VA Claims Agent Sample Test

Case Study #5:

Hank is an accredited claims agent and maintains an appeals practice. He has done a number of successful appeals for his clients. As a general rule, he charges 20% of the past due payments from an award. He also includes in his fee agreement charges for expenses.   His expenses include mileage at $1.70 per mile, a promotional cost for his staff, costs of copying records and monthly costs for retaining the advice of medical doctors. He does not list his basis for costs in his fee agreement and instead includes totals for categories. For example, his mileage costs are total costs such as $400 for mileage to hearings, $800 for office costs, $700 for his monthly retainer for medical doctors.

VA has never challenged these numbers as they are usually not sufficiently large enough to raise suspicions. One of his claimants does complain to the Office of General Counsel about the charges. The Office of General Counsel requests information on how these charges were calculated.

BELOW ARE 3 QUESTIONS BASED ON THE CASE STUDY #5.