Ken8651

Thanks for your reply, Berta. i did use the iris service and asked the status of my appeal, all I got is a reply saying they don't have the exactly time frame it will get process. And generally it takes about 530 days to get my SOC, and depend on my location and the work load. I checked the ebenefits website, it does say I submitted my NOD back in May 10, 2013. I just want to know if I revoke their POA. Will I have to start the process all over again? Thanks.

I hired a lawyer back in 2013 for my VA appeal, he submitted my NOD in May 2013, and there's no movement since. I sent my lawyer an email back in March 10, 2015 asking for the status, he told me he will send a request to VA asking about the status of my appeal, which will take between 5-15 business day. On Apr 7, 2015 I sent him an e-mail again to see if he got the response from VA. He told me to wait 1- 2 more weeks, after that I haven't heard from him. On May 26, 2015, I sent him another e-mail to find out what's going on, he never reply back. I called the office on June 1, 2015 and spoke to a lady, and explained everything to her. She said she will let him know I called, and ask him to call me back........ Today is Jun 10, I still haven't receive a phone call from him. I'm not happy with their service at all, can I still change a lawyer at this point, and what I needed to do? Thanks everyone, and have a nice day.

Thanks Carlie and Philip for the helpful response. I been reading a lot of post here, most of them saying that DRO is better than traditional appeal process, as a experience lawyer, why will he choice traditional appeal over DRO? Now I'm starting to worry about how professional is my lawyer, anyone use legalhelpforveteran.com before?

Is there a way to get a copy of my NOD, I asked IRIS about my appeal status, I got a reponse from them yesterday saying that I selected transitional appeal process, "The processing of Notice of Disagreements average about 518 days". I though my lawyer picked the DRO review. Thanks for all the helps!!

I agree with everything u said, I will call my lawyer tomorrow and letting him knows that I will file for sleep apnea claim and what he going to tell him. You are very helpful, thanks for all the important input.

Thanks SIERRA for your reply. I agree with everything you said and it is very helpful. Since I had an attorney for my appeal now, will my lawyer get more money if I file my claim and got approve? For example: I'm at total service connected at 40%, let say I got approved for sleep apnea for 50%, its will increase my total disability rating will be 70% without the completion of my appeal. Let say my rated does get increased after the appeal to 80 to 90%, will my lawyer get the 20% fee for all of this if I file it early? And should I let him know that I'm planning on to file the new sleep apnea claim?

Hello and thanks everyone for reading this post. I current receiving 40% total disability "cervical spine-20%", "thoracic spine-10%", "bi-ankles -10%", right wrist-10%", "headaches (SC) -0%" and "Shoulder- Denied". My attorney already submit NOD on 29 May, 2013 ( about a year ago). VA doctor recently did a sleep study and discovered that I have sleep apnea and provided me with cpap machine, I never been treated while I was in the service, however, I did have 2 car accident within a week due to falling asleep while driving, and I did told my doctor in the military that my headaches and back pain caused me unable to fall asleep at night, I'm not sure if they put all that in my record. My question is should I wait until my appeal completed before I submit new claim for my sleep apnea (not sure if it will slow down my appeal process even more)? Which is better to submit it as a new claim or claim it as secondary to my back pain and headaches? How do I ask the VA sleep doctor to document that my sleep apnea caused by my service connected condition, I don't want him to feel like I just wanted the money. How often does SOC already increased the rating without going to BVA? Thanks again for all your input and help, good luck and keep fighting with the VA.

Thanks Carlie !!

Hello everyone, I'm new to this site. It's great to see so many brother and sister out here trying to help each other out, can someone please help with my questions. I just have few question about my claim, First, since I keep going in and see doctor for my headache, back pain, feet and other problems, now the doctor setting me up to see a doctor for Fibromyalgia, but I been told that if you have so many symptoms of Fibromyalgia ( that have already been SC) that the VA will group those individual ratings together for 1 rating. And the highest I can get for Fibromyalgia is 40%, is that true. Since my appointment is next week, should I cancel it? Second question, now the VA doctor treating me for sleep Apena, and I told the doctor it could be because of my headache and back pain that how I developed Sleep Apena, can I file that as a claim as Secondary to my back pain and headache, if so, should I file it ASAP or wait until the appeal is done, but I'm thinking the appeal could takes years, I will be losing out all those money if I wait until then to file it.

I just recently joined this site, and happy to see all the brother and sister here helping each other. Can someone please help me with my question. I just have few question about my claim, First, since I keep going in and see doctor for my headache, back pain, feet and other problems, now the doctor setting me up to see a doctor for Fibromyalgia, but I been told that if you have so many symptoms of Fibromyalgia ( that have already been SC) that the VA will group those individual ratings together for 1 rating. And the highest I can get for Fibromyalgia is 40%, is that true. Since my appointment is next week, should I cancel it? Second question, now the VA doctor treating me for sleep Apena, and I told the doctor it could be because of my headache and back pain that how I developed Sleep Apena, can I file that as a claim as Secondary to my back pain and headache, if so, should I file it ASAP or wait until the appeal is done, but I'm thinking the appeal could takes years, I will be losing out all those money if I wait until then to file it.