» Judge Margaret Bartley
FCOA Precedent Alert: Cook v. Wilkie (Can a veteran have more than one BVA hearing?)
What is the Deep Issue in the Case? 38 U.S.C. §7107(b) (2012) requires “[t]he Board shall decide any appeal only after affording the appellant an opportunity for a hearing.” On remand from the Veterans Court, the veteran asked for a new BVA hear…
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November 15th, 2018
Contributor: Chris Attig
Categories: Veterans Law Updates
Tags: 38 USC 7107(b), Barbara Thomas, Chevron deference, Circuit Judge Alan D. Lourie, Circuit Judge Pauline Newman, Circuit Judge Raymond C. Clevenger, Covington and Burling LLP, Francis M. Jackson, John Niles, Judge Coral W. Pietsch, Judge Margaret Bartley, K.L. Wallin, Ken Carpenter, Manchester NH VARO, Milo H. Hawley, Nathan P. Kirschner, Penelope E. Gronbeck, pro veteran, Procopio, Senior Judge Lawrence B. Hagel, Skidmore deference
Monday Morning Coffee with Chris: Do THIS when you get back from a Legal Conference.
What to do when you get back from a Legal Conference? I just returned home from a multi-day legal conference: this time the Fall Conference for the National Organization for Veterans Advocates (NOVA) in Washington, D.C. Here’s what I’ll t…
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October 22nd, 2018
Contributor: Chris Attig
Tags: 2018 CAVC Oral Arguments, Anxious Lawyer, Barton F. Stichman, Caitlin S. Milo, Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), Headspace, Hire Slow Fire Fast, Judge Amanda L. Meredith, Judge Margaret Bartley, Judge Mary J. Schoelen, Julia A. Turner, NDSS, Next Lawyer Up, NOVA, NVLSP, Speigner v Wilkie #16-2811
CAVC Docket Update: Appeals Submitted for CAVC Panel Decision and Oral Argument (June 2018)
In June 2018, it appears that the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) has set 1 case for Panel Decisions and 4 cases for Oral Argument and Panel Decision. I do my best to seek out and find all cases submitted to a CAVC Panel or set for Oral A…
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July 19th, 2018
Contributor: Chris Attig
Categories: Veterans Law Updates
Tags: 38 C.F.R. §3.114(a), 38 C.F.R. §3.344, 38 U.S.C. §5904, Abhinav Goel, attorney fees, Christian A. McTarnaghan, Christopher W. Brown, Clear and Unmistakeable Error (CUE), Debra L. Bernal, effective date, extra-schedular rating, Jenna E. Zellmer, John F. Cameron, Judge Joseph L. Toth, Judge Margaret Bartley, Judge Michael Allen, Judge William S. Greenberg, Kenneth H. Dojaquez, liberalizing law, Margaret E. Sorrenti, Michael G. Imber, ptsd, Snyder v. Nicholson 489 F.3d. 1213 (Fed. Cir. 2007), stabilized rating, Thun v. Peake 22 Vet. App. 111 (2008)
Episode 005: CAVC Oral Argument: Simmons v. Wilkie (16-3039)(CAVC Application of Harmless Error Rule)
General Overview of Harmless Error law. The major question in this case is how the CAVC should apply the harmless error rule when it might involve making findings of fact. The Court stated in its supplemental briefing order that it “…has…
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April 25th, 2018
Contributor: Chris Attig
Categories: Veterans Law Updates
Tags: 38 USC 105(a), 38 USC 1111, 38 USC 7261(b), Chief Judge Robert N. Davis, Clear and Unmistakeable Error (CUE), Harmless Error, Joshua L. Wolinsky, Judge Margaret Bartley, Judge Michael Allen, Ken Carpenter, Kotteakos v. US 328 US 750 (1946), presumption of aggravation, presumption of soundness, Shinseki v. Sanders 556 U.S. 396 (2009), Winston Salem NC VARO
PRECEDENTIAL FCOA CASE ALERT: Bly v. Shulkin (17-1287)(EAJA petition deadline at CAVC)
What is the Deep Issue in the Case? This case involves the deadline to file an EAJA Petition at the CAVC. The Equal Access to Justice Act (“EAJA”) requires applications for attorney fees must be filed within 30 days of a court’s fin…
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March 14th, 2018
Contributor: Chris Attig
Categories: Veterans Law Updates
Tags: 2018 Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, 28 USC 2412, Brandon Michael Selinsky, Circuit Judge Jimmie V. Reyna, Circuit Judge Timothy B. Dyk, Circuit Judge Todd M. Hughes, Disabled American Veteran (DAV), EAJA Petition, Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), Impresa Construzioni Geom Domenico Garufi v United States 531 F3d 1367 (Fed Cir 2008), Joseph Whitcom, Joshua E. Kurland, Judge Margaret Bartley, Judge William S. Greenberg, Justin P. Zimmer, Michael Martin, Senior Judge Bruce E. Kasold, Sioux Falls SD VARO
PRECEDENTIAL CAVC CASE ALERT: Harvey v. Shulkin (16-1515)(Lawyer as Medical Expert)
What is the Deep Issue in the Case? The Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims has laid out clear standards for determining the adequacy of a VA expert opinion in a VA disability compensation claim. Accord, e.g., Monzingo v. Shinseki, 26 Vet.App. 97 (2…
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February 9th, 2018
Contributor: Chris Attig
PRECEDENTIAL CAVC CASE ALERT: Foreman v. Shulkin (14-3463)(VA PTSD Effective Date)
What is the Deep Issue in the Case? The general effective date rule says that the later of the date entitlement arose and the date of the claim for benefits is the effective date for a VA PTSD claim. 38 C.F.R. §3.400. When a liberalizing rule change…
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February 1st, 2018
Contributor: Chris Attig
PRECEDENTIAL CAVC CASE ALERT: Marcelino v. Shulkin (16-2959)(Service Connection of Obesity)
What is the Deep Issue in the Case? The Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims shall have exclusive jurisdiction to review BVA decisions; however, the Court may not review the schedule of ratings for disabilities adopted under 38 USC 1155 – or an…
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January 31st, 2018
Contributor: Chris Attig
Categories: Veterans Law Updates
Case Review: 16-3390, Roberts v. Shulkin (BVA Failed its Duty to Assist)
What is the Deep Issue in the Case? Evidence in the record before the VA may raise notice of pertinent medical records and trigger the duty to assist the appellant to locate and obtain the records. Ivey v. Derwinski, 2 Vet.App. 320 (1992). Before he…
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December 19th, 2017
Categories: Veterans Law Updates
