VA Inspector General: Agency Mishandled Up to 1,300 Sexual-Trauma Cases

A Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector General report found that the agency has “improperly denied hundreds of military sexual trauma claims in recent years” and may have left many veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder without benefits, USA Today reports. The IG investigation determined that the VA “mishandled” over 1,000 sexual-trauma cases last year alone, including not ordering required medical exams in over half the cases and not obtaining records to back up claims in hundreds of cases “despite contradictory evidence.” VA staff told investigators they stopped auditing sexual-trauma cases in 2015 because the error rates had declined and resources were reallocated “towards other areas.” About 12,000 veterans apply for PTSD benefits related to sexual trauma every year. The VA’s top benefits official, Paul Lawrence, said he would implement the IG’s recommendations to “review denied claims, reintroduce specialized vetting and audits, and provide better training for claims processors.”