MEB/PEB Testimonial: “I am forever grateful for the work he put in to make sure my family and I were taken care of.”
I am a Marine that was placed on TDRL after a medical board decided I was medically unfit to serve due to an eventful deployment to Afghanistan where I was injured from multiple IED blasts. I was placed at 70% DOD and 100% VA disability upon the conclusion of my medical board, but I was re-evaluated in December 2018 where my DOD rating was unjustifiably dropped from 70% to 10%, effectively causing my family to lose retirement benefits that we depend on. This decision from the DOD was made shortly after the VA decided that my conditions had not changed and that I still rated 100%.
I was given 15 days to accept the decision from the DOD or fight it and I was lost as to where to find someone to help. I found David Sheldon online and contacted him and immediately I felt hopeful that my family and I were going to be taken care of. In our first conversation he said, “so the USMC said you can’t perform your duties because of your conditions and a year later you are completely better, right?” this let me know this is his realm of expertise and that he understood my predicament. I decided to go with him because my family’s welfare was on the line and I needed someone that could fight for us. David never disappointed and really proved his level of commitment during the hearing where he absolutely controlled the room and got the results we wanted. I am forever grateful for the work he put in to make sure my family and I were taken care of.
Mr. Sheldon immediately evaluated my case, arranged for an expert evaluation, and prepared me and my case for success. I worried—did I make the right decision? The first time I met Mr. Sheldon he clearly knew my case, knew what we had to do, and then did it. When we went to the hearing, we were so prepared that during the hearing the Board adjourned and offered to stipulate to what we wanted—a total victory. I really don’t doubt that, but for hiring Mr. Sheldon, I would not be retired from the Marine Corps today. For that I am very grateful.
But Mr. Sheldon also offered something more—from my interactions with him, you know he really does care—he cared about me and I know he cares about the other service members who he represents. You get that and an attorney who knows what to do, how to do it, and will do it. Pretty remarkable.
SGT B.P.