Robin Hood Esq., accredited Veterans Disability Attorney

05/11/2026

Claim sharks are ripping off veterans under the guise of helping them access their earned benefits, and are now using robocallers to do it.

It’s outrageous, and I’ve been leading the fight to put a stop to it. Read about my legislation to do just that. ⬇️

https://www.npr.org/2026/05/04/nx-s1-5719493/veterans-disabilities-claims-congress-legislation

05/11/2026

Monday Update!

I am slowly starting to take on new cases and schedule phone consults (on Wednesday only!). I can't dive in with both feet like I want to, because that about killed me. So gonna ease back into it.

My wife Dana had knee repair surgery last week, and that's got me working from home as caregiver. Bought a power wheelchair and ramps so she can toodle about the house but I still gotta be here and do things; there's so much that you don't even think about when it comes to being physically disabled, even temporarily.

I'm off to cardiac rehab. 0700 comes stupid early. And then I gotta go to the hospital and regulate because our insurance switched from CIGNA to Blue Cross Blue SHield and now my wife's knee rehab is broken, so I will go figure it out. BCBS+Medicare should result in SOMETHING being available. VA care is maybe an option of last resort but it's there.

Today I'm having a meeting with one of my firm's Marketing Guys to talk about our Intake. It's not my name on the side of the building, so I have limited input in how our call center and other processes operate, but I'll still try and do what I can to fix the pain points.

I see like four or five people sent me messages over t he weekend that I need to follow up with today. If that's you, stand by, I'll get to you today.

Robin

05/06/2026

Wednesday Winsday. On time edition??? What!??!?!? :)

Here's a selection of wins from the past seven days...

RD 04/29/2026 Widows case. Accrued Chap35 DEA, 100 percent for PTSD, tinnitus at 10, all from 06/15/2016.

RD 04/29/2026. SC back granted at 10 eff 06/30/2020, higher eval deferred (VA will f**k us on the effective date, watch and see).

RD 04/30/2026 EED for R shoulder granted back to date of claim 06/23/2025.

RD 04/30/2026 Implements BVA Rmenad 11/06/2019 (!?!?) SC for psych granted at 30 eff 11/26/2018, 70 eff 03/05/2026, C&C eval vestibular disorder at 0. Need HLR re eff date of evaluation. "The garbage exams were the whole reason for the the appeal, and it took YEARS to get a fair exam, and now VA is staging the ratings using the garbage exams that lead to the appeal and only starting his fair 70 percent evaluation from date-of-exam 03/05/2026? I think not! If those exams weren't good enough to grant from they're not good enough to assign an evaluation from. I want 70 percent all the way back to 11/06/2019, possibly with TDIU in play."

RD 04/30/2026 SC for TMJ granted at 20 eff 02/19/2026 (526ez we submitted as a courtesy, no fees)

RD 04/30/2026 implements BVA decision 03/20/2026. Eval R knee increased 10 to 30 eff 05/16/2019. Back increased form 0 to 20 eff 05/16/2019. LLE radiculopathy granted at 20 eff 05/16/2019. RLE radiculopathy granted at 20 eff 05/16/2019. C&C evals B ankles at 10 each. Takes Vet from 30 to 80 percent all the way back to 05/16/2019.

05/06/2026

The bipartisan bill would block companies from using auto-dialers to harvest private information about disabled veterans. The firms charge veterans for a service lawmakers say is supposed to be free.

05/05/2026

Schedule a 30 minute phone call with me. Wednesdays from 1100 to 1630 Eastern. I'm taking new cases this month.

(Deleted the booking link until I can confirm that it captures phone numbers and email addresses!)

Testing a new link to see if that solves my problem...:
SelfScheduleaPhoneCallwithRobinHoodEsq@forthepeople0.onmicrosoft.com/s/unekM_JFc06kJi7sUAk3SA2?ismsaljsauthenabled" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://outlook.office.com/book/SelfScheduleaPhoneCallwithRobinHoodEsq@forthepeople0.onmicrosoft.com/s/unekM_JFc06kJi7sUAk3SA2?ismsaljsauthenabled

05/05/2026

Monday Update. End of Month Update.

Last month I put over a million dollars worth of appeal retro into the hands of my Veteran and widow clients. So far this year, that's in the ballpark of 3.5 million dollars.

