The article discusses Trajector Medical, a company that provides assistance to veterans with their Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability claims, and the controversies surrounding its billing practices and compliance with federal law.
Company Operations and Billing Structure
Trajector Medical charges veterans a fee for its services, typically five times the veteran's monthly VA disability check increase. The company's contracts state that it will use clients' personal information to access VA reporting systems.
Former Army Ranger Dustin, who had previously served as a breacher and fired the Carl Gustaf anti-tank weapon, sought help for suspected traumatic brain injury and PTSD. After discontinuing work with Trajector and filing for benefits independently, he received a $4,500 bill from the company upon being rated 70 percent disabled by the VA. Dustin refused to pay the bill.
NPR investigated Trajector Medical, reviewing accounts from 11 former employees and 60 veterans. The investigation indicated that Trajector, which is not VA-accredited, uses a computerized system referred to as "CallBot." This system reportedly dials the VA Benefits Hotline, inputting clients' social security numbers and birthdates to identify increases in monthly disability payments. Upon detecting an increase, the system triggers a bill, which can range up to $20,000, and initiates collection efforts.
Legal and Regulatory Context
Federal law prohibits charging fees for preparing and filing initial disability claims, mandating that anyone assisting veterans with initial claims must be accredited by the VA and provide services free of charge. Trajector Medical states it operates within legal bounds as a "medical evidence service provider," asserting it does not prepare or file claims directly. Company founder Jim Hill stated in an interview that the company provides a "medical evidence packet" for veterans to attach when filing their own claims.
However, some veterans reported that Trajector Medical filled out and submitted their VA paperwork. Erik Jensen, a 67-year-old Navy veteran, shared an experience where a link from Trajector led him to 28 pages of pre-filled VA disability claim forms, including first-person statements he stated he did not write. Jensen inadvertently submitted these forms, which resulted in a confirmation indicating successful fax transmission to the VA. His claim led to an increase from 60 to 100 percent disabled, resulting in a $12,000 bill from Trajector.
Trajector Medical's director of communications, Steven Zenofsky, stated the company does not conduct claims consulting, preparation, or filing, and that the screenshot provided by NPR was not from Trajector Medical.
Benefit Karma Platform
The link Jensen used originated from a Trajector email and directed him to a site called Benefit Karma. Zenofsky described Benefit Karma as a "separate and secure external software platform, which is freely and publicly available for use by all, which allows veterans to populate, review, edit and file their own forms."
Documents indicate ties between Benefit Karma and Trajector. The trademark for Benefit Karma is held by Ampry Holdings, an LLC registered to Trajector founders Jim Hill and Gina Uribe, and shares a business address with them. A former Trajector Inc. employee stated Benefit Karma was a product launched by Trajector Inc. in 2024.
Michael Missal, former VA Inspector General, stated that Trajector's use of Benefit Karma for claim submission "certainly violates the spirit and I would say it would violate the meaning of the law as well."
Veteran Accounts and Collection Practices
Navy veteran Vernell Armstrong reported receiving a bill for $877.55 from Trajector after independently appealing a denied claim and receiving a favorable VA rating. She stated she had not communicated with Trajector employees for months prior to receiving the bill. She refused to pay, questioning the company's claim for work not performed by them.
Marine Corps veteran Enrique Miranda Cardenas reported that after submitting his claim through Trajector, he independently gathered additional medical records that VA requested. Upon his claim's success, Trajector billed him over $12,000. Miranda Cardenas paid $1,300 but declined to pay the balance, citing the work he performed himself. He reported receiving daily collection calls, sometimes multiple times a day.
Dwayne, another Navy veteran, reported that Trajector pursued him for payment for three years after his initial claim through the company was denied and his rating increase was obtained via an attorney. He received a $3,600 bill from Trajector.
Former invoicing and collections staff described receiving frequent calls and emails from veterans disputing bills. They reported pressure to meet collection quotas. Trajector stated that "individuals working in collections are routinely subjected to verbal abuse, frustration, and anger from customers" across all industries. The company also stated its communications are designed to be professional and respectful.
Trajector's contracts include a clause requiring veterans to agree to binding arbitration, preventing them from filing lawsuits against the company. Legal experts suggest this may influence the company's reported policy of not involving third-party debt collectors.
Government Response and Legislative Efforts
The VA has sent warning letters to Trajector, including one in June 2017 to its predecessor, Vet Comp & Pen Medical Consulting. VA Chief Counsel David J. Barrans stated in the 2017 letter that the company's marketing materials "strongly suggest that your organization is unlawfully assisting in the preparation, presentation and prosecution of claims before VA," urging the company to cease such activities. Trajector responded to these letters stating compliance with the law and received no further replies from VA.
VA Press Secretary Pete Kasperowicz stated that VA is committed to preventing exploitation of veterans and collaborates with law enforcement authorities when fraud is suspected. The Florida Attorney General's office, where Trajector is based, received over 50 complaints about the company but declined to comment on investigations.
Congress has considered legislation to address the claims consulting industry. The GUARD VA Benefits Act proposes reinstating criminal penalties for charging veterans for initial claim assistance. The CHOICE for Veterans Act proposes regulating the business and capping fees. Some states have also enacted laws; Louisiana adopted a version of the CHOICE Act, while Alabama passed a ban similar to the GUARD Act.
Lukas Simianer, CEO of VetClaims.AI, a company charging a flat fee of $1,250 for claim assistance, stated that the GUARD Act might overly restrict veteran choice but supports fee caps.
Company History
Trajector Medical was co-founded in 2014 by Jim Hill, a Navy veteran, and Gina Uribe, a nurse and former VA medical examiner. The company expanded significantly, employing over 1,300 people by 2021. Former employees stated that as the company grew, its focus shifted towards profit maximization. Trajector Inc., the parent company, filed a draft registration for a public offering in August 2021 but withdrew it in January 2022.