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Your VSO can check in VBMS and then look to see the next suspense date which will let you know what they are working on and when it will be addressed.  Your VSO can also call the VSO hotline to ask them to move it forward if it is stuck or file a 4138 stating it is not being worked on and for them to assign it to someone to address the reason for stagnation.

A lot of these guys doing exams especially the ACE exams, are working from home . They don't care what day it is they just do the review that takes very little time. I had a situtation were I had an exam and then an ACE didn't make any sense to me but that is what they sometimes do.  Just take a breather, and wait for the results because you may be getting all worked up for nothing.

I know this may not sound fair, but life is not fair, some veterans want to argue that a new exam may not be needed but the simplest and fastest way to get your benefits is to go to the new exam. Keep in mind, if the veteran already has a positive medical opinion and the VA request a new medical opinion that is negative, the veteran still wins. 

I agree with the above, but will add my 2 cents.  Probably "the most reliable" source of status with your claim is found in your VBMS file, aka your efile.  
The only way to see your VBMS file is to get a VSO or attorney  with VBMS ACCESS, (NOT ALL OF THEM HAVE IT) and discuss this with your VSO or attorney.  
If you already have a VSO or attorney, call them and discuss it with them, of course.  
The VBMS file should be "the same file" your decision maker sees.  
For reasons which are unclear, "ask Peggy" and most other VA employees do not have access to your VBMS file.  
At my VAMC "they used to have" a single VARO employee who had access to VBMS and could answer questions.  I think his position has been eliminated.  
 

They are not sent to home of record- they are sent to NPRC, and then they end up in your VA record when you file a claim, or when we request them manually (in the case of pre-electronic records)

Not to get in between this argument, but the main takeaway from my experience was that I am very glad that I took time to prepare, made notes about my symptoms, made a list of things I wanted to bring up, and communicated this to the examiner. 

I think that this was helpful regardless of who the examiner turned out to be.

At least one law firm would agree..we should "keep going" even after we have gotten what we think is the max rating percent (usually 100 percent, but some of us dont think they should be rated that high, and that is probably right).   
The reasoning is in case of a future reduction, and a few other things.  
But, I mostly dont buy it..if you have your 100 percent, and the effective date you think you deserve..and the applicable SMC, well, I say "let it be".  
I dont want to use up VA's limited resources (labor, rating specialist time, judges time, etc) on "posterity reasons"..I guess to brag that I got the max rating.  
Instead, when its all said and done, and I feel confident I have gotten all I think is fair, I quit applying.  Period.  Save that rating specialist time and labor for another Veteran who has not gotten his fair share yet.  
I know people who go to a resteraunt, and "fill their pockets" with toothpicks, free mints, etc.  Its what I call a "poverty" mentality.  
I take one or two mints, or or two toothpicks and thats it.  Thats fair, and the resteraunt doesnt provide a lifetime of toothpicks or mints for each meal.  
Neither does VA.  

Bronc, It's been just less than a year, and the study wasnt done by Phillips's. 
 
I read the study, I also read the prelininary stuff from Phillips's. They didn't have to do a recall at all, the threshold for the potential to be cancer causing was less than a tenth of a percent. They did anyway and all they have gotten for it is trouble. They didn't deny anything they got in front of yet that's not good enough, apparently.
I have one of their affected cpaps, have for a few years. I've got 4 kids, if I thought it was that big of a risk I'd have gotten a new one or gone back to my old one. But I read the information put out, talked to my respiratory therapist, and listened. 
 
I don't know where you think this stash of replacements is supposed to come from, either. 
You literally have a separate group of private specialists saying it's not an issue and that cancer vs not cancer is the same in both groups- meaning it's not an issue with the cpaps. What more do you want?

Pro Se Vets are at a big disadvantage:
1.  Pro Se Vets do not have access to their VBMS file, so they dont know what evidence VA has "in real time".  
    Sure, the VA can send you a copy of your cfile, but, by the time you get it, it will likely be obsolete as new evidence would have been added, and old evidence deleted.  

Or they could just be honest about their condition and how it affects them

Which ever VA Form 2122 is filed last will have the POA for you.  That doesn't mean that the other claim wont be processed just that lawyer/VSO will not have access to your VA file.  We require a letter of release from lawyers before we will assist veterans since the lawyers make money from claims/appeals and VSOs dont.

Which ever VA Form 2122 is filed last will have the POA for you.  That doesn't mean that the other claim wont be processed just that lawyer/VSO will not have access to your VA file.  We require a letter of release from lawyers before we will assist veterans since the lawyers make money from claims/appeals and VSOs dont.

You have 1 year from date of birth to file for a new dependent and keep the date of birth as date of claim.  If you file after the year, retro pay will go to the date of claim.

You have 1 year from date of birth to file for a new dependent and keep the date of birth as date of claim.  If you file after the year, retro pay will go to the date of claim.

Caregiver is different than aid and attendance.  Caregiver is a VHA program while Aid and Attendance is VBA program which adds a benefit to either a pension or disability.  You may want to ask your VA PCM about Veteran Directed Care, a program that provides a budget for their needs if they qualify. 

If your exam was yesterday, you can expect another 2-3 months before you get a decision. Claims are averaging 162 days from beginning to end.  However, if you have a VSO with VBMS access they can track the process a little closer.  Don't forget to appeal within a year of the letter if you disagree with the decision.

In this case it is permanent.

The person you talked to was not a rater and would not know more than you know from your decision letter.  You need to get a VSO with VBMS access as they are not part of the VA system and only exist to serve the veteran.

Get a VSO with VBMS access and they can see the letters and reason for decision without waiting for the mail.

Get a VSO with VBMS access and they can look into it for you.
 

Keep it simple. If you have the supporting documents for a supplemental claim, then just file a 995.  Don't fall into the hype for a BVA hearing, they take forever and you get the same result with solid evidence.

Shes still going @Tbird @Buck52. No consequences here for cyberbullying and defamation? Shame.

If you walk into a new VSO, they will not have VBMS access to your file until a 2122 is filed and then it needs to work its way through the system. Unrealistic expectations for VSOs to know specifics when veterans basically shop around for the answer they want to hear can jam up the system with duplicates. 

Where I am located we have three C&P contract companies and sometimes get the exams done in less than two weeks.  The VA hospital doesn't do them and I am glad because if they did you would wait over a month and the backlog would grow.  Contracting out is a great thing despite the sky is falling crowd's opinions.

Your VSO should electronically upload it to the VA for you and confirm its receipt.