danang_1969

I just made a call from my cell phone to check status on my appeal. After going through the maze. I got this message," We are experincing larger than normal call volume please try your call leter. The I immediately tried my landline phone called again and went through the maze and they said my call time ait would be aproximately 2 minutes. After listened to about 2 minutes of 1940's ballroom, a rep aid said my name is ---- How may I help you. I said I would like to check the status on my appeal. he said I'm sorry sir our system is down, would you like to call back in about an hour, which would be 5:30 PM. I think they are closed then, am I right. Seem strange to me. Anyone experince this?

Does anyone know if the DOD will request that Presidental requested 10% budget cut of the DOD will be diverted to VA health care and compensation for our wounded vets? I sure hope so, this could be change we could believe in.

Has anyone ever been successful modifying a regional level appeal via iris instead of postal mail? For instance, if you had a sc condition increased by a successful NOD to your satisfaction, while your Form 9 appeal was pending in the hanger, could you drop that part of the appeal via iris?

Got my new VA hearing aid. I am hearing noises that I haven't heard in almost 40 years. My wife is tickled because I have the TV volume at 35 dbs lower than before. It only took me two years from point of first hearing test to get it but I am thankful for it.

I was told by RO that claim UI was finished but still would need to signed off on. Is this good news? Can anyone shed any light here?

The VA acts the most ignorant when they get a NOD, read it and know they don't have a leg to stand on to deny it again nor did they in the first place, so they move on to other tatics to deny and confuse the claim.

I tried that angle but it haven't been sucessful yet. I hope it works for you. I filed a claim in 1997 and let my claim go dead in 2005 after 3 appeals. I reopened in 1997 with new evidence and was diagnosed with one of the conditions I originally claimed in 1997. I was granted a partial percentage in 2007 with 1 year back pay from point of reopening the claim. It was clear to me that the reason I was not granted in 1997 on the first round, was there failure to weigh all the evidence I submitted. Only 1 disability out of several granted in 2007. It is also very apparent to me that the VA is more likely grant a sc a condition that is not likely to end up being the cause of our death and deny the sc conditions that are likely to just be the cause of our death. Their reasoning is, they will not have to pay DIC when we die.

Make sense to me out_here. I see no reason why a 100% vet shouldn't be able to attempt to better himself in education or in anyway or to even add to his disability income but as you said the VA looks at it differently. I only wish for myself, being 50% sc at this time and not being either mentally or physically to attempt either education or more income I can only beg for UI. Anyone could spend one hour with me and see without any doubt see that is not possible but it still takes the VA 2 years and counting to decide my UI claim. I think you are right on in taking the time to put together this communication to your congressman. If I can ever get able I want to write some communication about my issue and also for other vets who fit my category who come after me. God Bless out_here.

