Veterans Win Triple Damages Ruling

PHOTO CAPTION: The L. Richardson Preyer Federal Building and Courthouse in Greensboro, North Carolina. On November 10, 2026, a federal judge in the Middle District of North Carolina ruled that qualifying veterans in a class-action lawsuit against Veterans Guardian VA Claim Consulting are entitled to damages equal to three times the unlawful fees they paid, plus prejudgment interest. A final judgment has not yet been entered. (File photo by Carol M. Highsmith, Library of Congress.)

A federal judge has ruled that disabled veterans who paid unlawful fees to Veterans Guardian VA Claim Consulting are entitled to damages equal to three times those payments, plus interest.

The decision could affect more than 60,000 veterans, according to attorneys representing the certified class.

In a November 10 ruling, U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles rejected the company's argument that the benefits veterans received from its services should reduce the amount owed.

Instead, the judge determined that veterans were financially harmed when they paid fees the company was not legally permitted to collect.

The ruling marks a major development in a class-action lawsuit that began in 2023.

A final judgment has not yet been entered, and no payments have been announced.

Veterans Paid for Help With VA Disability Claims

Veterans Guardian, a North Carolina-based consulting company, offered services to veterans seeking VA disability benefits or increases in their existing ratings.

The company promoted itself as helping veterans navigate the complicated claims process.

In testimony submitted to Congress in 2022, company co-founder William Taylor described a fee structure based on five months of a veteran's increase in monthly disability compensation.

For example, if a veteran's monthly benefit increased by $500, the company would charge $2,500.

The company maintained that its services helped veterans obtain benefits they might otherwise have struggled to secure.

But federal law restricts who can represent veterans in preparing and pursuing VA benefits claims, and when those representatives may charge fees.

Assistance with an initial VA disability claim generally cannot be provided for a fee.

Representatives helping veterans with certain other claims must also comply with VA accreditation and fee requirements.

The dispute centered on whether Veterans Guardian was performing work covered by those restrictions.

Federal Judge Found the Company Violated the Law

In May 2026, the court determined that Veterans Guardian had acted as an unaccredited claims agent when preparing and presenting veterans' initial and subsequent disability claims.

That ruling rejected the company's position that its work fell outside the federal accreditation requirements.

In August, Judge Eagles granted summary judgment for the veterans on their claims under North Carolina's Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

The court found that the company had charged fees for services it was not legally authorized to provide without accreditation.

Those earlier decisions established liability.

The remaining dispute involved how much the veterans were entitled to recover.

The November 10 ruling resolves that question by establishing the damages calculation.

Veterans Entitled to Three Times the Fees They Paid

Under North Carolina law, damages awarded for violations of the Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act are tripled.

Judge Eagles ruled that the appropriate starting point is the amount each qualifying class member actually paid Veterans Guardian in unlawful fees.

That amount must then be multiplied by three.

For example, a qualifying veteran who paid $2,000 in fees would have damages calculated at $6,000, before applicable interest.

The court also ruled that prejudgment interest applies to the original compensatory damages, not the tripled amount.

Actual recoveries will depend on individual payment records, the final judgment and subsequent proceedings.

The judge noted that Veterans Guardian's records established the amounts paid by class members, allowing damages to be calculated without requiring a jury to decide each payment.

Company Argued Veterans Received Valuable Services

Veterans Guardian argued that its services produced real financial benefits for its customers.

The court acknowledged that class members had received VA benefits or increases in benefits after using the company's services.

But the company argued that this value should offset or eliminate the damages owed.

Judge Eagles rejected that position.

The court found that receiving a benefit increase did not establish that the company was legally entitled to charge for the work.

Nor did it establish that veterans could not have obtained the same benefits through accredited representatives or organizations offering free assistance.

The judge also determined that North Carolina's unfair trade practices law did not permit the company to subtract the supposed value of its services from the damages calculation.

The ruling means the fees unlawfully collected remain the basis for compensation, even when the veterans received additional VA benefits.

More Than 60,000 Veterans May Be Affected

Attorneys representing the plaintiffs say the certified class includes more than 60,000 disabled veterans nationwide.

The case was brought by Jennifer Ford, Eric Beard and Brian Otters on behalf of themselves and similarly situated veterans.

The court certified multiple classes involving initial and non-initial VA disability claims.

The lawsuit covers qualifying transactions beginning in August 2019, although the court previously dismissed claims arising on or after October 1, 2025, following a change in North Carolina law.

That means not everyone who has ever paid Veterans Guardian is necessarily eligible for damages under this case.

Class membership depends on the court's certified definitions, the applicable time period and whether an individual opted out.

The reported 60,000-plus figure comes from plaintiffs' attorneys. The November 10 decision itself does not announce a final count of veterans who will receive payments.

Judge Also Dismissed a Separate Claim

Although the court ruled for the veterans on the unfair trade practices damages, Veterans Guardian prevailed on a remaining claim under North Carolina's Debt Collection Act.

The judge found that the specific provision did not apply because the company had not imposed separate debt-collection charges or incidental fees covered by that statute.

The court therefore dismissed that claim.

That distinction does not affect the ruling that class members are entitled to triple damages under the Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

But it is important because the November decision did not resolve every legal argument in the plaintiffs' favor.

February Trial Canceled

The ruling also eliminated the need for a trial previously scheduled for February 8, 2027.

Judge Eagles concluded that no factual issues remained for a jury to decide.

The court directed both sides to work together to establish the appropriate final judgment, including the amounts owed and prejudgment interest.

A status conference is scheduled for December 1, 2026.

Plaintiffs' attorneys described the decision as a significant victory for disabled veterans.

But the order does not mean checks are already being mailed.

The final judgment must still be entered, and any subsequent appeals or other proceedings could affect when money becomes available.

What Should Veterans Who Paid Veterans Guardian Know?

Veterans who previously paid Veterans Guardian for disability claims assistance should check the court-approved class-action information to determine whether they may be included.

The official case website is veteransguardianclassaction.com.

It provides the class definitions, court documents, important dates and instructions for updating contact information.

Veterans should not assume they qualify simply because they paid a private company for claims assistance.

This ruling concerns Veterans Guardian and the specific classes certified in the lawsuit.

It also does not change VA disability ratings or require eligible veterans to surrender the VA benefits they previously received.

The dispute involves the fees collected by the consulting company, not the underlying benefits awarded by VA.

What Happens Next?

The November 10 ruling establishes the damages formula for the veterans covered by the court's unfair trade practices decision.

Eligible class members are entitled to three times the unlawful fees they paid, plus applicable prejudgment interest.

The court has directed the parties to prepare a final judgment and will review the case again on December 1.

For thousands of veterans who paid a company to navigate the VA disability claims process, the outcome could eventually mean recovering considerably more than the fees they originally paid.

But until the final judgment and any subsequent proceedings are resolved, the amount and timing of actual payments remain unknown.

(Source: OAF Nation)