One of the reasons our foundation has been successful in helping veterans and surviving spouses is the evidence-based claims process we implemented many years ago. The VA Developed Disability Benefits Questionnaire is used by medical providers to evaluate veteran claims for service-connection of a disability and to evaluate the severity of a disability. This system has been very beneficial in helping veterans to receive the VA benefits they are eligible for. The DBQs can be used to support almost all disabilities except for claims for the service-connection of Hearing Loss and Tinnitus. We use an Audiologist who can evaluate veterans' hearing loss using the Maryland CC recorded words list to determine speech discrimination. A Nexus is also required linking the noise exposure they were exposed to in the military to the veteran’s hearing loss and tinnitus they suffer from today.
One of the most difficult tasks we have is helping a surviving spouse to receive VA benefits, which is when their veteran did not file any claims for benefits. When a veteran is receiving VA compensation for a disability and it is listed on their Death Certificate as a primary cause of death or a contributing condition, the spouse and dependents are eligible to receive DIC benefits from VA. Of course, if the conditions are not listed as the primary or secondary cause of death an amended death certificate can be requested from the medical person who signed the death certificate. Many times, the attending physician will not have access to the veterans' medical records or their VA rating decisions. There is no guarantee that the person who signed the original will agree to request an amended death certificate. In Oklahoma, a request to amend must be sent to the Oklahoma Health Department Vital Statistics section by the attending physician.
Last week we had fourteen veterans who were awarded a one hundred percent rating for their service-connected disabilities. These Oklahoma veterans will receive the following state benefits reduced auto tags, property tax exemption on their primary residence sales tax exemption, and other types of state benefits. We are also proud to say that forty-three of the veterans we represent received VA disability ratings from ten to ninety percent for their service-connected disabilities.
For those of you who do not have any open VA claims one can be started by calling VA at 1-800-827-1000 and telling the agent that you want to start a claim. This will give a veteran or surviving a start date for benefits and will give them one year to submit a fully developed claim. Volunteer applications are available on our website at Dale K Graham Veterans Foundation.org
We are a 501c-3 Non-Profit organization and there is never a charge for the services we provide to veterans and their families. We also accept donations of wheelchairs and other types of handicap equipment that can be given to other veterans or their families. Other items that we accept are cars, trucks, motorcycles, or items that can be given to veterans or sold to raise funds. All donations to our Foundation are tax-deductible, including things like wheelchairs, stamps, and envelopes.
I believe that being a volunteer with our organization is not only good for veterans and surviving spouses it is also the best therapy for you. We do change lives every time our volunteers help one of the people who have served in our country’s military. Volunteer applications are available HERE for your convenience. Training is available online or in-person on a weekly basis. Since going digital, our volunteers can work from anywhere or at our location at 1233 West Lindsay in Norman, OK. Help us give back to the heroes who fought to give us our freedoms.
We are open to active clients:
Mon: 9 AM-12
Tue: 9 AM-12
Wed: 9 AM-12
Thur: 9 AM-12
To donate to our Foundation, you can click the red button on this email or mail a check to Dale K. Graham Veterans Foundation, 1233 West Lindsay, Norman, OK, 73069.