Purple Heart Recipients Will Move to Front of Line for VA Claims

Purple Heart recipients will soon take priority in the queue for Department of Veterans Affairs claims adjudication, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie announced Feb. 26. The change is in "recognition of wounds taken in battle," he said. Starting April 1, veterans who have earned the Purple Heart and are submitting initial disability compensation claims will be added to the existing list of categories that receive priority processing within the Veterans Benefits Administration. The change is among the many improvements the department is making as part of the claims and appeals modernization effort. The VA launched a new process for handling compensation claims appeals Feb. 19. Read more about the announcement on Military.com.