Preperation For Personal Hearing

[betrayed]

How many of you have gone through this process? Any and all advice will be appreciated.

[john999]

I have been to a DRO hearing. I would have a service officer go with me to present the case. I would bring the significant other along as well. You can bring new evidence to submit at the hearing. It is really no big deal. Your VSO presents your case, and the DRO just sits there and asks a few questions. It is informal except it is being recorded. What they really want to see is evidence . They can grant your claim on the spot or wait awhile to make a decision. The main thing is they get to see you in person and you get to see them so you are not just a claim number.

[Testvet]

they cancelled mine at the last minute on Jan 4th 2005, the hearing was scheduled for Jan 6th 2005, I agreed to it, my wife and SO was there, we had received copies of the 4 general court martials of the men who attacked me in the Army, the DRO was just mad, because I had written the White House and some Senators about my claim, they spent an hour yelling at my wife and I about writing letters to politicians etc for every letter I wrote they would delay my claim for 60 days etc. I thought we made an agreement in exchange for 100% heart problems and PTSD P&T I would drop all otjer issues, when it was all said and done by May I was awarded 50% SC for PTSD denied for heart problems and filing NOD's and formal BVA appeals, don't agree to informal meetings and ask for a copy of the tape. Yes take your significant other with you, besides moral support she can testify about how the problem affects your daily life. By the way when they sent the award letter they never mentioned the court martials they used all the evidence they had since Dec 2002, the same evidence they had used to deny me in 2003, when they told me it was my fault I was attacked and robbed.