Modernizing Notice to Claimants Act

Summary

Modernizing Notice to Claimants Act - Directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide VA benefits claimants, by the most expeditious means available, including electronic communication or notification in writing, of any information or medical or lay evidence not previously provided to the Secretary that is necessary to substantiate a claim. (Current law does not specify the means of notice.) Requires the Secretary, whenever private records relevant to a claim are unable to be obtained after making reasonable efforts in response to a claimant's request for assistance, to, subject to waiver: (1) notify the claimant that the claim will be decided based on evidence of record, but that this Act does not prohibit submission of records at a later date if such submission is otherwise allowed, and (2) make at least two requests to a private record custodian before an effort to obtain relevant private records may be treated as reasonable. (Current law requires only an identification and explanation of the Secretary's efforts to obtain such records with a description of any further action to be taken on the claim.) Directs the Secretary, when attempting to assist a disability compensation claimant in obtaining relevant records from a federal agency, to continue such efforts unless it is reasonably certain that the records are nonexistent or that further efforts would be futile.

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3 official files

• Introduced in House (text)

  Introduced in House · EN · 24 June 2011

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• Introduced in House (PDF)

  Introduced in House · EN · 24 June 2011

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• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 24 June 2011

  Open at official source

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