I don't know what happened I posted and IT appeared I did not post and I posted it 2 more times before I ever saw it there. My brain I guess, SORRY. NOTICE OF YOUR DUE PROCESS RIGHTS VA FORM 21-0506 AUG 2001 EXISTING STOCKS OF VA FORM 21-0506, JAN 2001, WILL BE USED. You may choose to be represented, at no cost, by an accredited representative of a veterans service organization or State or county veterans agency, that has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). If you want one of these organizations or agencies to represent you, please let us know and we will send you a list of them and the required form for you to submit. You may choose to be represented by an attorney or a veterans claims agent, but they may only charge you for services provided after the Board of Veterans' Appeals decides your claim. A listing of attorneys who represent veterans and their families is available on-line at www.vetapp.gov. The forms for appointing one of these organizations or agencies, or an attorney or agent to represent you, are available on-line at www.vba.va.gov/pubs/candpforms.htm or we can mail the form to you if you request it. If you have already appointed a representative, you do not need to do anything further. You may request a hearing to present testimony or evidence to support your claim. If we receive your request for a hearing within 30 days from the date of the letter attached to this notice, we will not make a final decision until after the hearing is held or until 60 days from the date of the attached letter, whichever is later. If we receive your request for a hearing more than 30 days from the date of the attached letter, we will hold the hearing but will not delay making our final decision. If you want a hearing, please notify our office and we will arrange a time and place. You may bring witnesses if you want and their testimony will be included in your VA claims file. We cannot pay for expenses related to your hearing. RIGHT TO A HEARING: RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION: NOTICE OF YOUR DUE PROCESS RIGHTS VA FORM 21-0506 AUG 2001 EXISTING STOCKS OF VA FORM 21-0506, JAN 2001, WILL BE USED. You may choose to be represented, at no cost, by an accredited representative of a veterans service organization or State or county veterans agency, that has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). If you want one of these organizations or agencies to represent you, please let us know and we will send you a list of them and the required form for you to submit. You may choose to be represented by an attorney or a veterans claims agent, but they may only charge you for services provided after the Board of Veterans' Appeals decides your claim. A listing of attorneys who represent veterans and their families is available on-line at www.vetapp.gov. The forms for appointing one of these organizations or agencies, or an attorney or agent to represent you, are available on-line at www.vba.va.gov/pubs/candpforms.htm or we can mail the form to you if you request it. If you have already appointed a representative, you do not need to do anything further. You may request a hearing to present testimony or evidence to support your claim. If we receive your request for a hearing within 30 days from the date of the letter attached to this notice, we will not make a final decision until after the hearing is held or until 60 days from the date of the attached letter, whichever is later. If we receive your request for a hearing more than 30 days from the date of the attached letter, we will hold the hearing but will not delay making our final decision. If you want a hearing, please notify our office and we will arrange a time and place. You may bring witnesses if you want and their testimony will be included in your VA claims file. We cannot pay for expenses related to your hearing. RIGHT TO A HEARING: RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION:

It has been reported to me numerous times that I have ground my teeth in my sleep since leaving the military in 1969. I have never heard this connection. This would have been good evidence long ago in a claim. I was not PTSD sc'd until 2007, only 38 years late. danang_1969

How would anyone rate the VA false teeth compared with the private sector dentistry people? Is there any other VA qualification other than to have the need for false teeth is the vet is 50% sc? danang_1969

Congrats. Sounds great and I know you are ready to rest awhile. danang_1969

Another falsehood the VA people told me I guess.

I have listened to classical music from time to time and I haven't ever noticed any improvement in the tinnitis. I don't know about that tinnintis prescription, what do you think about this? The VA audiologist told me as soon as my hearing aid was made and I wore it awhile it would help my tinnitis some.

That about sums it up jbasser and this information that you posted totally grounds my UI claim, if the VA would go by the truth I provided and they know it is apparent as the nose on their face.

If they are totally 100% and not drawing UI totally I agree, they should be able to do anything thing they want, including working. I was talking about vets under 100% and drawing UI just to clarify things. I wouldn't want anyone to misunderstand me and think I was in favor of putting limits type on the vets you spoke of. danang_1969

C&P doctor ignored my MOS and testimony in orginal claim, the C&P examiner gave the opinion in that my hearing loss and tinnitus from old age at age 58. After two years, 2 NODS and 6 audiomoligy visits later, got a different opinion from VA ENT and VA treating audiologist, that hearing loss is from acoustical trauma (loud noise) many years ago. I now have hearing aid being made. I fill an urge to reopen my claim, of course I will lose all my back pay if I get sc'd on this condition because I got pnuemonia right after the SSOC, was very sick, hospitalized and screwed up and reponded with my NOD 6 days late over the new 30 days deal. Got another SSOC saying we have decided not to accept your NOD due to timeliness. It would have went back to 06 if granted. What a killer! danang_1969

What does disabled mean? I was just thinking on this subject just last week. Many vets are completely unable to work or even leave the house and been fighting for years for UI. Most are 50 to 80% who are struggling with the VA for UI. I admire your go-getter attitude though. This must be a VA employee antagonizing us and making fun of our situation. If I lived in Russia, Iran, China, most any other country I couldn't even be pleading my case. I did read South Korea was finally tending their agent orange crippled and dying Vietnam Vets and I guess the Korean civilians too, I thought that was great but don't get me wrong I realize the VA ignores us. I should really went after my disability long before I did. I knew I was eligible but I had too many responsibilities for years and was working to hard to get by and didn't know Jack about how until I found hadit. Still a little slow and need to organize my claims better on the start.

