Veterans

Yale Law School Clinic Fights for Transgender Veterans’ Access to Gender-Affirming Surgery

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New Haven, Connecticut – Yale Law School’s Veterans Legal Services clinic has filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) over its policy on gender-affirming surgery. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA), seeks to compel the VA to address a rulemaking petition that was presented to them in 2016. The petition called for the inclusion of gender-affirming surgery in the VA’s medical coverage. TAVA submitted the petition in 2016, but the VA never formally responded to it. In 2021, Secretary of Veteran Affairs Denis McDonough … Read more

Campaign for Justice: Veterans’ Toxic Water Claims Surge as Compensation Deadline Approaches

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Elizabethtown, North Carolina – For nearly four decades, Jerry Ensminger has returned to Onslow Beach, a stretch of shoreline in North Carolina where his young daughter, Janey, once played in the sand. They would often visit the beach together, searching for shells and shark teeth as they navigated the challenges of her leukemia diagnosis. Now, as Ensminger approaches the end of his journey for justice, more than 129,000 veterans, workers, and their relatives have submitted claims for compensation due to exposure to toxic water at Camp Lejeune. The upcoming deadline in August is expected to … Read more

3M to Compensate Veterans and Military Personnel with $253 Million Settlement for Faulty Earplugs, Contributing to Hearing Loss

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In Saint Paul, Minnesota, multinational conglomerate 3M is embarking on the payout of over $250 million to veterans and military service members due to defective earplugs. The settlement stems from allegations that the company’s earplugs failed to provide sufficient protection and contributed to hearing loss. Under the agreement, approximately $253 million will be distributed to more than 30,000 past and present service members. Attorney Bryan Aylstock, representing the plaintiffs, expressed satisfaction with 3M’s decision to expedite the payment and praised the company’s commitment to resolving these claims. The faulty earplugs were manufactured by Aearo Technologies, … Read more

New Jersey Expands Access to Contraceptives and Supports Veterans in New Laws, Promoting Health Equity and Affordability

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Trenton, New Jersey – As the new year begins, New Jersey is implementing a series of laws that will have a significant impact on the healthcare industry. These new regulations are aimed at expanding access to contraceptives, making it easier for veterans to enter the nursing profession, and addressing the affordability of prescription drugs. Additionally, the state has also made changes to the Safe Haven Infant Protection Act. One key law allows pharmacists to provide self-administered hormonal contraceptives without a prescription. This means that individuals will have easier access to birth control pills, patches, and … Read more