Injured Iraq war veterans to sue federal government over delays in disability pay, health care

Washington (AP) A group of injured Iraq war veterans is accusing outgoing V-A Secretary Jim Nicholson of breaking the law by denying them disability pay and mental health treatment.

The class-action lawsuit against the U-S Department of Veterans Affairs seeks broad change in the agency as it struggles to meet growing demands from veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The suit says the V-A has failed to provide prompt disability benefits, has not added staff to reduce wait times for medical care and has not boosted services for post-traumatic stress disorder.

The suit also charges Veterans Affairs and the Pentagon with cheating some psychologically wounded vets out of benefits by misclassifying P-T-S-D claims as pre-existing personality disorders.

A V-A spokesman says the agency is committed to meeting the SPECIAL needs of Iraq war veterans.

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