The legislation directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to expedite the processing of disability compensation claims for veterans affected by major disasters.
It establishes criteria for priority processing of claims, including:
Veterans experiencing extreme financial hardship.
Veterans facing homelessness.
Veterans diagnosed with terminal illnesses.
Participants in the Fully Developed Claim program.
Veterans residing in areas declared as major disaster zones by the President.
The Secretary is required to create additional regulations specifically for claims related to major disasters, which include:
Flexible evidence requirements for veterans unable to provide standard documentation due to disaster impacts.
Flexible filing deadlines for claims affected by major disasters.
The Secretary must notify veterans of their eligibility for priority claims processing within 60 days of the legislation’s enactment, including updates to eligibility categories.
