Medical Services
Our medical services team ensures that Veterans with SCI/D get the quality medical care and information that they deserve. PVA’s Medical Services team is responsible for:
- Routine visits to the VA Spinal Cord Injury units and Long-term Care Centers to ensure quality care standards are met. Medical Services conducts 25 visits to each of the 25 SCI/D centers each year. Paralyzed Veterans of America is the only veterans service organization that routinely audits VA hospitals to ensure quality healthcare and best practices.
- Assisting in the development, design, and organization structure for the Veterans Spinal Cord Injury/Disease (SCI/D) Program by providing education with support on various committees, as well as guidance to the general public on the care of the SCI/D individual and fund Patient and Caregiver Guides and other publications.
- Participating and informing Medical Advocacy. Some of our legislative priorities include:
Legal Services
Veterans Benefits
PVA has over 70 offices nationwide that can help you get your benefits from the VA if you have a Spinal Cord Injury and Disease (SCI/D), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and other service-connected injuries or conditions. PVA National Service Officers can help you obtain the following benefits:
- Vocational rehabilitation for veterans seeking employment
- Health benefits, such as prosthetics, home care and mental health treatment
- Housing and auto grants for veterans with qualifying disabilities
- VA Pension, survivor benefits and more
Paralyzed Veterans attorneys have litigated hundreds of cases on behalf of members and other Veterans, helping them receive the benefits they have earned.
Appellate Services
PVA legal services help Veterans with appeals when their benefits have been denied. Paralyzed Veterans of America’s Appellate Services program has maintained one of the highest rates of success among all veteran’s service organizations in representing veterans before VA’s Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA).
Veterans may turn to the Appellate Services program for representation when their benefits or medical claims have been denied by local VA facilities for issues such as:
- Effective date of benefit awards
- Clear and unmistakable errors
- Mortgage insurance
- Military discharge review boards
- Boards of correction for military records
- Individual unemployability
- Service disabled Veterans’ life insurance
- Educational benefits
In addition, we provide free representation to active duty service members and veterans before military Physical Evaluation Boards, Boards of Correction for Military Records and Discharge Review Boards to ensure that every benefit possible is obtained.
For more information, please contact the Paralyzed Veterans of America Veterans Benefit Department at info@pva.org or 866-734-0857.
Architecture and Accessible Services
PVA promotes an accessible, barrier free environment for Veterans and people with disabilities. Access to public buildings and structures should be a fundamental right.
PVA architects are specialized in accessible design and have extensive experience in all aspects of architecture, and are involved in the following:
- Providing design assistance to Veterans. Paralyzed Veterans of America is the only Veterans organization with on-staff architects that provide design assistance to Veterans.
- Offering resources and support when planning home design and renovations, including wheelchair accessible home plans in our publication Accessible Home Design, 2nd Edition.
- Helping design building codes and standards for the entire nation.
- Recognizing outstanding contributions to accessible design through the Barrier-Free America Award.
PVA architects are regularly consulted in order to make buildings more accessible. Notable achievements include:
- National World War II Memorial
- S. Bank Stadium
- The REACH at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
For more accessibility resources click here. For more information contact PVA Architecture at: (202) 416-7645 or pvaarchitecture@pva.org.
Through our sponsors and supporters, we continue to strive to enhance the quality of life for all people living with a spinal cord injury, spinal cord disorders, and anyone with mobility impairments.
Don’t see what you’re looking for? Check out our other Veterans Services here.