Luke Simianer thought his fighting days were over. A veteran of the 82nd Airborne and Purple Heart recipient, he confronted the harsh realities of civilian life, battling depression and homelessness, before founding a tech startup to help the blind secure jobs and training.
Yet even as that venture took shape, Simianer couldn’t look away from a larger crisis unfolding around him. Reports revealed that one in three VA claims were denied, while veteran homelessness, drug abuse and suicide rates continued to rise. The same warriors he once served beside were now fighting invisible battles against bureaucracy and neglect.
For Simianer, enough was enough. America’s veterans shouldn’t have to wage war on their own soil for benefits they earned in combat. So he founded VetClaims.ai, determined to help his brothers and sisters successfully navigate the VA claims process and secure every dollar they earned.
In under three years, the company has guided more than 50,000 veterans through the notoriously complex system.
What truly sets VetClaims.ai apart runs deeper than its technology. It’s the more than 400 veteran employees — Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen, Coast Guardsmen and Guardians — who personally handle cases rather than outsourcing to overseas call centers.
Because they’ve lived the frustration themselves, trust comes naturally. Combat veteran Chazz Ward delayed filing his own claim for 24 years, costing him hundreds of thousands in benefits. Today, he helps prevent others from repeating his mistake. “When a veteran receives the rating they deserve and finally feels heard,” Ward says, “I know we’re delivering real impact.”
For many on the team, VetClaims.ai represents more than employment — it’s a return to mission and camaraderie. “I felt like I was home again on day one,” says 21-year veteran Charles Bailey. Fellow veterans Jennifer Morgan and Kathryn Finnern describe the role as a “calling,” allowing them to continue serving with renewed purpose.
That veteran-first culture recently commanded the national stage as an official partner of UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, reaching millions via Octagon branding and a compelling commercial.
“Nobody fights better than the UFC,” Simianer noted, “and nobody fights harder for veterans than we do. We wanted every veteran to know they are not alone.”
Here, the military ethos of “leave no one behind” lives on as a daily reality. For Simianer and his team, the mission endures.
VETERANS, GET THE VA BENEFITS YOU EARNED AT VETCLAIMS.AI
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT VETCLAIMS.AI IN THIS MONTH’S U.S. VETERANS MAGAZINE!
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