My inventory is currently 606 cases, (with 40 of those being intended to assign to Randy when his accrediation comes through). We closed 60 cases this month.

I haven't been taking any new clients since my heart attack/quadruple bypass at the end of January. Well, now it's been 90 days, and maybe I should start hustling for cases again.

So, I need to update my autoresponder messages etc. Pretty much if you have a decision within the last 10 months you'd like help with, we can look at it for you. Maybe we can do something about it or maybe not and we'll have to cut ties shortly thereafter if there really is nothing we can do to help, but at least we can cut out some of the friction from our intake process.

I am still going to be MUCH MORE MINDFUL of my health and what my limits are. I worked as hard as I possibly could and it almost killed me, so I gotta figure out what working hard without dying looks like going forward.

For the moment, in May, I'd like to take on 50 cases, half of which I'll keep and half I'll give to the new attorneys I'm mentoring. Let's see if I can rustle up 50 cases this month via my own efforts and my network of allies?

04/30/2026

REALLY belated Wednesday Winsday.

Ok, so April happened... had to get a tooth pulled, my stepfather died, and I'm pretty sure there was some other life happening in there. Oh! I also started cardiac rehab. My rehab nurse is a little old 900 year old lady who I dare not cross.

It looks like I haven't done one of these AT ALL for the entire month of April, and tomorrow is the last day.

So, uh, here's what a months worth of wins looks like? Yay I guess?

RD 04/01/2026 implements BVA decision 03/31/2026. Eval levator ani increased from 0 to 30 eff 05/13/2013. Makes Vet 100 percent eff 04/25/2022

RD 04/01/2026 TDIU granted back to 03/30/2020! 85k retro, boom!

BVA Decision 04/01/2026 L knee granted. R knee, headaches, neck, back, acquired psych denied. This was just too weak a case with too little going for it. I tried to make something happen, but there just wasn't enough to work with.

RD 04/02/2026 grants EED for eval 70 for mental based on CUE, new date 05/16/2024 vs 09/23/2025.

RD 04/02/2026 grants SC for OSA at 50 eff 03/17/2026. Need HLR re eff date for OSA because this was a continuously prosecuted AMA claim, also submit audit request on a 4138 because the difference between 80 and 90 percent for this Veteran is more than $20.61 per month, the Vet has been shorted a bunch and thus so have we been shorted. (Vet owes us for that medical opinion and a 20 dollar retro isn't gonna pay for it!)

RD 04/02/2026 SC for R ankle granted at 10 eff 10/21/2025, SC R wrist denied.

RD 04/02/2026 SC for tinnitus granted at 10 eff 02/16/2026. Sinisutis granted at 0. Rhinitis denied. Hearing loss deferred.

RD 04/02/2026. Neck increased from 20 to 30 eff 11/04/2025. Eval BUE radiculopathy increased from 20 to 30/40 each eff 11/04/2025. Makes vet 100 percent P&T from 11/04/2025. PTSD and OSA denied, adjustment disorder deferred.

BVA Decision 04/02/2026 SC for depression granted

RD 04/03/2026. Implements BVA Decision 03/27/2026. SC mental granted at 50 eff 03/28/2024.

RD 04/03/2026. SC for IBS granted at 30 eff 01/19/2026. SC GERD and OSA deferred.

RD 04/03/2026 Eval HTN increased from 0 to 10 eff 01/13/2026. Calls DTA re neck, both knees, R hip.

RD 04/03/2026 Implements BVA Decision 03/30/2026. EED for Chap35 and HL granted back to 12/22/2016.

RD 04/03/2026 TDIU granted eff 05/01/2025 date last employed.

RD 04/06/2026. L ankle, R ankle, R knee, all grantd at 10 eff 05/16/2019. Back granted at 0 eff 05/16/2019. File HLR re back eval. "If there's not painful or limited motion of the back that's compensable I'll eat my hat."

04/06/2026 Eval OSA increased from 0 to 50 eff 12/08/2024 (ITF date)

RD 04/07/2026 Implements BVA Decision 04/02/2026. SC Depression grantd at 50 eff 05/04/2020

BVA Decision 04/07/2026 Eval greater than 50 for lung condition and 0 for ED dismissed, SC for B hip, B carpal tunnel, B hand condition all granted.

