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Veterans Desk, Inc. — Terms of Use 

Document ID: Veterans Desk, Inc. D-TOU-v1.0
Effective Date: 2025-11-10
Contact: legal@veteransdesk.org

1) Who we are & what these terms cover

Veterans Desk, Inc. (“Veterans Desk,” “we,” “our,” or “us“) is a nonprofit charitable organization recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. These Terms of Use (“Terms“) govern your access to and use of VeteransDesk.org and any pages, tools, directories, or content we operate that link to these Terms (collectively, the “Services“).

By using the Services, you agree to these Terms. If you disagree, do not use the Services.

Independent, education-only. We are not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or any government agency, and we do not speak on their behalf. Content is general education only—not medical, mental-health, legal, tax, financial, insurance, billing, or benefit eligibility advice. For emergencies, call 911 (in the U.S.) or your local emergency number.

2) Privacy & cookies

Your use of the Services is also subject to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy & Consent, which explain what we collect, how we use/share it, and your choices. For information specific to charitable gifts, see our separate Donor Privacy Policy.

3) No PHI or sensitive information

Do not submit Protected Health Information (PHI), detailed medical/mental-health data, benefits claim files, or other sensitive personal information through our public sites, forms, or email. Our public Services are not designed to receive or store PHI, and we are not operating as a HIPAA-covered entity or business associate for those channels.

4) Eligibility & user obligations

You represent that:

  • You are at least 13 years old (and, if under 18, you have parental consent), and

  • You will use the Services only for lawful purposes.

You agree not to:

  • Misuse, disrupt, or overburden the Services (e.g., scraping beyond fair use, scanning, spamming, malware);

  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access to accounts, systems, or data;

  • Impersonate any person or entity or misstate your affiliation;

  • Submit unlawful content, defamatory, harassing, hateful, fraudulent, infringing, or otherwise objectionable; or

  • Submit PHI or other sensitive data described in Section 3.

We may suspend or terminate access if we believe these Terms are violated or to protect users, systems, or the public.

5) Accounts & security

If any part of the Services requires an account or login:

  • Keep your credentials confidential and do not share them with anyone.

  • You are responsible for all activity under your account.

  • Please notify us promptly of any suspected unauthorized access.

We reserve the right to change, suspend, or discontinue any account feature at any time.

6) Educational content, directories & third-party links

Educational content. Our articles, checklists, and resources are intended for general education purposes only, are offered “as is,” and may reference VA or other third-party sources. Always verify with official sources (e.g., VA) and qualified professionals.

Directories, listings, reviews. Provider/coordinator/sponsor listings, as well as user reviews, are provided for convenience and community discussion purposes only, and should not be considered endorsements or guarantees of licensure, quality, availability, outcomes, coverage, or eligibility. You are solely responsible for due diligence.

Third-party sites/tools. The Services may link to third-party sites or embed third-party tools (e.g., schedulers, maps, payment, or video services). We are not responsible for their content, practices, or security. Use them at your own risk, in accordance with their terms and policies.

7) User content; moderation & takedown

Suppose you post, upload, or submit content (including reviews, comments, profiles, logos, or photos) (“User Content“). In that case, you grant Veterans Desk a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, store, reproduce, display, distribute, and create derivative works from such User Content solely for the purpose of operating, promoting, and improving the Services. You represent and warrant that you have all rights necessary to grant this license and that your User Content complies with these Terms and applicable law.

We may (but do not have to) monitor, moderate, edit, refuse, or remove User Content at our discretion (e.g., for safety, legality, relevance, privacy, or quality), including to enforce the no-PHI rule, address infringement claims, or respond to user reports.

8) Intellectual property; use of our content

All content we create or own (including text, logos, graphics, design, and compilations) is protected by intellectual-property laws and remains the property of Veterans Desk or its licensors. You may make personal, non-commercial use of our publicly available content with notices intact and links back to the source. Any other use—such as reproduction, distribution, public display, or derivative works—requires our prior written permission unless a page expressly says otherwise.

8.1 Feedback

If you provide feedback or suggestions, you grant us a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free license to use them without restriction or compensation.

8.2 DMCA / copyright complaints (pointer)

If you believe content on the Services infringes your copyright, please send a notice under 17 U.S.C. §512(c)(3) to our DMCA contact:

  • Email: legal@veteransdesk.org

  • Subject: “DMCA Takedown Request”
     Include: (a) your signature; (b) identified work; (c) infringing material/location; (d) contact info; (e) a good-faith statement; and (f) a statement that the information is accurate and, under penalty of perjury, you are the copyright owner or authorized agent. We may notify the user and remove or restore content in accordance with the DMCA’s counter-notice process.

9) Changes to the Services

We reserve the right to update or discontinue any part of the Services at any time, without notice. We may also update these Terms as described in Section 16.

10) Warranty disclaimer

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE SERVICES (INCLUDING ALL CONTENT, LISTINGS, LINKS, AND TOOLS) ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” VETERANS DESK DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND ANY WARRANTIES ARISING FROM COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICES WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE, OR THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED.

