Veterans

New Mexico Sues Company for Illegally Charging Veterans for Free Benefit Services, Seeks Justice and Restitution

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Las Cruces, N.M. – New Mexico’s Attorney General Raúl Torrez is taking legal action against a Las Cruces-based company, Disabled Veterans Consultants, Inc. (DVC), accusing it of illegally charging veterans for benefits consulting services that should be offered at no cost. The services, which relate to disability benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), are typically provided for free by federally accredited entities. The lawsuit, lodged in the Third Judicial District Court, contends that DVC engaged in practices that contravene the New Mexico Unfair Practices Act by purporting to assist veterans without the … Read more

Federal Appeals Court Evaluates Veterans Affairs’ Housing Duties Amid Legal Battle Over West Los Angeles Campus Control

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San Francisco — A federal appeals court is currently examining whether a district court judge exceeded his authority with an expansive mandate for the Department of Veterans Affairs to increase housing on its West Los Angeles campus. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard multiple appeals related to the case, highlighting concerns about whether previous uses of the VA property genuinely benefited veterans. During the proceedings, Presiding Judge Consuelo M. Callahan articulated concerns about the broad scope of remedies ordered by U.S. District Court Judge David O. Carter. Last year, Carter struck down four leases … Read more

Judge Clears Tarrant County in Lawsuit Over Marine Veteran’s Jail Death, Family Continues Fight Against Jailers

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FORT WORTH, Texas — A federal judge has dismissed Tarrant County and six other defendants from a civil lawsuit filed by the family of Anthony Johnson Jr., a Marine veteran who died in April at the county jail. The case, however, will proceed against nine jail employees directly involved in the incident. Johnson’s death, ruled a homicide by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, occurred following a contraband search in his cell. The medical examiner cited mechanical and chemical asphyxiation as the causes of death, stemming from an altercation that was partially captured on video … Read more

Pentagon to Honorably Upgrade 35,000 LGBTQ Veterans’ Discharge Records, Restoring Earned Benefits

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In a historic move, the Pentagon has announced a significant shift in policy that will affect approximately 35,000 LGBTQ veterans. These individuals, who were previously discharged under conditions that were considered “other than honorable” due to their sexual orientation, will now see their statuses upgraded to “honorable.” This resolution comes as the result of a class-action lawsuit initiated in 2023, challenging the long-standing repercussions faced by service members ousted under the controversial “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policies. Lily Steffanides, an instrumental plaintiff in the lawsuit, expressed profound relief and liberation following the announcement. Having been … Read more