Law Office Helps Veterans and Community
Steamboat Springs and Denver, Colorado (PRWEB) June 06, 2014 -- I presume I am like most Americans. Until recently, I knew little about the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (“V.A.”). However, one of the junior associates at Cantafio Eddington, P.C. has been active volunteering general pro bono legal services to Veterans, and pursuing her V.A. accreditation. As a result of those efforts by Christine E. Breen, Esq., what I learned is a bit shameful to report. I thought that those honorable men and women who have sacrificed so much to defend our freedom were receiving benefits in a timely fashion and to the fullest extent permitted by law. I was naïve about the obstacles they confront.
Many soldiers – including those severely wounded and many in need of benefits for themselves and their families – are routinely forced to wait extended periods of time before receiving V.A. benefits. All too often, they receive only a portion of their actual entitlements. Remind you, these are benefits that have been earned by these Veterans who are resorting to programs approved by Congress. It is the responsibility of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to implement these programs.
Sadly, part of the delay is the result of a lack of qualified accredited attorneys to represent Veterans in the preparation, presentation, prosecution, and appeal of claims brought to the V.A. There are many reasons for this relative lack of enthusiasm by the legal community, but part of this indifference has to do with the reality that the handling of these cases is not terribly lucrative. As is the case with numerous Federal programs, there are compliance provisions as set forth in the United States Code and the Code of Federal Regulations before an attorney can even be qualified to represent our Veterans in these proceedings. This is no excuse for such indifference.
Although I have never served in the military, my father was a Veteran of both World War II and the Korean War. I am, therefore, very proud to announce that myself and my associate, Christine E. Breen, Esq., have been approved by the Office of the General Counsel of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to act as accredited attorneys, and are now able to represent our Veterans in that forum. My law partner, Richard Eddington, Esq. and I are also proud to announce that Cantafio Eddington, P.C. shall be donating 15% of all legal fees generated by our representation of Veterans in these cases to further pro-bono representation of Veterans in need and to non-profit organizations that specifically assist Veterans.
The attorneys of Cantafio Eddington P.C. have been serving Northwest Colorado and now the Denver area, for over twenty-eight years, representing clients in all counties of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming counties, as well as in their respective federal courts. The firm is dedicated to providing high quality legal representation in diverse areas of law, while providing clients with a comfortable, yet professional environment.
Ralph A. Cantafio, Esq.
Media Contact:
Erica Adams
Cantafio Eddington
erica(at)cantafiolaw(dot)com
970.879.4567
Erica Adams, Cantafio Law Firm, http://www.cantafiolaw.com, +1 9708794567, [email protected]
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