Tampa, Florida – A recently filed class action lawsuit seeks to secure benefits for the caregivers of disabled veterans. Tampa Veterans Disability Lawyer David W. Magann supports efforts to ensure caregivers receive the benefits to which they are entitled.

At issue are the benefits available under the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC). The Department of Veterans Affairs program offers caregiver training, legal support, financial assistance, and other benefits to caregivers of veterans with disabilities. These benefits are designed to support caregivers, enabling them to provide more effective assistance to their disabled veteran family members.

The PCAFC requires a veteran and their family caregiver to file for benefits together. Both the caregiver and veteran must meet certain requirements to qualify for the program. Once qualified, the caregiver can access PCAFC benefits, including caregiver training, mental health counseling, travel benefits to the veteran’s medical appointments, and other benefits.

However, many caregivers find themselves shut out of benefits. The PCAFC has routinely denied caregiver benefits when a veteran dies while the family’s PCAFC application is being processed. In some cases, family members have already undertaken caregiver training in anticipation of VA benefits – only to find themselves stuck with the bill.

The VA recently created an avenue for PCAFC applicants to appeal denials of PCAFC benefits to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. However, the Board of Veterans’ Appeals has taken a blanket approach to denying these cases. The Board’s position is that a PCAFC application requires both a veteran and their caregiver; if the veteran passes away, the application must fail for lack of a veteran applicant.

The class action lawsuit seeks legal clarity on the status of PCAFC caregiver applicants when the family member for whom they provide care dies before a PCAFC application is processed. In so doing, the lawsuit seeks to secure essential support for caregivers of the nation’s veterans.