I think my answer would be nay but if you sign anything read the fine print well and get a copy of anything you sign. If it is too much to absorb tell them you will take it home read it over and mail or send it back.

Another piece of information that I have been told but I have not verified this info so maybe someone else can shed some light here. I was once going to replace my SO with a different SO from a different organization. The normal way to do this is to give power of attorney to whichever organization you want and this action voids or fires the former SO. If this vet has a form 9 appeal pending, then you can't change SO's in the middle of the stream until a decision is reached on the form 9. At least this is what I was told by the organization that I was attempting give POA and change to. danang_1969

I double posted, sorry I looked for it and didn't find until I posted.

WASHINGTON: Surviving spouses of war veterans have been wrongfully denied up to millions of dollars in government benefits over the past 12 years due to computer glitches that often resulted in money being seized from the elderly survivors' bank accounts. The Veterans Affairs Department said Saturday it wasn't fully aware of the problem. It pledged to work quickly to give back the pension and disability checks — ranging from $100 to more than $2,500 — that hundreds of thousands of widows or widowers should have received during the month of their spouse's death. "This problem must be fixed," said VA Secretary James Peake. The department indicated in an "action plan" provided to The Associated Press that up to millions of dollars in back payments could be given to the surviving spouses sometime after next February, once it can identify them. To expedite matters, the VA said those who believe they were wrongfully denied payments can call its help line at 1-800-827-1000. Congress passed a law in 1996 giving veterans' spouses the right to keep their partners' final month of benefits. It instructed the VA to make changes as needed to comply with the law, which took effect for spouses of veterans who died after Dec. 31, 1996. But the VA never updated its automated computer systems, which send out checks and notification letters. As a result, widows or widowers were either denied the final month of payment or asked to send the checks back. In many cases, if the checks were already deposited or spent, the U.S. Treasury moved to seize the money directly from their accounts. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, who chairs the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, confronted Peake about the problem in a letter last week after receiving a complaint from a widow. In response, Peake instructed the Veterans Benefits Administration to update its systems as quickly as possible to prevent future denials of benefits. "This flawed practice has caused serious hardship for many widows," Akaka said Saturday. "Now that this problem has been brought to light, I trust that surviving spouses will receive the benefits they are due." The VA has yet to identify the exact number of widows or widowers affected, but acknowledged Saturday it could be "sizable." Akaka's committee estimates that 50,000 surviving spouses each year since 1996 could be affected, based on VA numbers indicating more than 100,000 veterans die each year — some of whom may have been single or divorced — while receiving VA benefits. Out of that 50,000, some spouses might have received the payments they were due if they called the VA at the time to inquire about their rights. The disclosure comes as the VA is scrambling to upgrade government technology systems before new legislation providing for millions of dollars in new GI education benefits takes effect next August. Thousands of veterans currently also endure six-month waits for disability benefits, despite promises by Peake and his predecessor, Jim Nicholson, to reduce delays. President-elect Barack Obama has pledged to "fix the benefits bureaucracy" at the VA. Last week, he named Retired Gen. Eric K. Shinseki, a former Army chief of staff, to be the next VA secretary. ___ On the Net: Veterans Affairs Department:

I agree with you and when I get the claims settled that I have in the hanger now. I already have the form and I am going to fire my rep and do my own claims from now on. I agree with you that most the Si's are useless to most vets most of the time. danang_1969

I great feeling to know you or anyone has finally overcome the uncalled for stalling by the VA system of a deserving vet in an sc'd condition. Congrats!

You are probably right on adding a condition will not delay anything but I talked with a RO lady and she said the appeals team had my claim now and was working on it and if I added anything now could slow the process down. The VA have lied to me many times before but I going to give them another month or so before I add file on the hearing and tinnitus. If they had not of split my claim up into three parts in the beginning, it would not have gotten so confusing. Thanks for the info and comments.