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Kihr

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Everything posted by Kihr

  1. This is the biggest tragedy of all to me. There are several big VA help forums, reddit VA forums, youtube channels, etc. I consider myself a fairly smart guy and after all the reading and research I did after putting in my claim last year I can see where I made my claim take longer by using imprecise "non-VA" language. The people who are writing the procedures etc are writing it as if to explain to someone who is well versed in the technical jargon (though the BBE's are usually pretty straightforward from what I gather, though confusingly organized). Sometimes I regret ever putting in an increase or a claim because it causes me a headache, it has been nearly a year for an increase claim and I am still waiting. Had I known then what I know now I would have been much more specific, I would have organized my claim better etc. VSO's are hit or miss, it is difficult to have national standards for VSO's as they are all different types of organizations...but the VA itself should put out a template that is easy to use and understand for the layman. In fact, they should investigate which claims were the quickest to approval and see how they were laid out, provide a template based on a "Very good" claim and then instruct VSO's and Veterans to follow it exactly. It may never help, but the current process requires something like 62 decision points, which is an absolutely crazy amount of decision points which increases the length. They seem to have been getting better time for claim completion appears to be reduced (not in my case I put in my claim for increase 9/24/18 and it is still unresolved) but in general this is the vibe I get.
  2. I may not have been clear, you already changed my way of thinking. I used to think it was like a log jam. I think the process could use some serious work, I love improving processes and it seems to be so very convoluted.
  3. There should be examination information somewhere for the conditions that are not permanent.
  4. Did you get your response yet? I think it should be the painful motion, perhaps he averages them?
  5. I have felt a little irritated at times when I see the "keep fighting after 100%" thing, but I guess #6 is the most important and probably the reason that things go in our favor at times when they do. I look at it from the perspective that it keeps VSR and SVSR's busy and potentially clogs up the pathway for new claimees. I guess to shortchange yourself from an SMC would be harmful, especially to those who deserve it so that makes sense. I guess in the end I feel like I may have been looking at it wrong.
  6. Just an update for posterity, it went from PFD -> RoE -> PFD -> RoE -> PFD -> RoE -> GoE currently. In addition, my estimated date of completion has moved to a range of November-January 13. Request 13 - Aug 6 Due Date: Not available Status: No Longer Needed Claim Review Request 14 - Sept 4 Due Date: Not available Status: No Longer Needed Exam Request - Processing Request 15 - Sept 6 Due Date: Not available Status: No Longer Needed Exam Request - Request for Clarification I think that I will have to go for ANOTHER C &P I guess. I had 3 in November 18', 1 in July 19' so who knows. Maybe the examiner didn't fill the DBQ correctly, who knows?
  7. With my issues, I am starting to realize I just want to be able to do things normal folks can, and do them without pain. I am getting tired of the constant pain, I have so rarely had a day without pain in the last 10 years that it is now unimaginable. I keep on keeping on, I went to college, I work, I am going for a masters. I am doing everything to provide a career for myself and stability for my family in the long term. Specifically careers that don't rely on my body, and so far it has been ok. I am concerned because I use school as a way to keep my brain busy and my mind out of darker thoughts. I finish in a week and I don't really know what to do next to distract myself. I really need to seek out some pain management I think.
  8. Thank you for the responses. I have honestly been in denial about how bad things are, having them evaluate has really made me understand just how dinged up I really am. I guess the gravity of my situation has finally taken hold. I really am struggling right now, I am 30 w/ a 1 y.o and another on the way. I wanted more kids, something like 4 or 5 but I don't know now if I should have any more. I worry that I won't be able to keep up, I really am getting down about the situation.
  9. Yesterday my claim moved to Prep for decision, this was a week after my latest C&P, I was feeling optimistic that the estimated completion date of 9/4 was reasonable. Today it moved back to review of evidence and my date oushed to 9/14. This is a claim with 1 increase, 2 new, 2 secondary. I filed my claim 9/24/18 it seems like a long time for a claim. Anyway, my question is: have any of you had the claim move from "prep for Decision" only to regress to review of evidence? If so, what was the timeline like?
  10. Her profile says she has been certified since 2005. I did start my claim with #3, he literally did nothing. Then lefr 4 months later for a VA job. She is the director of the office and just picked mine up after he abruptly left.
  11. I see, she mentions "checking my claim" so I guess I assumed she did. I will ask her, any suggestions on what questions to ask? I put my claim in 9/24.
  12. The VSO says they are a nationally accredited VSO per her profile, so if that is the case are they able to share all that is on the VBMS? She really doesn't seem to give me any information one way or another. I always feel like I am a hassle when I call (about once a month) and see if there is anything going on. I may just not be asking the correct questions when I call.
  13. I only have the initial claim from 2010 on e benefits. I submitted a claim for an increase for my psoriatic arthritis (which apparently is combined w/ the back pain). I will request it when I am able, this was a contractor and will not be available for awhile. I submitted this claim in September and am waiting for my results. I don't know how much longer it will be, I feel like it is never ending at this point (10 months). I think part of the hang up is I am currently 20%, and I submitted simultaneously a claim for 2 dependents in the event I got any increase at all. Would it be rated under the code 5237 Jbasser?
