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MN veteran's legal battle wins billions for other vets

It was a huge victory – not just for Staab, but for veterans nationwide. And it has massive financial ramifications.

A.J. Lagoe (Steve Eckert)

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Published: 5:23 PM EDT October 17, 2017
Updated: 9:08 PM EDT October 17, 2017

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – A Minnesota veteran’s precedent-setting legal case is forcing the Department of Veterans Affairs to change course after years of denying payment of veterans' emergency medical bills.

A court ruled a VA policy violated federal law. As a result, the VA estimates it may be on the hook for billions of dollars in previously denied claims.

For several months, KARE 11’s continuing investigation – A Pattern of Denial – has exposed how veterans are being saddled with medical debt they should not owe, some of it even turned over to collection agencies after trips to the emergency room.

For St. Cloud attorney Jacqueline Schuh, KARE 11’s reporting hits close to home.

“I followed your story on the news, and I just sat there and thought, hello, this is the same thing that we’ve been tangling with.” She added, “Same identical situation, maybe slightly different facts, same set of denials.”

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