Julie1975

I don't remember but when I called DFAS, they gave me their fax number.

Thanks for all the replies. I keep staring at the four monster stacks of paper as if somehow it's all going to read itself. lol I did thumb through it initially and found an old piece of paper with scribble marks on it. Looks like when I was med-boarded on AD (I was returned to duty so never received a rating) they scribbled out my ratings on this piece of paper. Some items that they were going to rate me for back in 2011 were found not service-connected when I received my initial rating in 2014. Interesting indeed!

I hope they've perfected the process in the past few months but don't hold your breath. I received a small deposit initially but the majority of the retro had to first be audited by DFAS....then sent to the VA to pay out. The VA is usually the slow-poke in this process. After two weeks I called DFAS to ask how long it would take to perform their audit. To my surprise, the VA had never sent my information to DFAS so I had to fax my award letter to DFAS. Then...I inquired with the VA at least once a month asking for a status on my retro. It wasn't a pain-free process but I think staying on top of things helped move it along.

I received a phone call from the Houston RO last week stating I will be set up for C&P exams for my pending NOD and that my C-file was being sent. Yesterday morning someone called to verify my availability for the exams and said I would have the exams scheduled NLT 12 June. :D. Then...my husband came home from work carrying this huge box asking what the heck the VA sent that was so heavy and big. Low and behold it was my C-file that was requested last year. The entire file is very overwhelming. It has a lot of duplicate information (probably my fault) and it was four huge reams of paper, double sided. Small success and seems like my NOD is moving right along. So far I've been impressed with the Houston RO. My initial claim went through St. Louis and other than scheduling the C&P with QTC, I had zero communication with the VA.

Not sure if you saw my reply above but my RETRO pay took two months to receive the full amount.

Congrats! I retired the same date as you (Dec 2013) but received my rating in October 2014. My backpay was retroactive as of my retirement date. It took them about two months to pay out my backpay. I am over 50% and get two checks each month: retirement from DFAS and disability from VA. I was AD with over 20 years and over 50% rating. Here's a link from DFAS that explains concurrent receipt: http://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary/disability/crdp.html

Sending prayers to their family.

Berta, I can't help but think maybe I'm missing something because on all my nerve claims (bi-lateral carpel tunnel (median nerve) and lower left radiculopathy (sciatic nerve) the rater put the same statement on all three of these items "although the examiner reported moderate symptoms, your wholly sensory symptoms are more suggestive of a mild severity for VA ratings purposes". Now I've searched and cannot find a VA definition of wholly sensory but as I stated in another post irt the median nerves the examiner noted that during the exam I had positive Phalen's & Tinel's sign (both sides). He confirmed paresthesias/dysethesias in both extremities and a decreased sensation during light touch at that nerve. I also had a nerve test (a few years ago) confirming CTS (but not the severity). For my Sciatic nerve, the VA hired C&P examiner noted a decrease in sensation in my left ankle and toes, parethesias/dysesthesias was moderate on the left and included numbness. (half my 1,000 pages of medical records cover my back and sciatic nerve pain and I had 35 medical visits/procedures/ER/Surgeries from 2010-2013 related to this issue). So I'm not sure if I'm just too close to my issues to fully understand "wholly sensory" or if the VA missed the mark on this one.

When I received my BBE most of the RO's explanations were vague, incomplete, or inaccurate. I had a lot of claimed conditions along with over 1,000 pages of medical documents. Left me feeling that if the RO would have taken a little extra time, I wouldn't have to file the NOD. If they are going to deny a higher percentage or go against their own hired C&P examiner, they should provide a more thorough explanation. Rating accurately the first time out the gate would save everyone so much time and stress. I know there are many factors involved such as timelines etc and I feel for the ROs who have to haphazardly pump out decisions but In my old job (HR) if I were going to deny a request, I would darn well make sure I could back it up and explain my decision.

Congrats!

Thanks for the info on CTRAC. I will definitely check it out. I wear braces which helps somewhat and want to avoid surgery for a while (tired of being in and out of hospitals). Thanks again!

You're very welcome! I'm appealing my CTS because that comment also confuses me. When I read my C&P I had a completely different idea of what my ratings would be when compared to 38 C.F.R. As far as symptoms, during the exam I had positive Phalen's & Tinel's sign (both sides). He confirmed paresthesias/dysethesias in both extremities and a decreased sensation during light touch at that nerve. I also had a nerve test (a few years ago) confirming CTS. I personally think I'm confused on what "wholly sensory" means. I see that phrase a lot but can't seem to wrap my simple mind around it. Good luck on your FDC! If my NOD is ever resolved, I'll definitely post up the results.

Thanks for the advice, Broncovet. Very helpful. When asked how I'm doing (by anyone) I go on autopilot and say "fine, how are you?". I'm trying to break myself of that habit and just tell it like it is.

