Alabama Code 31-5-4. Assistance to veterans in presenting claims, establishing rights, etc
Terms Used In Alabama Code 31-5-4
- Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. Source: OCC
- state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
- United States: includes the territories thereof and the District of Columbia. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
The State Department of Veterans’ Affairs shall assist every veteran of the United States in presenting and pursuing any claim the veteran may have against the United States arising out of his or her military service and in establishing the veteran’s right to any privilege, preference, care, or compensation provided for by the laws of the United States or of the State of Alabama, when the veteran requests assistance. Whenever the veteran applying to a representative of the State Department of Veterans’ Affairs shall have executed a power of attorney to any veterans’ organization or the American Red Cross, which has entered into an agreement with the State Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the representative shall accept any claim or information pertaining to any claim, right, preference, privilege, compensation, or application for care from the veteran and advise him or her as to the proper preparation of the same and then arrange, upon request of the veteran, for the further handling, presenting, and prosecuting of the claim. Should any veteran making application to the State Department of Veterans’ Affairs not have given a power of attorney to any organization to represent the veteran in handling his or her affairs, the department shall advise the veteran of the organizations recognized by the Veterans’ Administration to represent him or her and allow the veteran to make his or her choice of the organization he or she desires to represent him or her.