RD 04/08/2026 Eval gastritis increased form 20 to 60 eff 01/21/2026. Eval broncitis increased from 50 to 60 eff 01/21/2026. SC GERD granted at 10 eff 01/21/2026. CHap35 P&T granted eff 01/21/2026. Dry eyes and IBS denied. Diverticular disease deferred (but should be rolled in with the gastritis. No fees this was on a 526ez. Vet filed this himself. I think it's time to close this one out, we got him his sleep apnea and now he's 100 percent there's not much else for us to do.

RD 04/08/2026 EED for CAD, DM2, BLE PNx4, all granted back to 08/10/2022. Need 10182 with hearing. "This wasn't PACT ACT related, this is the wrong effective date. Let's discuss at a hearing." Also, various hand/finger/foot conditions deferred but not terribly concerned about these.


RD 04/08/2026 increased eval back granted from 10 to 40, BLE radiculopathy increased from 10 to 40 each (!?!?!), makes vet P&T 100 percent all from 03/24/2026. No fees, 526ez we submitted as s courtesy while we are appealing his sleep apnea.

BVA Decision 04/08/2026 SC for back condition granted.

BVA Decision 04/09/2026 Grants initial eval headaches 30 but no higher (that's back to 2012 I think, Vet was combined 80 percent so it still might not change his money from 80 to 90), and no increase from 10/15/2020 (vet 90 percent combined from here anyway). I'll take it. Vet TDIU since 2022.

RD 04/08/2026 with notification letter eval scars increased from 0 to 20 eff 08/24/2021 but doesn't change money because she was 80 percent.

RD 04/08/2026 left knee granted at 10 eff 07/28/2019.

RD 04/09/2026 SC for colon cancer w/ mets to liver and lymph nodes granted at 100 eff 03/07/2022 w/ scars. Statutory housebound granted.

RD 04/09/2026. TDIU w/Chap35 P&T granted back to 02/05/2026 (date of 8940), C&C eval psych at 70. File HLR re eff date TDIU. "I'll be happy to fly to whichever VARO did this rating and conduct training on effective dates. 8940 came in on 02/05/2026 within one year of RD 10/08/2025 which made vet schedular for TDIU back to 09/22/2020. Vet stopped working in 2010. Correct effective date for TDIU is 09/22/2020."

RD 04/10/2026 C&C eval B knee isntability, L and R knee LOM/pain granted at 10 each eff 03/31/2026, does not change Vet's combined eval (vet is 80 percent).

RD 04/10/2026. Insomnia (!?!?) granted at 50 eff 07/16/2025 (date of claim). LEAVE THIS ALONE DON"T TOUCH IT! NOT APPEALING! VA is very reduction happy, ESPECIALLY re insomnia!

RD 04/10/2026 implements BVA Decsions 04/07/2026. Does all the thigns but does NOT make him 100 percent back to 2018? Says here 80 percent from 10/23/2018? 50+40+20+20 all from 10/23/2018, what was already in place at that time? Codesheet says he was 50 percent from 05/22/2018. Oh, I see, he already had SOME percenages for his back and radiculopathy and migraines. So still SOME retro from 08/01/2018 until the 100 percent happened 04/20/2022.

RD 04/14/2026 with NOtification Letter. SC for migraines granted at 50 eff 03/31/2026. File HLR re eff date migraines. Continuous prosecution. Tell the DRO where to find the beginning of the claim stream. This is a garbage effective date, and it caused a lowball not even three hundred dollar retro.

RD 04/15/2026 SC depression granted at 100 (!!!) eff 08/23/2024

RD 04/15/2026 With Notification Letter. Implements BVA Decision 04/09/2026 assigned 30 percent eval headaches from 06/18/2012.

RD 04/15/2026 with notification letter. Headache eval increased from 0 to 50 eff 04/01/2026. Back w/BLE radiculopathy denied. Anxiety denied. HLR eff date of headaches and SC for back w/ radiculopathy as well as SC anxiety.

