOR RECORDS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. NVLSP ALSO CONTINUED TO REPRESENT VETERANS THROUGH ITS BURN PIT CLAIMS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, IN WHICH NVLSP REPRESENTS VETERANS BEFORE THE VA IN THEIR CLAIMS FOR DISABILITY COMPENSATION FOR DISEASES RELATED TO EXPOSURE TO TOXIC CHEMICALS SPEWED BY OPEN-AIR BURN PITS USED BY THE MILITARY TO DISPOSE OF WASTE IN SOUTHWEST ASIA.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2023
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $1.2M