VSO

[JWegg]

I've been appealing my claim since 2010 and now ebenefits shows  it's with my VSO ( DAV) since 1/2016.  At first I couldn't get  a return call from the regional office so I emailed the HQ office. So I received a call from the regional telling me that she couldn't give a timetable of when my appeal might be sent back  to the board. This appeal has  been one thing after another. I never received the decision packets  that  ebenefits shows were sent as each step of the appeal being completed, so I filed a FOI for  them still  no packets ebenefits shows that my request as overdue of being filled.   I want to file another claim but I'm wondering if that claim would be slowed up as well as delaying my appeal further. Do  VSO's have any timetables whenit comes to appeals?

[rootbeer22]

JoebobCVSO

Thanks for your service to vets and your honesty about working claims when you can get to them. Frankly, no matter how good you are you needs the Vet's evidence and lots of it to convince the VA. Although many characterize them as the enemy in some cases, I see them as hero's that are working theirs tales off to help Vet's. Have I had some negative experiences with exams, claims and interactions with the VA-yes. But, although my rater did not give me all that I expected, it's on me to provide more solid and compelling evidence. I learned early on, that no one is going to care more about a Vet's claims than themselves. So, it's very important for vets to learn as much as they can about the disability process and help you to help them. Recently, I've agreed to help some relatives with their claims due to what I have learned so far and my claims success. But, many of them just want to hand a pile of medical records and be told when to wait by the mail box for a big check? Before I submitted my claim, I do a great deal of work to put the package together. The head of a VA CP Section looked at my submission packages and remarked that they were the most organized that he had seen in 25 years. I told him that I did not want to leave much to chance and that I had some one once tell me that you have to make it easy for the rater to rate in your favor. For me, my VSO was not very good but I know that their are great one out there doing their best and helping Vets. I for one want to thank you for your incite and help via this post.

Can you talk about the 3  to 7 big trends or  no/no-s that are hurting vets as they submit their claims packages right now?

Goodspeed Rootbeer22

[Fat]

Every veteran should be there biggest advocate period.

Knowing the process better, I would have done things different, but no crying over what I didn't know.

Good medical records is the first step and careful identifying of injuries/sickness on active duty is next.

If an issue is still ongoing, get the issue verified by a physician and then you are ready to speak with a VSO.

Often veterans show up to a VSO's office and don't realize the full extent of the process.

The process is very tedious, but once you get more into the process, its fun.

 And you learn a lot about process and medical evidence.

 

[JWegg]

Quote

 

I flied the claim, appealed the decision, gathered the medical reports to support my claim. DAV was my VSO  from a previous appeal and I never changed it. I know they're overworked and for that reason I tried to do the leg work myself. But I'm  wondering if because I didn't go to my VSO office to file or appeal the claim did I make the process longer. But after I received the letter from DAV congratulating me on my claim when it had  been denied made me think that no one had really looked at it and this was just a auto reply letter that was just signed by my VSO.  I knew it couldn't be from the previous claim because it was completed 7or 8 years prior to me starting my ongoing claim.