I believe that is correct. If it helps I've copied/pasted the VA's explanation for my 10% each *left and right* CTS (median nerve). The verbiage is the same for my right (dominant hand) but instead of "a higher evaluation of 20", it says "30". There is a bilateral calculator out there somewhere that will do the math for you. "We have assigned a 10 percent evaluation for your carpal tunnel syndrome, left hand/wrist based on: . mild incomplete paralysis of the minor extremity A higher evaluation of 20 percent is not warranted unless the evidence shows nerve damage is moderate. You claimed this as: carpal tunnel syndrome hand and arm. Although the examiner reported moderate symptoms, your wholly sensory symptoms are more suggestive of a mild severity level for VA ratine purposes."

I get anxiety every time I go to a routine doctors appointment. After many surgeries, hundreds of doctors appointments, many days of quarters, some specialists being uncaring jerk faces, and all the painful poking and prodding I am always concerned about any exam, including VA exams. For someone like me with back and nerve pain, it's murphy's law that the one good day I have out of the month would be the day I go to a C&P. The last doc for my general C&P was a competent doctor but....I had to remind him to perform a ROM. Although THAT day definitely wasn't a good day, they had to help me off the table. I agree Broncovet, it would be nice to know which was is up and down. After receiving my initial rating, I applied for an increase on some conditions as well as a few items that were recommended in my award letter....after three months I noticed another item added that I did not request: my Pain disorder w/insomnia was added to my claim as "NEW". Thought that was strange since I'm already rated for it and am not disputing that particular rating. It leaves me wondering if they are going to decrease, increase it, or something else.

GP, I "re-opened" some (8) items on eBenefits and am still within my one-year appeal period of my original award decision date (Oct 2014). I can see my entire case and everything I've uploaded in Benefits (along with some NEW (5) items added at the suggestion of the VA). I've also submitted an NOD to my original claim. I had to mail in my NOD and yes, I have the green cards from both my RO and the Intake Center where they signed for my NOD. :) I'm not sure if they will cancel out my re-opened items once they see I have an NOD for some of the reopened items. I submitted an IRIS inquire so I'll give them a month to reply then I'll email Ms. Hickey. I feel like I'm pretty early into this so don't want to bother her for a five month old claim when others have waited years. I'm hoping they decide my claim soon, so I can cancel the NOD. Thanks for the info! You always provide sound advice. - Julie

I don't even have an approximate claims completion date on my claim. It hasn't moved since I submitted it in November 2014.

As in most call centers, the employees aren't empowered to make decisions and are limited by the crappy scripted responses that you can obtain from the VA website. I can appreciate the concept of a call center, but in this case it doesn't work well and oftentimes results in more questions for the veteran/family member.

Keep pestering them through IRIS and/or Peggy (the 1-800 number) and if you don't receive an answer, ask them to elevate it to a supervisor. This seems to be helpful for me when I receive a "canned" response from the VA. I took the advice of some on this forum and sent to both my RO and the Intake Center. I'll be honest, I was extremely surprised when I saw my NOD updated in eBenefits so quickly after mailing my package. I expected to have the same issue you're having right now. The VA has informed me (through IRIS and my initial rating letter) that the NOD is mailed to the intake center. I've also read that if you mail to your RO, they have to send it to the Intake Center to be scanned in which adds more time to the process; hence why I sent it to both. Hopefully you kept a copy of your NOD. If it were me, I'd re-mail it to both the Intake Center and your RO (again). I find it frustrating that the Intake Center or the RO doesn't have an efficient tracking system for the mail and faxes they've received. I've worked in an environment where we track hundred of thousands of paper documents and there was always a tracking system available. This is another example of a poorly managed process.

I mailed my NOD to both the intake center and my RO and it was updated in eBenefits the same week. I also received a letter of acknowledgement from both my RO and the Intake Center. I mailed my documents via USPS certified mail. Did you look in the appeals status in eBenefits? Mine shows up there, not under the regular claim status.

Congrats!

Thank you for the replies :)

For me, this is a mini-success. I'm appealing some items on my original claim and finally mailed my NOD to both the Houston RO and the Intake Center. I've faxed a couple pages to the Intake Center previously and even though I paid for delivery receipt, the Intake Center claimed they never received either item. It wasn't until two follow-ups and three months passed that they added the items to file...and this was for a two-page SISOC and a one-page C-file request. I mailed off my NOD (pretty thick packet) March 4th, certified mail, and received a letter last week from both the Intake Center and Houston RO that my NOD was received. Someone even updated my appeal status in eBenefits. Good to see small changes which, in my opinion, make a difference in my sanity. I really expected to wait two or three months with many followups before receipt was even acknowledged. Hope everyone has a good day.

I can log on but not able to access claim status, letters, payment, etc.

My insomnia was combined with my pain disorder under mental health.