godeep

While I cannot complain about the nearly 6 mos. my claim took from beginning to end at the Oakland regional office, it looks as though that facility is rife with errors, appeals and claims backlogs. Even though I was awarded 90% TDIU P&T, they got three things wrong with my case that's on a de novo appeal. The following points out the difficulty that office and others are having: http://www.baycitizen.org/veterans/story/va-staff-errors-delay-veterans-benefits/ http://www.baycitizen.org/veterans/story/send-immediate-help-oaklands-va-say-bay/

This is one of the awards that I've been waiting to see here! Hard work, patience and paying it forward by helping others gained your just reward. Hearty congratulations, Carlie!!

Great news! Enjoy your award in good health!!

Isn't it fantastic to close on this? Believe me, those of us that have received our awards live vicariously through each new completed case. We remember our own euphoria well! Hearty congratulations!! Semper Fi

I have requested a de novo DRO appeal, and received the USPS receipt that they have the NOD letter. I sent it to them and my VSO and to SSDI (I have since been awarded SSDI) April 12th. It has not shown up at eBenefits as an appeal, however. Here is a redacted copy of my NOD:

Wow, that's a lot of stuff to respond to! First of all, the evidence is that the sensorineural hearing loss in your right ear is mild and uncompensatable both then and now. The hearing loss in your left ear is conductive and is a result of an incomplete tympanum, hence the drainage. That is in your service record. I suggest that you see an ENT physician and talk to him about Meniere's Syndrome. Endolymphatic hydrops is nothing to mess around with, and it's symptoms are vertigo, nausea, fluctuant hearing loss and tinitus, all usually of significant severity. I'd say off the top that it's unlikely that you'll get that diagnosis based on what you've provided here, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't pursue a medical opinion. Hope this helps!

"It pays a seperate ammount from regular disability but also is counted as 10%, if my understanding is correct." ED is paid as SMC-K and is $96 a month. There is no 10% assigned at all.

I am also correct. Things change, electronic record or not.

My DD was in the credit union on the 29th.

eBenefits is up and running just fine. As for banking information, this is mine: Commercial Banks, (National Bank Trust Companies). Nothing to get too excited about. It's a tempest in a teapot, folks.

I think that as veterans we're used to complaining when things don't go as we expect them to, Chu Lai. In my humble opinion, I think it might have been better to keep eBennies in beta until the entire thing was ready to rock and roll. The way they're releasing it piecemeal has raised expectations to unreasonable levels.

It does?? On my eBenefits page the banking info is generic and there are no acc't numbers, My credit union for DD isn't named. Look folks, eBenefits is a work in progress. It's a HUGE undertaking that we as veterans ought to be patient with. Some have come to rely on it for purposes it was unintended for, as well. I for one am thankful that I was able to view it all the way through my claim. Just sayin '...

Not me. It has worked for me well beyond my expectations since I enrolled in DEERS.