New Iris Answer

[stillhere]

Here is the answer to my Iris I posted to the VA this morning:

Thank you for your inquiry to the Department of Veterans Affairs dated November 1, 2010 regarding the status of your claim.

Claims for the three new presumptive conditions of exposure to Agent Orange will be given priority when the Congressional review of the regulation that will be used to rate these claims has been completed. As of this date there has been no official word regarding this review. Information should be forthcoming soon.

I was under the opinion this was all over and done with!! Why are they STALLING MORE!

Anyone hearing anything else???

[murph]

I don't believe the new presumptive claims were being work on by all RO's before the Congressional review ended ,most will probably have to wait a few more months.

My claim was filed 10-09 had c&p 7/10 ,according to E-Benefits i'm still in development stage,stated received my medical records 11-09.I filed claim 2003 for heart and denied

in decision letter 2004 for IHD.

[Sandra Williams]

I hearing good new for the veterans but I have not heard any responses from widows or widowers. Do you think that the veteran claims will be processed first (which would be ok with me). Also I did not receive any info about my claim being nehmer but the American Legion said it was but nothing official. I called yesterday they said my claim is still on stay. Anyone else been notified of their claims still in stay. Also my claim is at the BVA. Will they handle that claim any differently that other claims.

[Berta]

Murph said:

"denied

in decision letter 2004 for IHD."

If you are incountry Vietnam vet or fall into the Korean AO vet regs I suggest you go to:

http://www.nvlsp.org/Information/ArticleLibrary/AgentOrange/AO-RevisedAORelatedDiseases0610.htm and send them an email at the email addy they provide.

You will get response similiar to this one I got.

"Dear Ms. Simmons:

Thank you for your email.  The National Veterans Legal Services Program will ensure that the VA reviews your case to determine your eligibility for retroactive Agent Orange-related benefits.  The VA published its final regulation adding ischemic heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, and B cell leukemias to its list of Agent Orange-related diseases on August 31, 2010.  Before benefits can be paid, there is a two month Congressional review period.  After the review period, the VA will begin finalizing decisions in cases such as yours regarding entitlement to retroactive Agent Orange-related benefits.  As this process may be lengthy, please keep us informed if your contact information changes.  Additionally, please let us know when you receive a decision from the VA regarding your eligibility for such benefits."

This involves any vet or widow whose IHD, HCB, or Parkinson's claim was denied in the past.The VA supposedly has a list of past claims denied, that are now potentially AO presumptive claims. NVLSP is matching up the list with claimants they hear from.

Sandra- my claim is an AO claim and I am AO widow but I have not heard anything as to any other widows AO claims.

"Also my claim is at the BVA. Will they handle that claim any differently that other claims."

That is a good question.

The BVA could apply the news regs to your claim and make a decision.Could-dont know f they will-

I just hope they don't have to remand any claim in the Stay if they have enough evidence to award it at the BVA level.

It is so hard to know what they are doing with these new claims under Nehmer.

[stillhere]

I haven't picked up anything yet either on any other sites-that indicates the check was in the mail yet.

The info I have gotten on my AO claim is difficult to interpret.It is still in Philadelphia "with the Nehmer person".

Phila VARO did handle the CLL retro claims with a Nehmer coordinator-in the past- so I wonder why all retro Nehmer claims aren't in Philadelphia.

As many of you know- the Monday Morning reports used to be a way to see what the VAROs were doing as far as getting decisions out.

Some time ago Rich Cohen in testimony before the H VAC mentioned how the Monday AM VARO report VBA link has been altered so radically it is difficult to understand.

The week ending Oct 25th for example seem to indicate only 4 new AO claims had been filed Nationally.That doesnt seem right but then again it is almost impossible to understand the charts now.

And there is nothing specific to each RO like there was in the past.

Berta, There is information breakdown for each RO you just need to click on the tab at the bottom that says arrogation or something like that and it will come up just like in the past.

There are only two tabs so click on the one to the right.

[Berta]

WOW THANKS!!! I got so fed up I didn't even see those tabs.

Still it is hard to know what is what with these AO claims.

I hope anyone out there who reads as a guest and does get their comp under the new AO regs will take the time to join hadit and let us all know.

[stillhere]

I did hear of a couple and one went back to 2001 at I think 30%. I did another Iris on my last one telling them that the VA posted a news brief so I wanted to know what was going on with mine. They just came back with another generic BS answer.

The vet that got the award letter said the money should be in the bank by the 15th!