According to former VA<\/a> Secretary Anthony J. Principi, the VA backlog of disability claims is in large part due to the more recent policy decisions and laws have burdened the system.<\/p>\n Principi argued that current eligibility requirements are far more liberal than, as President Lincoln once charged, “To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan.” He said that the 50,000 veterans wounded inIraqandAfghanistanwho have filed for disability claims are not the reason the system is clogged, but that the system was already overwhelmed by veterans who were filing claims from long-ago service.<\/p>\n “While every benefits system may face the occasional questionable filing, the focus of the VA disability benefits system needs to support the servicemen and servicewomen who need those benefits to which they are entitled,” commented veterans disability attorneyJames Fausone.<\/p>\n Principi called for the restoration of the “integrity” of the Veterans Administration claims system (more…)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" According to former VA Secretary Anthony J. Principi, the VA backlog of disability claims is in large part due to the more recent policy decisions and laws have burdened the system. Principi argued that current eligibility requirements are far more…<\/span><\/p>\n