States go after ‘claim sharks’ that charge vets for help with disability claims

People participate in the 105th annual Veterans Day Parade on Nov. 11, 2024, in New York City. Hundreds of people lined 5th Avenue to watch the biggest Veterans Day parade in the United States. This year’s event included veterans, active soldiers, police officers, firefighters, and dozens of school groups participating in the parade, which honors the men and women who have served and sacrificed for the country. (Photo by Spencer Platt | Getty Images)

For-profit consultants across the country make millions each year by charging military veterans for help in filing their disability claims with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The practice exists in a legal loophole: It’s illegal under federal law for companies that aren’t accredited by the VA to charge veterans fees for helping file their disability claims, but there’s no criminal penalty for breaking the law, and many consultants contend that the services they provide aren’t explicitly forbidden. Recent attempts to regulate this for-profit shadow industry have stalled in Congress .

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