Privacy Policy

Who We Are

We are a VA-accredited claims agent practice led by Albert Thombs, accreditation #45147, operating under the authority of 38 CFR §14.629. Our obligations to protect veteran information arise from both federal regulation and our fiduciary relationship with clients.

Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly when you submit a consultation request, sign a fee agreement, communicate with our office, or use interactive tools on this site. This may include:

• Contact information — name, email, phone number, mailing address
• Military service information — branch, dates of service, duty stations, MOS, discharge status, DD-214 details
• Claim-related information — conditions claimed, rating percentages, denial letters, C&P exam results, appeal history
• Medical records — service treatment records, VA and private treatment records, nexus letters, and other clinical documentation you choose to share
• Personal statements — lay statements, buddy statements, and narratives about in-service events and functional impact
• Payment information — if you purchase the Mission 5 Intelligence Brief or enter a fee agreement, we collect the information needed to process payment; credit card details are handled by our payment processor and are never stored on our servers

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit this website, we may automatically collect limited technical information to ensure the site functions properly and to understand how visitors use it:

• Usage data — pages visited, time on site, referral source, and general navigation patterns
• Device and browser information — browser type, operating system, screen resolution, and language preference
• Cookies — small text files stored on your device that help us remember your preferences and maintain session security (see Cookies section below)

We do not use tracking pixels from social media platforms, and we do not sell or share browsing data with advertisers.

How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes and no others:

• Claim evaluation and representation — reviewing your records, developing strategy, preparing submissions, and representing you before the VA
• Communication — responding to your inquiries, providing case updates, and coordinating evidence gathering
• Service delivery — producing the Mission 5 Intelligence Brief or other deliverables you request
• Site functionality — maintaining session security, remembering preferences, and ensuring interactive tools work correctly
• Internal improvement — understanding which educational resources veterans find most useful so we can create better content

We do not sell your personal information. We do not share it with marketing partners or data brokers. We share it only as needed to represent you before the VA (with your written authorization), with service providers who assist our operations under confidentiality obligations, or as required by law.

Cookies and Similar Technologies

This site uses cookies for the following limited purposes:

• Essential cookies — required for the site to function (session management, security tokens). These cannot be disabled without breaking site functionality.
• Preference cookies — remember settings you have chosen (such as whether you have dismissed a notification). These improve your experience but are not strictly necessary.

We do not use third-party advertising cookies or cross-site tracking cookies. Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. Blocking essential cookies may prevent parts of the site from functioning.

How We Protect Your Information

We maintain administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect your information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction:

• Encryption — all data transmitted between your browser and our site is encrypted via TLS/SSL
• Access controls — access to your claim information is limited to the specific members of our team assigned to your case
• Secure infrastructure — our hosting environment includes firewalls, intrusion detection, and regular security updates
• Payment security — credit card processing is handled by PCI-compliant payment processors; we never store full card numbers on our systems
• Physical safeguards — physical records (if any) are stored in locked, access-controlled facilities

No system is 100% secure. If we become aware of a security breach affecting your personal information, we will notify you promptly in accordance with applicable law.

Data Retention

We retain your claim-related information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected, to comply with our legal and professional obligations, and to support any future claims or appeals you may pursue. Given that VA claims can be reopened years or even decades later, we may retain records for an extended period to protect your interests. If you request deletion of your information, we will honor that request to the extent permitted by our professional and legal recordkeeping obligations.

Your Rights and Choices

You have the right to:

• Access — request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction — request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion — request that we delete your information, subject to our professional and legal retention obligations
• Withdraw consent — withdraw a consultation request or revoke your authorization for us to act on your behalf at any time
• Portability — request your claim file and records in a commonly used format so you can transfer them to another representative

To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the information below. We will respond within 30 days.

Third-Party Links

This site contains links to external resources, including VA.gov, the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, and other government or educational sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before submitting any personal information.

Children’s Privacy

This site is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that we have inadvertently collected such information, we will delete it promptly.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. When we do, we will update the date at the bottom of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Material changes will be communicated through a notice on this site.

Contact Us

Questions about this policy, your information, or your rights can be directed to our office: