MarkInTexas

Congratulations!

Thanks! I'll keep an eye on it. I appreciate the input and advice. I have learned in this process that no two claims are ever the same, nor are the processes or outcomes, but I am always comforted by the information and experiences shared by other Veterans. Thanks again. Mark

Another side note......no C&P was ever scheduled for this claim, so the plot thickens. Have a great weekend! Mark

Thanks! Called 'em up on the 1-800 line and waited for my callback. When I spoke to the representative, at first they couldn't find the claim. Finally, she found it and said that it was decided and closed on February 2, 2015, and that I should be getting my notification letter in the mail. She advised that she did not have any rating information before her, because the notification letter had not been generated and scanned into their system yet. Went pretty quick from "UNDER REVIEW" to done from August to February. It wasn't submitted as a fully developed claim, so this is interesting. Mark

Anybody ever have a new claim disappear off of eBenefits completely? I filed a new one based on information received from my SMR's when I received them from the National Personnel Records Center. The VA was supposed to have retrieved them under the VCAA, but they were never in my C-FILE, so I obtained them myself and filed them with the VA. I filed the new compensation claim in August, 2014, and it has been sitting on idle in Under Review for several months until a couple of days ago, when it disappeared completely. All other claims and information is still there. Anybody have this happen? Mark

Thanks for the info! Great poetry btw! Mark

Who's Alice? I knew I should have checked in here more often.....sigh. :-)

Just took a look at eBenefits at the Privacy Act request......it's now showing "Status Has Changed" and "Development Letter Sent".......and is now in the Gathering Evidence stage...... So.....they've reopened a request I made back in Feb, 2013 for a C-File request which they finally fulfilled and closed out in July, 2014, and now are in the gathering evidence stage like in a new claim......wow......this is Twilight Zone stuff.

Yeah, I had hoped to get my C-File before filing my NOD, but of course the year was running out, so I had to file with what I had. Then a few months later my C-File finally arrived, I noted that although they had a ton of other veterans' medical records in the file, they had literally nothing from my own miltary medical records.....not even my entrance or separation examinations. I ended up shooting a request to the NPRC once again hoping to find something, and surely enough, they sent me several pages of some of my missing records.....even though they had advised that they didn't have them in the past. Although I'm glad I FINALLY received some of these important records from the NPRC, I'm a little fed up that the VA has been working my claim since 2010 with a flawed pile of documents that didn't even contain basic entrance and separation medical examination documentation that should be in every veteran's file. On the NPRC, I've kind of become a believer of sending multiple requests a few months apart for the same documents. I've found that they seem to find something new with each request.

Here's a new one to me. The VA reopened my old open records/privacy act request for my C-File that had been completed back in July, 2014. I had filed the request back in February, 2013, waited nearly a year and a half for the documents, and ended up doing a Presidential inquiry in late May, 2014, and amazingly the C-File arrived in early July. I'm not sure why the VA would have reopened it this month, unless it has something to do with the 80-something pages of other veterans' medical records that were inside it. However, I had let the VA know that back in July as well via IRIS, but I didn't ask for a "purged" copy. I haven't made any new requests, so it's kind of strange. Anybody have this happen? Or what it could mean? Mark

Congratulations! And thanks for your service!

Carlie, That's a good point. I never thought about letting the VA know what I expected the decisions and ratings to be, nor informed them that if I received affirmative consideration, I would abandon appeal on other issues. Mark

Congratulations on the win! And thanks for your service to our nation! Mark

My NOD is still singled out as an appeal, but yes, same here. I had three new claims opened as inferred conditions resulting from a diagnosis in my VA C&P, then a few days after FINALLY receiving my missing exit examination reports from the NPRC (The VA nor I had them during all this time), I opened another one. A few days later, the new one was added to the three previous inferred, and are being handled in the same claim.......I hope...... Mark

The C-File I received back in July of this year was about 1200 pages, and also came in a cardboard box, via U.S. Mail. These were all copies, and each page had a "watermark" type background that said, "C FILE FROM VET" all the way down each sheet. The documents were copied front and back, and the background watermark was on every page. Of course, included in this was 89 pages of medical records from other veterans. Mine was expected because I had requested it way back in February of 2013. Mark

I spoke with Doctor Anaise over the phone a little while back. Very professional, and pretty much tells it like it is. The $1,500.00 fee is for an IMO for all claimed conditions combined that he finds a nexus for. Not a "per" condition rate, but for the whole thing. Not too bad in the long run. As I mentioned, he seemed very professional and courteous. I've thought of using him, but still researching the benefit of obtaining an IME instead, just for the fact that a doctor would actually examine me instead of an IMO records review. I've never done either before, outside of an IMO from my personal oncologist, so I want to make sure I spend my money in the right direction for my own personal case. Well, that's my two bits worth. Happy Labor Day all. Mark

Same thing happened to me. My C-File was extremely incomplete, and missing quite a bit of my SMR documentation, and had nearly zero personnel documentation, with the exception of documents I had sent. However, it was "completed" with having 89 pages of medical record documentation from about 3 other people, two them definitely veterans. Amazing!

Yeah, definitely submit a request through the National Personnel Records Center for your SMR's and any other military personnel records you can obtain. I would also recommend that you wait a couple of weeks after you get your documents, and then do it again. The reason for this is that they don't always send you everything, and I have had them send three different sets of documents over the years of records that I should have gotten from my first request back in 2010. Also, don't assume that the VA has obtained your SMR's. The VA had "trouble" obtaining mine at first, and then later said "We found them!"......then rated me. However, upon obtaining my C-File to see what they based their ratings on, there was a great deal missing from my service history, most of which were the SMR's, including missing intake and separation examinations. Luckily, I was able to obtain them from the NPRC and shoot them over after filing my NOD. It's a good thing to have proof showing that you were in perfect medical condition entering the military, and followup evidence showing conditions noted during separation. I assumed they had all that because they were the Great and Mighty VA, and would certainly magically have it all in their possession. Wrong! You need to have copies of the records for your review anyway. You may well find evidence of conditions diagnosed in the military that you didn't know about, along with proof of assignments or training that you may have injured yourself during. All key evidence. I even found an old AF safety document completed by my supervisor regarding daily hazards that I was exposed to as part of my duties tucked into my NPRC file. A single document, but several key elements listed. You'll also be able to get performance evaluations, which quite often contain narratives regarding your duties and further proof for you later down the line. The VA most likely will not have that in their C-File on their own. Just a thought. Mark

How does that all work anyway? I mean, in states like Texas, before you can take away an individual's right to handle their own finances, make medical decisions, acquire firearms, vote, etc., you have to have a Guardianship hearing(s) and appoint an attorney ad litem to represent the ward, all of which involves quite a lot of work and evidence. Does the VA have some federal ability to establish that an individual does not have the ability to manage their own finances and/or life that supersedes state laws? I'm just asking. I've noticed it mentioned quite a bit on here, and was just curious. Have a great Labor DAy weekend all! Mark

Sigh....I finally remembered my password, which is "ebenefitspassword" and now I have to change it soon?

Thadine, Mine says the same thing, and I filed mine back in February of this year. eBenefits isn't that trustworthy on the timeliness of their updates. I just plod on ahead and send evidence if requested, or if I obtain something new. I also ended up opening up a new claim after I received my C-File and was finally able to review it. That keeps me busy while the NOD slowly pushes on. If you get evidence, make sure you get it to the VA as soon as possible to ensure that it is weighed in on during the DRO process. I may be paranoid, but I send it to them at the Evidence Intake Center, via U.S. Mail, and also fax the same copies to them at the same location. I also mail it to the VARO, and upload a copy into eBenefits as well. Kind of a shotgun blast approach I suppose, but I just want to make sure that they have the evidence available, and more importantly, cannot say that they did no receive it. (Certified mail green cards are always a solid way to keep proof that it was sent, just like the fax receipt, or printing the upload confirmation from eBenefits. Always keep your proof.) Have a great week. Mark

I have a friend whose son is in basic training in the Marine Corps. He apparently hurt his knee pretty bad during training, but has intended to stay with it and not wash out. Several weeks have passed and it looks like he will make it, and go on to at least a full enlistment in the USMC. However, I immediately cautioned them that they need to get copies of the SMR's of this injury, along with his entrance examination documentation, and begin building a file........just in case years down the line he may need it. Have a great week. Mark

Not sure if they'll deposit on weekends anyway. The experience I've always had was that deposit dates were on weekdays. I also got my retro a couple of days before actually receiving any word of the rating. Good luck! Mark

IRIS is really not a whole lot of help. If I want some status update, I'll call the VSO rep from the American Legion at the VARO. I can usually get a quicker and more adequate answer that the 1-800 number or IRIS. I do like that if you send an IRIS to the VA, you have some written proof that you have addressed and issue or requested information. (If they put it in your C-File, but at least you have your written e-mail copies.) My own C-File copy, received in July, 2014 (after being requested in February, 2013) had a few of my IRIS questions. I do notice that if you select Service Complaint instead of Question, etc., they tend to respond quicker and will direct it to your local VARO sometimes. I've been called back a couple of times on them. The Congressional requests/inquiries are pretty much an exercise in futility, and when you get your C-File, you can see why. They send the VA a request for status information, along with a copy of your complaint documentation to them, and then the VA sends them a standard, "We're workin' it!" response, with your name, file number, claimed conditions, etc that pretty much fill up the response sheet to give it some filler, presumably so they won't have to actually write a real narrative. I did have success with a Presidential in getting my C-File. I became frustrated with not receiving it at all, so did an online Presidential request for my records in late May, 2014 and it arrived in July. This was after I had been previously informed that I could be looking at another 6 months before getting my file, if I was lucky. You also get a cool stationary card from the Office of the President, suitable for framing, letting you know that they are working on it. :-) You can always try any of these. Lord knows I have. But don't hang everything on getting a response or action. Mark

Welcome, Julie! I'm sure some of the experts on this will chime in soon. Good luck to you and thanks for your service. Mark