‘Claim sharks’ or helping veterans? Companies charging fees to up VA benefits are on the rise

The number of companies unaccredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs purportedly helping military veterans has been on the rise in recent years, including in the Killeen-Fort Cavazos area.

Some of these companies have been labeled “claim sharks,” by numerous veterans organizations in an attempt to curb their predatory behavior toward an ocean of veterans.

The rise of veterans disability claims agents is the result of a change to federal statutes that took place in 2006. Prior to the statute change, there was a strict limit on the how much a company could charge for assisting veterans with their claims.

The amendment loosened the restrictions on fees and allowed those assisting veterans to charge a reasonable fee. This led to an uptick in the number of individuals and companies, both accredited and unaccredited, that were aimed at veterans.