Does Senatorial And Congressional Involvement Help?

[SolInvictus]

Does it help in a DRO appeal to involve your local senator or congressman to get your case closed? And does anyone know the average time that takes to get results. Thanks for any input in advance.

[71M10]

Well just the other day, my Regional Office manager sent my congressman's office a letter. My inquiry was why the Regional Office has not answered my multiple requests for an informal conference.

In the letter the Regional manager proceeds to indicate I have to send a specific written request to thier office requesting the informal conference and I have to tell them why I think I need an informal conference. All of this is contrary to what is written in M21-1MR.

After reading the letter it was clear. My regional office could careless what the rules are. The Manager completely mis-characterized what is written in M21-1MR and then completey mischaracterized what written communications from them has said. They have no fear of a congressional inquiry. If they will lie in writting to a congressman, they will do whatever they want to do with my file. I fear that if I aggressively pursue my rights, I will be retaliated against. I have no hope for a possible fair or just review of the claim until it goes to the BVA.

I used to think the DRO was the best way to go, but my current situation is making me rethink that. If your RO sets on your DRO review for 2-3 years, it will be another 2-3 before the BVA actually looks at it and that means your first remand will happen in about 7 years.

[deanbrt]

"I used to think the DRO was the best way to go, but my current situation is making me rethink that. If your RO sets on your DRO review for 2-3 years, it will be another 2-3 before the BVA actually looks at it and that means your first remand will happen in about 7 years."

It is for this reason my goal was to always get to BVA as soon as I could. As someone put it to me years ago, "at BVA they have people that can read...."

[SolInvictus]

Well just the other day, my Regional Office manager sent my congressman's office a letter. My inquiry was why the Regional Office has not answered my multiple requests for an informal conference.

In the letter the Regional manager proceeds to indicate I have to send a specific written request to thier office requesting the informal conference and I have to tell them why I think I need an informal conference. All of this is contrary to what is written in M21-1MR.

After reading the letter it was clear. My regional office could careless what the rules are. The Manager completely mis-characterized what is written in M21-1MR and then completey mischaracterized what written communications from them has said. They have no fear of a congressional inquiry. If they will lie in writting to a congressman, they will do whatever they want to do with my file. I fear that if I aggressively pursue my rights, I will be retaliated against. I have no hope for a possible fair or just review of the claim until it goes to the BVA.

I used to think the DRO was the best way to go, but my current situation is making me rethink that. If your RO sets on your DRO review for 2-3 years, it will be another 2-3 before the BVA actually looks at it and that means your first remand will happen in about 7 years.

It is unbelievable how indifferent these people whose sole existence is predicated on veterans' well being brazingly and nakedly display their disdain for veterans. You could almost forgive an uninterested third party for assuming vets exist to serve the va and not the inverse. Just shameful.

[jbasser]

To them it is a very low percentage of the population so we are considered lower priority. Only 4 percent of the population are disabled vets. The problem exists because of that factor.

J

[71M10]

"I used to think the DRO was the best way to go, but my current situation is making me rethink that. If your RO sets on your DRO review for 2-3 years, it will be another 2-3 before the BVA actually looks at it and that means your first remand will happen in about 7 years."

It is for this reason my goal was to always get to BVA as soon as I could. As someone put it to me years ago, "at BVA they have people that can read...."

I did have some sucess with DRO's before, and I considered it one more bite at the apple. But with the exponential growth in claims and backlogs, I dont think the wait is worth that extra bite. It is my sense (no proof) that regional offices have shifted more FTE's towards original claims or claims for increase. They take less heat for longer Delays on appeals than they do for claims.

[carlie]

Does it help in a DRO appeal to involve your local senator or congressman to get your case closed?

And does anyone know the average time that takes to get results. Thanks for any input in advance.

Soll,

Question/s back to you.

Which did you request

1) a DRO DeNovo Review or 2) a DRO Review with an in person hearing ?

#1 - usually takes much less time to complete than #2

because a hearing does not need to be scheduled and held.

On the other hand, many, many, many times

#1 results in a basic rubber stamped decision, that concurs with the decision

you are in disagreement with already.

Whichever you requested - you are just waiting in line along with many others

that have just BEGUN their appeals process.

There's no way to speed up getting a DRO DeNovo Review -

there's no way you can speed up getting a DRO Hearing scheduled

UNLESS

you can provide evidence of near death terminal illness, your 75 years old

or more advanced in age, hardship / homeless and don't count on much help

for the last one as there are already many, many, many - in this line too.

It's all a line, supposed to be date by date.

If you think you waited too long for an initial decision

guess what ? ? ?

They were just breaking you in - on waiting it out, during the appeals process.

Hang in there ! VA is a long haul for many and this is truly, sad news.