11) Limitation of liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT WILL VETERANS DESK OR ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, VOLUNTEERS, OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, DATA, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO YOUR USE OF (OR INABILITY TO USE) THE SERVICES, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, OUR TOTAL LIABILITY FOR ALL CLAIMS RELATING TO THE SERVICES WILL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) $100 OR (B) THE AMOUNTS YOU PAID TO US (IF ANY) FOR ACCESS TO THE SPECIFIC SERVICE FEATURE DURING THE 12 MONTHS BEFORE THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM. THESE LIMITATIONS APPLY EVEN IF A REMEDY FAILS OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE.

Some jurisdictions do not allow specific disclaimers or limitations; some terms may not apply to you.

12) Indemnification

You will defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Veterans Desk and its officers, directors, employees, volunteers, and agents from and against any third-party claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonableattorneys’’ fees) arising from or related to (a) your use of the Services; (b) your User Content; or (c) your violation of these Terms or applicable law.

13) Governing law; venue; claim window

These Terms and any dispute not subject to arbitration (see Section 14) are governed by the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to the conflict of laws rules of that state. The exclusive venue for any suit not subject to arbitration will be the state or federal courts located in Hillsborough County, Florida, and you consent to their personal jurisdiction.

Claim window. Any claim or cause of action arising out of or related to the Services or these Terms must be filed within one (1) year after it arose; otherwise, it is permanently barred.

14) Dispute resolution; arbitration; class-action waiver

Informal resolution first. Before filing a claim, you agree to email us at legal@veteransdesk.org with a brief description and your contact info so we can try to resolve it informally within 30 days.

Binding arbitration. Suppose we cannot resolve a dispute informally. In that case, any claim arising out of or relating to the Services or these Terms will be settled by binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules (or Commercial Rules if applicable), by a single arbitrator—seat/venue: Hillsborough County, Florida. The arbitrator may award individual relief as permitted by law. Judgment on the award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

No class actions; jury waiver. You and we agree to bring claims only in your or our individual capacity and not as a class member or representative in any purported class or representative proceeding. The arbitrator may not consolidate claims without the consent of both parties. To the extent any matter proceeds in court rather than arbitration, each party waives the right to a jury trial.

Carve-outs. Either party may seek injunctive or equitable relief in court to protect intellectual property or confidentiality rights, or pursue small-claims matters in a qualifying court.

Costs. AAA rules will govern arbitration fees and expenses; the arbitrator may award fees/costs as permitted by law.

Non-U.S. users. If mandatory law in your country prohibits arbitration as set out here, the dispute will be resolved in the courts specified in Section 13.

15) Sponsorships & acknowledgments

Sponsors, advertisers, or affiliate mentions (if any) are clearly labeled and do not influence educational content, directory placement, or outcomes. Mentions are not endorsements. We may receive value (e.g., fees, support) from sponsors in accordance with our separate policies and procedures.

16) Changes to these Terms

We reserve the right to update these Terms from time to time. When we do, we will update the Effective Date above and post the new Terms. If changes are material, we may provide additional notice (e.g., banner or email). Your continued use of the Services after changes take effect means you accept the revised Terms.

17) Miscellaneous

Severability. If any provision is found unenforceable, it will be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will remain in effect.
No waiver. Our failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver of our right to do so later.
Assignment. You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms in connection with organizational changes or operations.
Entire agreement. These Terms (plus the policies referenced above) are the whole agreement between you and Veterans Desk regarding the Services.

18) Contact

Questions about these Terms?
Veterans Desk, Inc. (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization)
Email: legal@veteransdesk.org
Mailing address: [Insert mailing address]

HIPAA Compliance Disclaimer

Veterans Desk is not a HIPAA-covered entity under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and is not subject to HIPAA privacy or security requirements. We do not collect, store, or transmit Protected Health Information (PHI) on behalf of veterans, healthcare providers, or any other party.

Our platform operates solely as an informational and networking resource. We offer membership access to a publicly viewable directory of VA Community Care Network (CCN) providers, along with educational links and resources. We do not provide direct medical referrals, coordinate patient care, or act as an intermediary between veterans and healthcare providers in any clinical capacity.

All communications, medical information, or personal data exchanged between a veteran and a provider occur outside of Veterans Desk and at the sole discretion and responsibility of the parties involved. Veterans Desk does not monitor, manage, or store these exchanges.

By using this site, you acknowledge and agree that:

  1. Veterans Desk is not your healthcare provider or representative.

     

  2. Veterans Desk does not give medical advice, make treatment recommendations, or guarantee provider performance.

     

  3. Any medical or personal information you choose to share with a provider is done independently and outside our control.

     

If you require medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, please contact a licensed healthcare provider directly or use your VA-approved care coordination channels.

No Medical Advice

All content provided by Veterans Desk, including but not limited to articles, guides, directory listings, and linked resources, is for informational and educational purposes only. Veterans Desk does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and nothing on this site should be interpreted as such.

Use of this website does not create a patient–provider relationship between you and Veterans Desk, its staff, or any healthcare provider listed on the site. We strongly encourage all veterans and users to consult directly with a licensed healthcare professional or their VA-approved care coordinator before making any decisions related to their health, treatments, or medical care.

Veterans Desk makes no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of any information provided. Reliance on any information found on this site is solely at your own risk.