RD 04/16/2026 (with Notification Letter ). SC for Parkinsons and complications granted at 40LU/30/20RU/10/10/10/10LL/10RL/10LL/10RL=raw 88 rounds up to 90 percent back to 02/24/2026 (we filed 526ez as a courtesy). Causes combined eval to be 100 percent. Vet also has mental at 70 plus fibro at 40. Vet doesnt' quite have a single 100 but if he's not working and wants SMC-S, file for TDIU based soleuly upon his Parkinsons residuals to incluce SMC-S, because TDIU based on a single disability satisifes a single 100 percent for SMC-s. Sure, TDIU may be "moot" since Vet is 100 percent, but VA has a duty to maximize and if his 90 percent PD conditoin makes him unemployable then he warrants SMC-s. Send it.

RD 04/16/2026 back eval increased from 10 to 20 eff 01/29/2026. Headaches denied (can we appeal). Vertigo deferred.

RD 04/17/2026 EED for TDIU and chap35 DEA granted back to 11/21/2024 vs August 2025, C&C evals everything else. CM, check to see if there's a reasonably raised claim for TDIU that can go back further; he stopped working 2020 and we can send it to BVA Direct Review if the evidence is there for a reasonably raised claim.

RD 04/17/2026 SC for back granted at 10 percent eff 11/13/2020 with an at-once exam scheduled per /Ingram/. Be ready to appeal eff date of any higher evaluation assigned. CM, come see me about this DM Supp Claim we filed back on 01/13/2026. I don't think there was any N&RE with that; it looks like TERA was considered on the origional 01/13/2025 RD.

BVA Decision 04/17/2026 SC for OSA is granted.

RD 04/20/2026 TDIU granted back to 09/11/2025 w/Chap35 P&T. C&C evals everything else. 8940 not completed within a year of reaching schedular criteria for TDIU. Vet stopped working 2019. Has med schedular criteria since 11/02/2020. Is there a reasonably raised claim for TDIU in there somewhere, especially aroudn 2020? Migraines C&P 11/23/2020 literally says she "can't report to work." Think we may direct review to BVA this. CM, get with me.

RD 04/20/2026 EED for TDIU granted back to 09/25/2014 (Uh, Vet was already increased to 100 percent schedular from 09/25/2014, why did VA issue this decision??? Retro was 100k and tha twas back in February, no new retro from this. Odd.

RD 04/20/2026. Headaches increased eval from 0 to 30 eff 11/28/2024. Mental deferred.

RD 04/20/2026 SC for R knee granted at 30 eff 09/27/2025 date of ITF. Left knee deferred. This was a 526ez, no fees.

RD 04/20/2026 BUE CTS granted at 10 each, B hips granted at 10 each, some zeros, all from 04/15/2015, does not change his money (vet at 90/100 from 2015/2020.)

RD 04/20/2026 (with NOtification Letter) SC for OSA granted at 50 eff 10/28/2025

RD 04/21/2026 SC for depression granted at 30 eff 12/16/2024. File HLR re eval. "I feel like there's a 50 percent in there for disturbances of mood if you look at all four corners of the 04/30/-2025 C&P exam."

RD 04/21/2026 Back granted at 40 eff 05/23/2023

RD 04/22/2026 EED for sinusitis granted back to 08/10/2022

RD 04/23/2026 C&C eval lung condition at 100, goes aheads and makes vet P&T w/CHap35 eff 06/11/2025. (I had to yell at the VA to get them to working on this one.... no fees though). May as well cancel the TDIU appeal that we're doing, because he doesn't need it anymore because he's P&T,


RD 04/23/2026 SC for OSA granted at 50 eff 01/19/2026 (ITF). SC for Barrett's Esophagus and GERD both granted at 0 eff 01/19/2025. (EED for presumptives one year prior to date of claim). Not appealing!

RD 04/23/2026 SC for OSA granted at 50 eff 01/19/2026 (ITF). SC for Barrett's Esophagus and GERD both granted at 0 eff 01/19/2025. (EED for presumptives one year prior to date of claim). Not appealing!

RD 04/24/2026 SC GERD granted at 0 eff 02/09/2026. Need HLR re Eval and Eff Date for GERD. Continuously prosecuted, claim stream kicked off a LONG tiem ago 11/16/2018 under the previous version of the rating schedule for GERD.

RD 04/24/2026 SC GERD granted at 0 eff 02/09/2026. Need HLR re Eval and Eff Date for GERD. Continuously prosecuted, claim stream kicked off a LONG tiem ago 11/16/2018 under the previous version of the rating schedule for GERD.

RD 04/24/2026 grants EED for GERD (no change in combined eval), calls DTA re Chronid Fatigue and Fibromyalgia. See HLR Return for new opinions being requestd.

RD 04/24/2026 SC for OSA granted at 50 eff 02/20/2026, TDIU deferred.

RD 04/27/2026 R knee eval increased from 10 to 40 (!?!?!?) eff 04/02/2026 (no fees, increase on 526ez filed by Vet). Rarely seen case where knee doesn't bend much (flex to 75 extend to 30, it's the extension to only 30 degrees that got him the 40 percent)

RD 04/27/2026 implements BVA Decision 04/17/2026, SC for OSA granted at 50 eff 12/10/2019, pushes 100 percent back to 03/11/2022

BVA Decision 04/22/2026 SC for low back granted.

RD 04/27/2026 TMJ granted at 20 eff 02/19/2026 (new claim on a 526ez, no fees)

RD 04/27/2026 w/notification letter SC B pes planus grante dat 30 eff 12/30/2025 (no fees, new claim 526ez. OSA denied, arthritis and sinusitis deferred.

RD 04/28/2026 EED for TDIU granted back to 09/22/2020 vs 02/05/2026.

RD 04/28/2026 Makes the colon cancer 100 percent PERMANENT and total so vet can get the P&T benefits, no retro but we did a good thing

RD 04/28/2026 SC for OSA granted at 50 eff 09/18/2024

RD 04/29/2026 Widow's case. Accrued Chap35 DEA, 100 percent for PTSD, tinnitus at 10, all from 06/15/2016.

RD 04/29/2026. SC back granted at 10 eff 06/30/2020, higher eval deferred (VA will f**k us on the effective date, watch and see).

04/28/2026

Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs I have an idea for marketing for my Veterans law practice…  I need to start making videos every time I get an absolute garbage letter from y’all.

(I am so furious I am tasting metal)

 I think my first video will be the one  brought to my attention today by one of my case, managers.  after a several year fight up to and back down from the board of Veterans appeals ,  the Seattle DROC  implemented the BVA decision, which was to the grant all the things ,  but Seattle DROC made the effective date the date it came back from the BVA .  I filed a higher level review for the effective date since this had been continuously prosecuted for forever,  and lo and behold now they have canceled the end product and told me I need to file a CUE.

 No, I don’t think I do. CUE  is for final decisions, but I am still within a one year of this  garbage Seattle decision and I have appeal rights and I am going to bloody well use them.  I am absolutely owed a higher level review on this. Somebody is in dire need of training in Seattle.
I would absolutely love to hop on a plane and be more than happy to give a quality training to your people up there.

Video to follow. 
my blood pressure and heart does not need this right now.

04/22/2026

https://youtu.be/H-43VeYGiPM?si=cvWofDtaR2k6qKEy

So Warner Brothers completed this film, but then decided they would scrap it for accounting purposes and use it as some kind of tax write off. A fully completed film, starring beloved characters.

I am so glad they caved to pressure, and will be going to see this. Even though i’m not a personal injury or products liability lawyer. :)

5.6K likes, 575 comments. "Coyote vs. ACME | Official Trailer"

04/07/2026

Still technically Monday for my Monday Update!

So today was a wash. I lost a filling or crown or something and I've been in terrible dental pain. I've been sucking it up for a while now because I've had pending heart stuff going on, and I the doc said it needed to come out (the tooth, not the heart) and I don't need any more complications in my life than I have already. So with last weeks excellent news heart-wise, I've got some breathing room. Good thing, too, because today I was in so much pain that I couldn't function. Three of my staff each asked if I was okay, because I clearly wasn't. I took the Happy Pill(tm) that the dentist gave me this morning around ten AM, and I don't remember much after that... except I remember vaguely that the dentist said it couldn't be done today after all and to go to the ER for pain meds, and that the ER was a madhouse and my wife noped us right out of there, and I woke up around 9PM tonight.

Work-wise my staff are still holding it down. I'm going to spend the next month working on our training. That is, developing a proper training course curriculum that will take someone from off the street and turn them into a case manager for my department. Next month I can do the same for the Legal Assistant position. Then maybe by that time I'll be ready to start taking on new cases.