Fully Developed Claim Timeline-?

[derenick52]

Hey All,been out of the Claim/process for several years now,have No experience with the ebenefits site,Had my hip replaced in June,the DAV had me file a Fully developed claim for Convalesence rating for 13 months with my surgery report,read that the Traditional claim process has 8 steps,NOT sure about the Fully developed claim,obtained a password for e benefit site in July,indicated I was a REVIEW step #2,Contacted the DAV and they told me they used my claim for Training purposes and there made a Error,stayed that way for next 4 weeks,contacted my Senator's office,told me in September that I am in EXPRESS lane-pending initial development,that I will be sent a Section 5103 Notification letter-?? And that there are 2 more phases-Decision and Notification phase,Is the Ebenefits site indicating the RIGHT phase,been at the Review step #2 since June,Wish I Had this site 20 years ago,You all are Hero's,Thanks for any imput

[Navy04]

I submitted a FDC in September and It has not moved at all. In some states FDCs move fast, but in Texas FDCs are averaging 8 months. I will be in the same boat, I am going to have double knee surgery in the next few months, and I will submit for Temporary TDIU. God bless and good luck. Keep us updated and even though Ebenefits does help, the system is not updated regularly.

[usdart]

The 5103 is just a formality letter they will send to make sure you have all your evidence in to them. If you add new evidence it moves you backwards.

My FDC was started 8 months ago and I am in 'Review of Evidence'. Been ther for 3 months. Time depends on how busy the office is in your State. My State (Washington) average time line is 15 months.

You can speed it up if you are out of work by adding documents to prove it. I don't know exactly how that works but my Representative mentioned it.

[meghp0405]

if you submitted an FDC. the last thing in the world you want to do is submit additional information. When doing so, this knocks your claim out of the FDC process and places it with the other "normal" claims.

I think is what usdart is referring to is expediting a claim for hardship purposes. If you have had this FDC for 8 months, I would do nothing, but set back and wait for VA to issue your RD.

[71M10]

If you want to stay in the FDC process Meghp0405 is correct do not submit additional information. However, you need to contemplate if that additional information is so important that it can't wait. If a peice of information moves the weight of evidence from "it should be service connectable" to "you'd have to be smoking crack to not grant SC" I would add the evidence. In VA timelines getting bumped to a regular process from FDC is better if you significantly improve your chances at SC. If you don't add the evidence and you get denied, the appeals wait will be far longer than the regular processing time and FDC time combined! (3-6 years).