Lawmakers urge crackdown on veteran claim ‘sharks’
A group of 43 members of Congress (42 Democrats, 1 Republican) sent a letter on Dec. 10, 2025 to the VA, FTC and CFPB urging enforcement action against unaccredited companies charging veterans to file VA disability claims, citing federal rules that require free, VA‑accredited assistance. The move follows NPR reporting that Florida‑based Trajector Medical used a robo‑dialer to access VA claim updates via the veterans’ hotline and billed veterans — sometimes when it wasn’t responsible for the benefit increase — a practice the company denies is unlawful.
📌 Key Facts
- Letter sent to VA, FTC and CFPB by 43 lawmakers on Dec. 10, 2025
- Federal law requires initial VA claims help be free and provided by accredited representatives
- NPR found Trajector used veterans’ SSNs via the VA hotline to track claim outcomes and bill; one veteran was charged $12,000
📊 Relevant Data
Black veterans had the lowest approval rate for VA disability claims, with disparities particularly notable in conditions like hearing loss, where White veterans had a 45% approval rate compared to lower rates for Black veterans.
The VA claims consulting market was estimated to be worth $73 billion a year in a 2021 SEC filing, indicating the scale of the industry targeting veterans.
For-profit firm spends millions to maintain stake in VA benefits claims — The War Horse
As of recent data, the VA disability claims backlog stands at 109,574 claims, despite processing over 2.5 million claims in fiscal year 2025.
Claims Backlog - Veterans Benefits Administration Reports — VA.gov
Black veterans, who make up about 12% of the veteran population, are more likely than White veterans (74% of veteran population) to have VA disability ratings and have higher average ratings, potentially indicating higher disability prevalence.
Income of Black Working-Age Veterans — Congressional Budget Office