*Alias used to protect client’s privacy
Maria had been receiving Special Monthly Pension benefits from the Veterans Administration for several years. Her late husband was a veteran, and she qualified for survivor benefits due to her need for regular assistance from another person. The benefits were her lifeline.
What Maria didn’t know was that the non-governmental veteran service organization that originally helped her apply for those benefits had an ongoing obligation: filing annual expense reports with the VA on her behalf. They never told her. They never filed.
Years passed. Then a letter arrived from the VA. It stated that Maria had failed to provide required annual expense reports and respond to correspondence. The VA’s conclusion: she owed more than $44,000 in overpayments.
For an elderly woman living on survivor benefits in San Antonio, that number might as well have been a million. The financial and emotional weight of it was enormous. Her son, desperate for help, contacted the San Antonio Legal Services Association.
SALSA staff attorney Todd Tagami agreed to take the case. With SALSA’s established processes and Moody Fellowship support behind him, Todd prepared a waiver request on Maria’s behalf and guided the family through the VA’s appeals process. He kept them informed at every step, making sure they never had to navigate the system alone.The outcome: Maria’s case was resolved entirely in her favor. The $44,000 overpayment claim was waived. Her benefits continued.
Her son later wrote to SALSA: “We are extremely grateful to Todd Tagami and the team at SALSA. Without their assistance, my mother could have faced significant financial and emotional hardship.”
This is one case. One family. But it represents something much larger.
Every year, people across San Antonio face legal crises they cannot afford to resolve on their own. Many of them are elderly, disabled, or veterans’ family members. The legal issues they face — benefits disputes, housing problems, consumer protection matters — are consequential, complex, and often time-sensitive.
SALSA exists to bridge that gap. Our mission is to mobilize legal volunteers to transform the lives of those in need. We pair pro bono attorneys with clients who need them, provide case support and mentorship, and handle the logistics so volunteers can focus on what they do best: practicing law.
Attorneys: You Can Do This Too
You don’t need to be a veterans law expert. SALSA will mentor and guide you every step of the way — training, experienced staff support, and a team behind you from start to finish.
Your law license can change a veteran’s life.