Symposium on Disability Benefits for Veterans – November 7, 2013

By Douglas I. Friedman of Friedman Law Firm, P.C.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Veterans comprise about 7% of the workforce. This percentage will increase as the military is down-sized about two million soldiers are coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan and most of them will be entering the work-force. An insight into the issues facing Veterans is essential to meet the needs of those who have served our country. This symposium will discuss the expectations of Veterans who are disabled, how to respond to those expectations, and what makes the Veterans different during the treatment process. We will review the government benefits available to Veterans, such as Social Security disability and Veterans disability compensation and how these benefits integrate with one another.

The agenda will begin with an overview of the challenges in the VA disability process. We will learn about the compensation and pension program of the VA. Leading psychologists will discuss the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of significant conditions facing our Veterans, namely Military Sexual Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

We will discuss how VA Vocational Rehabilitation and the Wounded Warrior program may assist in getting the Veteran back to work. We will discuss what makes disability for Veterans different critical issues in the rehabilitation process and how to respond to the differences. From the private sector, we will hear a company's approach to meeting their clients' needs and share lessons learned with our attendees. The symposium will include a mock disability hearing where counsel will suggest procedures to be considered and walk us through the steps required to proceed with a claim. Counsel will suggest procedures to be considered and walk us through the steps required to proceed with a claim from commencement to culmination.

The keynote speaker, Distinguished Professor David B. Allison of the University of Alabama at Birmingham's School of Public Health, will provide a presentation on the myths and presumptions of obesity a condition that many disabled Veterans face. Throughout the day, there will be opportunities for networking and time for Q&A from the presenters.

Doug Friedman, Jessica Fleming, and Jessica Friedman will be among the presenters.

Location: Birmingham VA Medical Center, 700 South 19th Street, 9th Floor Auditorium.

Time: 8:00 am -- 3:00 pm. Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Registration: Registration must be received in advance.

BY PHONE: 205-934-7178

BY EMAIL: dsc@uab.edu

This symposium is the result of collaboration between the Deep South Center for OH&S, Brett Robbins, Patient Advocate at the VA Medical Center and Doug Friedman, JD, Partner at Friedman & Downey, PC.

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