## Section B. Equitable Relief and Other Requests

#### Overview

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##         | > This section contains the following topics:           |
| ### In thi |                                                         |
| s Section  |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

  ---------- ----------------------------------------------- ------------
  Topic      Topic Name                                      See Page

  5          Equitable Relief                                1-B-2

  6          Requesting Laboratory Analysis and Handling     1-B-6
             Service Organization Requests for Additional    
             Review                                          
  ---------- ----------------------------------------------- ------------

#### 5. Equitable Relief

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### In   | > This topic contains a definition of the term          |
| troduction | > ***equitable relief*** and additional information on  |
|            | > requesting equitable relief, including information on |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   who may request equitable relief                    |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   the requirements for requesting equitable relief,   |
|            |     including the requirements for                      |
|            |                                                         |
|            | ```{=html}                                              |
|            | <!-- -->                                                |
|            | ```                                                     |
|            | -   consideration under 38 U.S.C. 503(a) and 38 U.S.C.  |
|            |     503(b), and                                         |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   documenting loss, and                               |
|            |                                                         |
|            | ```{=html}                                              |
|            | <!-- -->                                                |
|            | ```                                                     |
|            | -   requesting equitable relief.                        |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### C    | > August 14, 2006                                       |
| hange Date |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### a    | > ***Equitable relief*** is a remedy for an injustice   |
| . Definiti | > done to a claimant resulting from mistakes made in    |
| on: Equita | > applying rules and regulations that either            |
| ble Relief |                                                         |
|            | -   deprived the claimant of benefits, or               |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   caused the claimant to suffer a loss because he/she |
|            |     relied on an erroneous decision.                    |
|            |                                                         |
|            | > ***Governing Provisions***: The following two         |
|            | > provisions describe the authority of the Secretary of |
|            | > Veterans Affairs to provide equitable relief:         |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   [38 U.S.C.                                          |
|            |     503(a)](http://www.law.cornell.edu                  |
|            | /uscode/html/uscode38/usc_sec_38_00000503----000-.html) |
|            |     gives the Secretary authority to provide whatever   |
|            |     relief is determined equitable if a claimant is     |
|            |     denied Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits |
|            |     because of an administrative error by the Federal   |
|            |     Government or any of its employees, and             |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   [38 U.S.C.                                          |
|            |     503(b)](http://www.law.cornell.edu                  |
|            | /uscode/html/uscode38/usc_sec_38_00000503----000-.html) |
|            |     gives the Secretary authority to provide equitable  |
|            |     relief if a claimant suffered loss as a result of   |
|            |     relying on an erroneous determination by VA.        |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| #          | > Requests to the Director of Compensation and Pension  |
| #### b. Wh | > (C&P) Service for equitable relief may be made by     |
| o May Requ | > either                                                |
| est Equita |                                                         |
| ble Relief | -   a claimant or someone acting on behalf of a         |
|            |     claimant, or                                        |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   the regional office (RO).                           |
|            |                                                         |
|            | > ***Note***: When a claimant or someone acting on      |
|            | > behalf of a claimant specifically requests equitable  |
|            | > relief, the RO submits the request to the Director of |
|            | > C&P Service.                                          |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

Continued on next page

5\. Equitable Relief, Continued

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| ###        | > Thorough documentation of a claim for equitable       |
| ## c. Requ | > relief is essential. All RO requests for equitable    |
| irements f | > relief *must*                                         |
| or Request |                                                         |
| ing Equita | -   provide evidence to clearly show that the           |
| ble Relief |     requirements for consideration are met, and         |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   include a detailed, factual determination of loss.  |
|            |                                                         |
|            | > ***References***: For more information on the         |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   requirements for consideration, see M21-1MR, Part   |
|            |     III, Subpart vi, 1.B.5.d, and                       |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   requirements for demonstration of loss, see         |
|            |     M21-1MR, Part III, Subpart vi, 1.B.5.e.             |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### d.   | > The table below shows the requirements for            |
| Requiremen | > consideration of equitable relief under [38 U.S.C.    |
| ts for Con | > 503(a)](http://www.law.cornell.edu                    |
| sideration | /uscode/html/uscode38/usc_sec_38_00000503----000-.html) |
|            | > and [38 U.S.C.                                        |
|            | > 503(b)](http://www.law.cornell.edu/                   |
|            | uscode/html/uscode38/usc_sec_38_00000503----000-.html). |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------+----------------------------------------------+
| Consideration under   | Requires that ...                            |
| ...                   |                                              |
+-----------------------+----------------------------------------------+
| [38 U.S.C.            | a claimant has or had eligibility and        |
| 503(a                 | entitlement under the current law.           |
| )](http://www.law.cor |                                              |
| nell.edu/uscode/html/ |                                              |
| uscode38/usc_sec_38_0 |                                              |
| 0000503----000-.html) |                                              |
+-----------------------+----------------------------------------------+
| [38 U.S.C.            | evidence indicates that a claimant suffered  |
| 503(b                 | a loss and all the following conditions also |
| )](http://www.law.cor | exist:                                       |
| nell.edu/uscode/html/ |                                              |
| uscode38/usc_sec_38_0 | -   VA made an erroneous decision concerning |
| 0000503----000-.html) |     benefit eligibility and entitlement      |
|                       |                                              |
|                       | -   the individual acted to his/her          |
|                       |     detriment based on that erroneous        |
|                       |     determination, and                       |
|                       |                                              |
|                       | -   at the time the individual acted to      |
|                       |     his/her detriment, the person did not    |
|                       |     know the VA determination was in error.  |
|                       |                                              |
|                       | ***Important***: [38 U.S.C.                  |
|                       | 5                                            |
|                       | 03(b)](http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/htm |
|                       | l/uscode38/usc_sec_38_00000503----000-.html) |
|                       | does *not* require that a claimant has or    |
|                       | had a legal right to VA benefits.            |
+-----------------------+----------------------------------------------+

