I am proud veteran who served in the US Army from 2001 to 2005. Since my discharge, I have been battling severe anxiety and depression, conditions that were triggered by acute stress disorder during my service. Despite this evidence, my appeals for disability benefits have been repeatedly denied. In September 2021, I hired a lawyer and since then, we've been on the docket with no progress or transparency.

Like many other veterans, I am left in limbo with no way to track the status of my case or predict when it will be resolved. This lack of transparency and prolonged waiting period has exacerbated my mental health issues to the point where daily life has become unbearable.

This is not just about me; it's about all veterans who are suffering while waiting for their disability claims to be approved. It's unacceptable that those who risked their lives for our country are left struggling due to bureaucratic inefficiencies.

We need immediate reform in how VA Benefits cases are handled at all levels of appeal including legal cases. There must be mandatory time frames within which these cases should be resolved as well as a system that allows us to track our claims throughout the entire appeals process.

Moreover, there should be a publicly accessible list showing appeal cases on dockets for legal appeals so we can know where we stand at any given time.

Too many veterans are suffering - some even dying - while waiting on their disability approval. We cannot allow this injustice to continue unaddressed. Please sign this petition calling on lawmakers and relevant authorities to implement these necessary changes immediately.