midnight340 - you're getting excellent advice here and, as always, Berta is right-on target. A suggestion from me would be that you send the VA a letter clarifying your "reopening" your claim. I suggest you advise them that your request for reconsideration/reopening was actually meant to be a Notice-of-Disagreement (NOD) with their decision dated "insert date" and a request, additionally, for a reconsideration, w/additional evidence enclosed. None of this should slow down the process but will ensure you the actual original claim date is used, when they make their decision.
By the VA listing it as a reopened claim, you lose the original claim date. jmo
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