Continued on next page

5\. Equitable Relief, Continued

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| ##### e.   | > The table below shows the evidence required to        |
|  Requireme | > demonstrate loss in claims for equitable relief.      |
| nts for De |                                                         |
| monstratio |                                                         |
| n of Loss  |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+-----------------------+----------------------------------------------+
| If the loss involves  | Then the claimant must provide ...           |
| ...                   |                                              |
+-----------------------+----------------------------------------------+
| finances              | a statement listing obligated expenses       |
|                       | incurred because the claimant relied on the  |
|                       | erroneous determination.                     |
+-----------------------+----------------------------------------------+
| -   injury            | documentation showing                        |
|                       |                                              |
| -   damage, or        | -   the extent of the loss, damage, or some  |
|                       |     other disadvantage, and                  |
| -   some other        |                                              |
|     disadvantage      | -   that the loss, damage, or some other     |
|     suffered by the   |     disadvantage was due to reliance on an   |
|     individual        |     erroneous determination of eligibility   |
|                       |     or entitlement.                          |
+-----------------------+----------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| #####      | > Follow the steps in the table below to submit a       |
| f. Request | > request for equitable relief.                         |
| ing Equita |                                                         |
| ble Relief |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+-------+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| Step  | Action                                                       |
+-------+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1     | Use a standard letter format to request equitable relief     |
|       | consideration, including                                     |
|       |                                                              |
|       | -   a statement regarding the applicable provision, and      |
|       |                                                              |
|       | -   a concise justification for the request, including a     |
|       |                                                              |
|       | ```{=html}                                                   |
|       | <!-- -->                                                     |
|       | ```                                                          |
|       | -   brief history of events                                  |
|       |                                                              |
|       | -   citation of the VA/Government error                      |
|       |                                                              |
|       | -   description of the loss, and                             |
|       |                                                              |
|       | -   discussion of the recommended relief.                    |
|       |                                                              |
|       | ***Reference***: For more information on the standard        |
|       | request letter format, see M21-1MR, Part III, Subpart vi,    |
|       | 1.A.1.e.                                                     |
+-------+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| 2     | Ensure that full supporting documentation is in the claims   |
|       | folder.                                                      |
+-------+--------------------------------------------------------------+

Continued on next page

5\. Equitable Relief, Continued

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  f\. Requesting Equitable Relief (continued)

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

+-------+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| Step  | Action                                                       |
+-------+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| 3     | Attach the letter to the claims folder.                      |
+-------+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| 4     | Temporarily transfer the claims folder to the Director of    |
|       | C&P Service.                                                 |
|       |                                                              |
|       | ***Reference***: For more information on temporarily         |
|       | transferring claims folders to CO, see M21-1MR, Part III,    |
|       | Subpart ii, 5.F.26.                                          |
+-------+--------------------------------------------------------------+

#### 6. Requesting Laboratory Analysis and Handling Service Organization Requests for Additional Review

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### In   | > This topic contains information on                    |
| troduction |                                                         |
|            | -   requesting laboratory analysis, and                 |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   handling a service organization's request for       |
|            |     Central Office (CO) or other RO review of the       |
|            |     claims folder.                                      |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### C    | > August 14, 2006                                       |
| hange Date |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ##### a.   | > The Inspector General, Office of Investigation (51)   |
| Requesting | > in Central Office (CO) assists in resolving apparent  |
|  Laborator | > discrepancies if laboratory analysis is needed,       |
| y Analysis | > including examination, analysis, identification, and  |
|            | > classification of any of the following material:      |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   handwriting                                         |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   typewriting                                         |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   fingerprints, and                                   |
|            |                                                         |
|            | -   document authenticity.                              |
|            |                                                         |
|            | > Follow the steps in the table below to submit a       |
|            | > request for laboratory analysis.                      |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+

+-------+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| Step  | Action                                                       |
+-------+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| 1     | Use a standard letter format to request laboratory analysis  |
|       | assistance, including the                                    |
|       |                                                              |
|       | -   purpose of the request, and                              |
|       |                                                              |
|       | -   identity of the documents involved.                      |
|       |                                                              |
|       | ***Reference***: For more information on the standard        |
|       | request letter format, see M21-1MR, Part III, Subpart vi,    |
|       | 1.A.1.e.                                                     |
+-------+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| 2     | Attach the letter to the claims folder.                      |
+-------+--------------------------------------------------------------+
| 3     | Temporarily transfer the claims folder to the Inspector      |
|       | General, Office of Investigation (51) at CO.                 |
|       |                                                              |
|       | ***Reference***: For more information on temporarily         |
|       | transferring claims folders to CO, see M21-1MR, Part III,    |
|       | Subpart ii, 5.F.26.                                          |
+-------+--------------------------------------------------------------+

Continued on next page

6\. Requesting Laboratory Analysis and Handling Service Organization
Requests for Additional Review, Continued

+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+
| ###        | > If a service organization with valid power of         |
| ## b. Hand | > attorney makes a request to transfer a claims folder  |
| ling Servi | > temporarily to CO or any other RO for review, honor   |
| ce Organiz | > the request.                                          |
| ation Requ | >                                                       |
| ests for C | > ***Reference***: For more information on power of     |
| O or Other | > attorney, see M21-1MR, Part I, 3.                     |
|  RO Review |                                                         |
+------------+---------------------------------------------------------+