Freund Class Action
Could You Be Owed Years of Back Pay?
If this happened in your case, your appeal may still be valid, and you could be entitled to significant retroactive benefits (back pay).
A major class action lawsuit—Freund v. Collins—is addressing this issue.
WHAT IS THE FREUND CLASS ACTION?
The Freund lawsuit focuses on a serious problem in the VA’s legacy appeals system.
For decades, the VA incorrectly closed appeals when its internal system failed to recognize that a veteran had filed a required appeal document.
As a result:
👉 Appeals were never decided
👉 Veterans were never notified
👉 Claims were effectively “lost” for years
WHAT HAPPENED TO THESE APPEALS?
In many cases:
👉 Veterans filed a timely appeal to the Board
👉 The VA failed to properly record it
👉 The system automatically “closed” the appeal
👉 The veteran was never notified
These appeals were then:
👉 Left unresolved for years—or even decades
WHO MAY BE AFFECTED?
You may be affected if:
👉 You filed a VA appeal under the legacy system (before 2019)
👉 Your case seemed to “disappear” or never received a decision
👉 You waited years without updates
👉 A loved one had a pending appeal before passing
The class includes veterans, survivors, and dependents whose appeals were closed between 1990 and 2025.
WHY THIS MATTERS (BACK PAY)
If your appeal is reactivated:
👉 Your claim goes back into the system
👉 The VA must finally decide it
👉 You may be entitled to years of retroactive benefits
👉 You have a right to the accredited VA lawyer you want—even if they didn’t represent you in the past
Lowry Veterans Law can get into the case at any time in the appeal process.
In some cases, this could mean:
👉 Thousands or more in back pay
Especially in cases involving:
- TDIU claims
- Mental health (PTSD / MST)
- Agent Orange (Thailand & Vietnam veterans)Special Monthly Compensation (Aid & Attendance)
WHAT THE LAWSUIT IS TRYING TO DO
The proposed resolution would:
👉 Review tens of thousands of closed appeals
👉 Reopen appeals that were closed incorrectly
👉 Notify affected veterans and families
👉 Allow claims to move forward
WHAT TO DO NEXT
If any of this sounds familiar:
👉 Do not assume your case is closed
👉 Do not assume it is too late
There may still be an opportunity to maximize your benefits and recover significant back pay.
THIS DOES NOT GUARANTEE BENEFITS
Reopening your appeal does not automatically mean approval.
The following must still be proven:
- Service connection
- Increased rating
- Secondary service connection
- Effective date
- Having an accredited VA lawyer argue your case is essential once the claim is reestablished.
👉 No automatic approval—but it gives you the opportunity to finally have your claim decided and pursue the maximum back pay available.
This may still apply even if:
👉 You previously reopened your claim
👉 You filed new claims after the VA lost the original appeal
WHAT WE LOOK FOR
At Lowry Veterans Law, we help determine whether:
👉 A legacy appeal was filed
👉 The VA failed to act on it
👉 The case may qualify under the Freund class action lawsuit
When you contact us, we need to know:
- When you filed the appeal
- What the claims and issues were
- Whether you ever refiled
This is especially important when determining effective dates for TDIU claims.
WHY LEGAL HELP MATTERS
- Old VA records
- Missing documentation
- Procedural errors
- Survivor substitution issues
- New evidence developed after the original appeal
- Identifying whether your appeal was wrongly closed
- Getting it properly reactivated and developed