11cvolley

Thank you.

I am not surprised. When I got out of the Army I visited the DAV and basically asked to fill out a form and told to go to a VA funded office. All I ever got from the DAV was letters asking me to donate or pay to be a member.

My lawyer said that the VA will give me the option of having the difference paid back in full or split up into multiple payments. I haven't gotten the letter in the mail yet. Is this true?

Just be careful. They will use any negative event post military service to say that is what caused or aggravated your condition. This will result in a finding of less than 50% or not service connected.

I'm waiting for the VA to remove my ex wife and I was wondering if I need to send them the divorce papers? Or will they remove her without it?

Tried to call the guy at the RO and his voice mail says he is out of the office for the remainder of the year... No wonder they're so slow at everything...

I'm holding back the difference so it won't sting too much when the decrease is finalized. Still waiting on them to decide my competency claim so I can get my back pay.... A bunch of BS that my competency claim has been waiting nearly a year for them to make a decision, but any decrease in pay takes them less than 6 months.

I'm still waiting for the VA to remove my spouse which will reduce my monthly pay. Do they reduce the monthly pay from the date of the divorce or when the dependent is officially removed?

Yeah, the guy at the RO office that the DC number put me into contact with said it should be done this year. Especially with him putting several request for them to 'move on it.' The closer Christmas gets, the more annoyed I become. Usually I'd have at least 1k saved for my son's b-day and x-mas in December but I plan on filing chapter 7 due to teh debt my ex wife left me. So I haven't been saving because the chapter 7 lawyer said not to save so I can easily separate my monthly from the back pay... So if I don't get that back pay before December then Christmas is going to suck for my son.

I did the dependency through e-ben. I'm just a little annoyed at how fast they got to work on it and its been nearly a year now waiting for them to finish a competency claim and release my small, sub 8k, back pay.

I'm currently waiting for the RO to decide my competency claim. Last time I checked on it they were about to send it into the decision phase. I put a dependency claim in to remove my ex wife. Will the dependency claim slow down the competency claim?

*UPDATE* Still nothing, but the RO rep I talked to last week said the latest movement on my back-pay was the RO uploaded my documents from the VSRO or whatever it is called from when I tried to go back to school in like 2010. Today, I notice on E-Ben they're working my dependent claim to remove my ex wife. The fact they're working my dependent claims. Does it mean anything positive about getting my back-pay soon? I tried calling the RO rep but he is out of the office.

I can't even get through to the #800. Its always, 'please try calling back at a later date.'

That is nice to hear. It just sounded too good to be true.

[update] I called that number and explained it to them. They sent a request to, I guess, the regional office. Later in the day, Friday, I got a call from a number I never seen before. This person asked me to verify my branch, exit date, MOS, and what installation I last served in. He then gave me a number with extension to call him back at to check up on things. He explained that there are two backlog list, but since I have been waiting almost a year he said he'd put a message through to ask for them to make a decision on the competency claim and release my back pay if found competent. He said if they favorably respond to his request that I could hear something back within 10 business days. If not, give him a call back in 30 days or so. IDK what to make of this. Is this a good sign or another BS hurry up and wait? Also, he said that veteran's claims are no longer restricted to being worked on by the nearest RO. That it is all computerized now and anyone can open the file and work on it.

I was awarded 100% p&t for ptsd last october. They opened a competency claim and I am still waiting on them to make a decision. I sent in letters from my VA PTSD doctor stating I am competent. My lawyer said it appears they are finding me competent because it is in the decision phase, but it has been 6+ months waiting for an answer. My lawyer sent me a form to sign asking the VA to make a decision. Is there anything else I can do? Could it be held up because my lawyer and I are contesting the backpay doesn't go clear back to when I filed for 100%?

Thank you.

I'm rated at 100% PT. At the time of the award I was married with one child. My divorce was made final this month. Do I need to report this to the VA and if so; how?

Figured i'd update this thread and a little rant. 800# still saying the same old BS, 'a rep has been assigned to your claim; no completion date can be given at this time; will be contacted if we need additional information.' I'm all for the VA trying to protect veterans with a competency claim; however, This waiting, 100+ days now, so long is BS... When they're supplied with a letter from the doctor, that they used to determine I am 100%, stating I am capable of handling my own money; it should be closed out asap. But nope... The VA still drags their feet. I am so tired of this hurry upp and wait game. If the VA needs something from you. You better meet their deadline or else.

My lawyer gave me the same line, 'keep checking your banking account.' Yes, the, VA PTSD, doctor said I can handle my own finances. He put it in a letter that my lawyer request with specific wording. Stating basically this, 'I, doc's name, have been treating, veteran, since, date for ptsd. It is my medical professional opinion that, veteran, can handle his own finances without limitation.'

[Back story] Roughly 09-01-2016 I started receiving 100% P&T for PTSD, but did not receive my backpay. It is being held up by a competency claim. I submitted an IMO letter from my primary mental health doctor at the VA. My lawyer also submitted a letter on my behalf stating, 'I, [veteran], have forwarded, [IMO from va doctor], and wish to waive my 60 day due process; if, it can be found that I am competent to manage my own finances; otherwise, I request a 'face to face.' (This isn't 'word per word,' but basically what was said.) [Fast forwarding to today] I checked E-Ben and seen a claim for Eligibility determination completed on 01-10-2017. So I called the #800 number to find out what this is. #800 says it was to release my lawyer's fee. All the #800 can tell me about my claim is that my claim for competency is still pending and I will be contacted if needed. If they released my lawyer's fee; does this mean I am near the end of this competency claim?

Only meds I am on are for ptsd.

When I hit 100% p&t and made an appointment to see a doctor at the VA about a yearly checkup they acted confused to why I wanted to be seen. The VA acts like you're magically cured or can't be helped when you hit 100%; that's how it seems to me.

I have been awarded 100% P&T solely for PTSD but am going through a competency claim now. Long story short; I submitted a medical letter from my primary ptsd doctor stating I can handle my own money. I also submitted a letter along with it stating I wish tio waive my rights to the 60 days under CFR 38 and request a decision be made. Under the VA's own code it says a decision should be made within 27 days from the date the veteran sends in evidence and waives his/her due process. It has been over 60 days now and all I keep hearing from the #800 number is, 'we will contact you if more information is needed and it will be completed based on workload, blah blah blah.' So since the VA is breaking their own guidelines. What can I do?

You won't get an increase just because of a bi-polar diagnoses. You only get rated for one mental issue. So hopefully the RO doesn't try to say your ptsd isn't as bad as thought and blame it on bi-polar. ZHopeully someone with more exp will chime in but I could see the RO saying, veteran rated at 70% ptsd is actually 50% ptsd and XX% bi-polar.. Issue here is they do not get added up and the veteran gets the higher of the two.