2 veterans battle in court and online over defamation, for-profit claims processing – Military Times

2 veterans battle in court and online over defamation, for-profit claims processing  Military Times

A local government official alleges a for-profit company attacked VSOs as having a "monopoly" on helping veterans with disability claims. A county government official and U.S. Navy veteran in Illinois is suing a for-profit company and its founder, a U.S. Army veteran, for alleged defamation of character in connection with issues related to veterans’ disability claims. Andrew Tangen, attorney and superintendent of the Veterans Assistance Commission of Lake County, Illinois, alleges that Lukas Simianer and his company, VetClaims.ai, posted defamatory statements on social media accusing Tangen of having “backed fraudsters from his government email to maintain … [a] monopoly” in assisting veterans with their claims. Simianer said he developed the VetClaims.ai system following his own challenges with the VA disability claims process.

Tangen’s lawsuit, filed Sept. 15 in federal court in the Western District of Texas, alleges that Simianer “attacked the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, The American Legion, and [National Association of County Veterans Service Officers], as a monopoly” in assisting veterans with claims. Then, Tangen alleges, Simianer pointed veterans to the company he owns, which sells services that veterans service organizations provide at no cost. The lawsuit names Simianer and Patriot Claims, LLC, doing business as VetClaims.ai, as defendants. In an interview with Military Times, Simianer said he has no intention of removing the comments about