Following the usual amount of delay and steps, in 2008 I was awarded 30% PTSD disability effective 6/2006 for traumas experienced in Vietnam. This added to my earlier tinnitus 10% for presently 40%. I did not agree and submitted (through American Legion service officer) a NOD, somewhere around 3/08. They sent a letter of denial before my year was up, and before three letters of support that I provided were added to the file. I had provided a letter from my wife, one from the only friend I have kept in contact with from before Vietnam, and one from the therapist I had been seeing via Seattle Vet Center for a year. I sent in a Form 9 about a year ago.
So, I checked with my service officer about status today, also asking if I ought to go to my Senator's office to appeal, and was informed the following:
"They are preparing your case for a travel board hearing which is when a judge comes up from Washington DC.
Now your Form 9 is dated 2/26/09 and right now the hearings we have are from the year 2005. Again, appeals can take a long time. Your file has to be shipped to Washington DC and put on their docket. They are worked on the order received; right now in the recession there is no way to expedite an appeal or even a claim.
Again, if you contact Senator Murray or Cantwell, the whole entire process stops. Your file will essentially go back to the bottom of the pile once the Senator is finished reviewing your file and making any necessary actions. However, that is your decision to make."
It seems like maybe I will get a hearing in about 5 years. It seems like my service officer is similarly as passive as many VA employees.
In the vast experience of contributors to this forum is there any advice or helpful comment?
Thanks a lot, Roly Washington State, previously Danang, Saigon, Westpac
Question
Roly
What can I do?
Following the usual amount of delay and steps, in 2008 I was awarded 30% PTSD disability effective 6/2006 for traumas experienced in Vietnam. This added to my earlier tinnitus 10% for presently 40%. I did not agree and submitted (through American Legion service officer) a NOD, somewhere around 3/08. They sent a letter of denial before my year was up, and before three letters of support that I provided were added to the file. I had provided a letter from my wife, one from the only friend I have kept in contact with from before Vietnam, and one from the therapist I had been seeing via Seattle Vet Center for a year. I sent in a Form 9 about a year ago.
So, I checked with my service officer about status today, also asking if I ought to go to my Senator's office to appeal, and was informed the following:
"They are preparing your case for a travel board hearing which is when a judge comes up from Washington DC.
Now your Form 9 is dated 2/26/09 and right now the hearings we have are from the year 2005. Again, appeals can take a long time. Your file has to be shipped to Washington DC and put on their docket. They are worked on the order received; right now in the recession there is no way to expedite an appeal or even a claim.
Again, if you contact Senator Murray or Cantwell, the whole entire process stops. Your file will essentially go back to the bottom of the pile once the Senator is finished reviewing your file and making any necessary actions. However, that is your decision to make."
It seems like maybe I will get a hearing in about 5 years. It seems like my service officer is similarly as passive as many VA employees.
In the vast experience of contributors to this forum is there any advice or helpful comment?
Thanks a lot, Roly Washington State, previously Danang, Saigon, Westpac
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