§31-5-4. Assistance to veterans in presenting claims, establishing rights, etc.

The State Department of Veterans' Affairs shall assist every veteran of any war of the United States in presenting and pursuing such claim as the veteran may have against the United States arising out of war service and in establishing the veteran's right to any privilege, preference, care, or compensation provided for by the laws of the United States or of the State of Alabama, when the veteran requests such assistance. Whenever the veteran applying to a representative of the State Department of Veterans' Affairs shall have executed a power of attorney to any veterans' organization or the American Red Cross the representative shall accept any claim or information pertaining to any claim, right, preference, privilege, compensation, or application for care from the veteran and advise with him as to the proper preparation of the same and then forward the same to the State Department of Veterans' Affairs in order that it might make contact with the organization to which the veteran has given a power of attorney for the further handling, presenting and prosecuting of such claim. Should any veteran making application to the State Department of Veterans' Affairs not have given a power of attorney to any organization to represent him in handling his affairs, the department shall advise him of the organizations recognized by the Veterans' Administration to represent him and allow the veteran to make his choice of the organization he desires to represent him.

(Acts 1947, No. 302, p. 154, §1.)