Tibor “Ted” Rubin survived the Mauthausen concentration camp as a teenager, liberated by American soldiers in 1945. He vowed to repay the debt and immigrated to the US in 1950, joined the Army and shipped to Korea with the 1st Cavalry Division. While being handed the deadliest missions by an antisemitic sergeant who wanted him to perish, Rubin held a hill alone for 24 hours so his company could fall back and then endured 30 months as a prisoner of war, slipping out of the camp night after night to steal food for the men beside him.

Survivors credited him with saving at least 40 lives, which he called “performing Mitzvahs”. The same sergeant who sent him to his death also buried four Medal of Honor nominations, preventing him from receiving the award for decades. Not until 2005, after a years-long review laid the discrimination bare, did then-President George W. Bush finally place the medal around his neck. The prejudice that shadowed over his service never touched the way that he served our great country.

Learn more about his full story below.

Asthma is a respiratory condition that narrows and inflames the airways, making breathing difficult. For veterans, it can be directly connected to military service through toxic exposures, environmental hazards, or burn pit smoke. VA rates asthma based on lung function test results and medication needs, with ratings ranging from 10% to 100%.

Veterans must establish three things to qualify for compensation:

Veterans can appeal, pursue secondary condition claims for related issues like sleep apnea or chronic bronchitis, or apply for TDIU if asthma prevents reliable employment. A strong claim includes documented lung function test results, medication history, and a clear medical nexus to service

Join us to get your questions about VA disability law and the claims process answered by our legal team. Comments open 30 minutes before the Livestream starts, so get there early to get your question in. We try to answer as many as we can!

Were you prescribed Dupixent (dupilumab) and later diagnosed with Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL)?

Recent studies have linked long-term Dupixent use to an increased risk of CTCL, a rare skin cancer. If you took Dupixent for at least one month and were diagnosed with CTCL—or a subtype like Mycosis fungoides or Sézary syndrome—after your first dose, you may be eligible to file a claim.

Find out if you qualify. The case review is free and confidential.

Act now. Contact us today at (855) 494-1298 to learn more about your options or to begin your claim. You’ve served your country; let us serve you.

🗺️ TACTICS

If you're service-connected for a respiratory condition like sleep apnea and later develop asthma, VA may try to bundle both conditions under a single rating, leaving you with little or nothing for the new diagnosis. In this video, attorney Ursula Mecabe walks through a real client case that illustrates exactly how this plays out and what can be done about it. 

Attorney Mecabe explains that VA denied the veteran additional compensation for asthma by combining it with his existing 50% sleep apnea rating, citing pyramiding, VA's rule against compensating veterans twice for overlapping symptoms. However, under 38 CFR Section 4.96, there is a specific provision for respiratory conditions that allows for a rating elevation when the symptomology warrants it, even if pyramiding rules would otherwise apply. 

Attorney Mecabe notes that the key to winning this argument is demonstrating that the two conditions produce genuinely distinct symptoms. Sleep apnea, for instance, involves sleep disruptions, daytime sleepiness, and CPAP use, while asthma involves coughing, wheezing, and bronchodilator use.  

Because those symptom profiles don't overlap, VA was persuaded to elevate the client's rating from 50% to 60%, a percentage that doesn't even formally exist in the rating schedule but can be granted when deemed necessary. 

At Hill & Ponton, we specialize in helping veterans navigate the VA appeals process to secure the benefits they rightfully deserve. Whether you're facing a denied claim, an appeal for a higher rating, or need assistance gathering critical evidence, our team is ready to advocate for you.

Use our VA Disability Calculator to see if your current rating aligns with your level of disability and explore potential increases based on any secondary conditions you may have.

Calculate Your VA Disability Rating Now!

Separating from the military? Don't wait until after discharge to file your VA disability claim.

Our free Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) Self-Advocacy Seminar walks active-duty service members through filing a strong claim during the 180-to-90-day window before separation—so you can get a VA decision faster, often within 30 days.

You'll learn how to establish service connection, gather the right records and statements, prepare for C&P exams, and write effective lay statements. We'll also cover PACT Act presumptive conditions and what to do if you're denied.