  14. How much can they see, how much can they tell me? I seem to get almost nothing but cryptic information from my VSO. Are they restricted from telling information to me while the claim is not yet complete? Or is it possible that she withholds the information having been burned by changes in the past?
  15. I had a spinal tap while AD, it was as a result of a high fever, they wanted to make sure I didn't have meningitis. I have been having back pain since that time. The C&P Examiner said he would list it as Thorasic Strain, which I think is equivalent to back pain. If I knew then (10 years ago) what I know now I would have been much more aggressive when I made my initial claim. I put almost nothing on there when there are many things that are directly listed in my record that are SC. Even this claim I submitted in September was filed but done poorly. I really regret not doing enough research into this process and how everything is determined. I am very nervous for my claim results (if I ever get them) because of the length of time. It has been 10 months, 3 C&P back in November and then nothing until 2 weeks ago.
  16. I am a little confused, I have "psoriatic arthritis, also claimed as back condition" as my current and only rated condition 20%, which was from my initial claim 10 years ago. They were submitted as 2 different items, "back pain" & "psoriatic arthritis" but combined. Anyway, I submitted a claim in september for an increase to my P.A. and a few other new claims related to tgr P.A. and had C&Ps in November. I have been waiting ever since with no updates, denials, deferrals, granted claims etc. Last week I get a call for a contractor exam about my back. I was a bit confused, about why I was having the exam but it is what it is so I went today. The examiner said "you are not rated for a back condition, you have no official diagnosis for your back, it just says back pain." "I don't know why you had an x-ray without a diagnosis, the x-ray said there was no arthritis in your back. So I don't know why they combine these as a single rating." I am not entirely sure why I had this exam, it makes me a little nervous about all of this. 1.) Any reasons my 5(in total including P.A. increase) claims would have no decisions made at all after nearly a year? 2.) Should I be prepared for bad news? Is it likely they will just deny all of them because they have not done any grants approved? 3.) Has anyone had an issue like this they can shed some light? 4.) Assuming there are no further exams, is 4-6 weeks a good guess for a decision length from this C&P?
  17. I will wait until my "estimated completion date." It is only 2 weeks from today, and then I will probably call. I can only be so patient, and I will take your recommended questions with me, they seem like the proper thing to ask.
  18. @paulstrgn The status went from gather of evidence to reviewing evidence, and then back to "gathering of evidence" with a exam request needed, and then cancelled. I feel hesitant to call the White house hotline. I just feel like I am being a complainer, and I learned through some research that adding dependents to a claim can take a long time because there are less raters for this duty. With that being said, 10 months still seems unreasonable. Have you used the phone line? I haven't felt this type of anxiety since I was leaving the service and waiting for unknown people to determine my fate via my MEB. When I made my initial claim I was extraordinarily ignorant about the process, I don't recall if I had a VSO help me with it or not, but I don't believe I did. I didn't even include the reason I was placed on TDRL and involuntarily separated from the military. I was so tired of dealing with the process after a nearly 2 year MEB that I just accepted the 20% and moved on...I didn't feel like being anxious and uncertain about what was going to happen to me again. I started school quickly after leaving the service and I just wanted to "move on" as the 2 year holding period seriously weighed on me. If I could go kick my younger self in the ass I would lol.
  19. The range was changed from 1/16/19-3/4/19 to 3/24/19- 4/2019 to 08/24/19-1/1/20 to 6/5-7/20. (on 6/5) I included a claim for dependents as I am married with 1 kid, and an currently 20% ( I was optimistic about an increase). This claim date moved on 6/21 to 7/31-8/28. Previously it had been 12/18/2018 The VSO said I may even need additional exams....its been 8 months since my first exams (3 exams). Additionally, like I mentioned she said it could still take months...I just don't I know what to do. I am only so patient.
  20. How do you know which area is handling your claim?
  21. I submitted my claim 9/24, I had the C&P exams on 11/6, and I am still waiting. I talked to my VSO today and she said I was "Awaiting adjudication" and that it could be several more months and I may need more exams. I know the VA is a long process, but it has been 10 months already and I am not sure what "awaiting adjudication" means. The VSO seemed a little annoyed, I call about 1 time a month, it just is frustrating. I don't know why a claim should take 10 months, I know I have read about appeals taking years so I shouldn't complain. I just feel that 10 months is an unreasonable amount of time to be "months away"
  22. I put insomnia in for a secondary condition (psoriatic arthritis as primary), pain keeps me awake, I wake up and lay there etc. I think it will be approved (but I have been waiting since September)
  23. I called today, she said it was still processing "nothing else was needed from anybody, and my estimated completion date is expected 7/20/2019" She really didn't say anything else that e benefits didn't already have displayed. I may try and talk to my VSO tomorrow or Friday...it is difficult being patient.
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