Osage Nation, VA to host free Veterans benefits and disability claims event Nov. 17-18 – Osage News

Osage Nation, VA to host free Veterans benefits and disability claims event Nov. 17-18  Osage News

Two-day event at Osage Casino in Pawhuska will offer assistance with disability claims, toxic exposure screenings and VA health care enrollment for Veterans and surviving spouses. The Osage Nation and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will host a free PACT Act disability presumptive conditions event, titled “Your Service. Our Mission: Bringing VA Benefits Home.” The event focuses on identifying and assisting Veterans and surviving spouses across Oklahoma who may have presumptive disabilities and be eligible for a VA pension claim and/or VA health care. At the event, Veteran Service Officers will help attendees complete VA disability claim paperwork, and select scenarios will offer on-site Compensation and Pension exams.

While not all claims can be accommodated, the service is provided wherever possible, according to a press release. VA staff will offer toxic exposure screenings and replace expired VA ID cards. Representatives from the Muskogee VA Health Care System, Muskogee VA Regional Office, Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, Tulsa Vet Center, Indian Health Service programs, and various nonprofit, state and tribal partners will be on hand to answer questions. VA health care representatives will conduct toxic exposure screenings and help enroll Veterans. A presumptive disability is a condition VA presumes to be related to military service, even if it develops after discharge. These conditions may qualify for compensation. Spouses and widows