RALEIGH (AP) — North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan says she wants the Department of Veterans Affairs to send more personnel to its Winston-Salem office if it’s necessary to reduce the second largest disability claims backlog in the Southeast.
Hagan’s comments Tuesday in a media conference call came after she sent a letter to VA Secretary Eric Shinseki last week asking him to send officials to address the backlog and implement new procedures to minimize future delays.
She said addressing that backlog may require additional staff, but the VA hasn’t yet responded to her letter or committed additional resources.
She says more than 7,000 veterans served by the Winston-Salem office are waiting more than a year for word on their claims, with more than 700 of those waiting more than two years.