broncovet

Its WAY, WAY better than it used to be!! Its still not good, but better. A few years ago, you would have had to wait until you died to get in to see a dr (to declare you dead). At least you got to see a doc, fairly soon. https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local/staff-treated-soldier-before-killed-himself/axkF8GVcCzDqfyicECdNEL/ This guy was told in the ER, he had to wait 4 months for an appointment.

Its difficult for me to seriously speculate on what ebenefits says, when its so unreliable.

Ramp's elimination of the SOC (and the SSOC's) plus the elimination of your claim needing to be certified by the VARO, almost immediately "cuts" about 3 years off your appeal time, vs the legacy appeals where your claim sits at the VARO for 3 years waiting for someone to certify it to the BVA. THIS is the main advantage of the RAMP program..cutting 3 years off your time by eliminating the SOC and certification.

The "averages" as far as time frames, is posted in the BVA chairman's Report. What Berta says is true, as it breaks down how long it takes for each step. Its about 1200 days before it even goes to the BVA..sitting in your VARO for 3 years, and, of course, your national VSO preparing a brief to the board. Ramp is supposed to eliminate much of this time it "sits" at your VARO for 3 years. For one thing, the SOC is gone, and also gone is the requirement that the VARO "certify" the claim to the board....about a 3 year process which should take about 2.5 hours. You can see the chairmans reports here: https://www.bva.va.gov/Chairman_Annual_Rpts.asp

Congratulations!!! You are smart to wait for the AB8 letter to update, most of the rest of ebenefits is totally unreliable.

Are you happy with the TKR? Im due for a TKR, tho mine is not SC. (but it should be..I fractured my leg in service, but VA never adjuticate my claim, just blew it off. I did not persue it because Im already at 100 percent so more for TKR is likely moot.) Where did you get your TKR? which va? What device (knee device) did they implant?

Yes, and yes. You should always request an increase whenever you feel your conditions worsened, especially when you have said increase documented. However, its unlikely your convalescent (temporary) 100 percent time is extended beyond one year if your healing progress is slow. Simply apply for an increase, and understand your convalscent time (likely) wont be extended, altho you can "ask" for that also. It will probably be better for you...after a year, your convalscent time is up, and maybe you can get an increased permanent rating...maybe. You have to ask.

I have good and bad news: 1. Good news. Opting into Ramp, it sounds like, has expidited your claim, even tho some issues were apparently denied, its still better than waiting in limbo, in a 5 year wait to the Board, then it gets denied. At least, now that you have a decision you can appeal it. 2. Bad news. Its a very, very bad idea to rely upon what ebenefits says. It will continue to frustrate you. Some advocates recommend "not even checking" ebenefits. Fretting over changes in estimated completion dates is nothing but a source of frustration, and means almost nothing except to confirm ebenefits is unreliable and should not be trusted.

Great post, FMFDoc25. Are you in Harlingen TEXAS? My son used to live in Harlingen (his wife was a PT). They have moved to Dallas, however. You gave a great answer, and I dont have much to add, except that my opinion does not matter, nor does the opinion of the researcher. The Veteran needs a nexus statement from his or her doctor about the veterans condition, not those in the research study. The success of the claim, as always, will hinge on whether or not the Veteran has the required Caluza elements, just as you have posted.

I agree with Vetquest, and he gave good advice. I will add this, however. Dont even try to "prove" a doctor wrong...their testimony will be accepted as credible over your's every single time. DO use the following regulations, however, already in place, for such an event: 1. Next, if you can not get your (medical records corrected), you can "refute" the doctors findings but only with another doctor's findings. That is, another doctor can write an opinion disputing the findings of Doc 1. Generally, the VA has to give the Veteran the benefit of the doubt, that is, if doc a says "yea" and doc b says "nay", they have to give it to you. However, the BVA CAN choose one doc's opinion over another provided that they give a reasons and bases for doing so. Example: While doc a says "yea" and doc b says "nay", doc b is board certified and more competent and did a more thorough exam, therefore, the answer is nay. However, if you hire doc c to do an even more thorough exam and he is an even more competent medical expert, it can sway the opinion in your favor. By the way, "just because" someone has heard profanity in the past, does not necessarily mean they will "not" be offended by its presence. Pretty much "everyone" has heard profanity from others, even a child. Mostly, that is how children learn to utter profanity, is by listening to adults. Example: If you were a minority, you may have been subject to racial slurs in the past. This does not excuse someone using a racial slur in the present tense.

Yes, I know everyone wants to hold what ebenefts says as gospel, and to get advanced notice that they can count on. Neither of these apply. In all cases, rather than speculate on what ebenefits says, you have to wait for the decision. You would be better off asking your 5 year old neighbor kid for an explanation, and his would likely be more reliable. Wait for the envelope, then decide what to do.

Correct. Champva is for DEPENDENTS. https://www.va.gov/COMMUNITYCARE/programs/dependents/champva/champva_eligibility.asp

You can/should get a copy of your file (cfile) to see, with your own eyes, if the caluza elements are documented. A VSO may (but probably wont) do this for you. They often send you "down the (appeal) road" without a nexus, which is like sending you to battle with a rubber band gun. You lose every single time without a nexus and the other 2 caluza elements.

I agree with Todd, and will help you. You need the Caluza triangle DOCUMENTED! Caluza Triangle: 1. Current diagnosis. It does not matter if a VA doc diagnosed it or your private doc. 2. In service event or aggravation. Your doctor can not supply this, this has to be already documented in your service records. 3. Medical nexus, which is a doctors opinion that your (current diagnosis) is "at least as likely as not" related to your "in service event" (or that your condition was aggravated in service). Check your file to see if you have all three of these, documented, for each condition applied. If you dont, it will be denied every time. If the Caluza triangle is present, you need to appeal and, eventually, you can get a person who can read who will award you benefits. If you are missing a nexus, then you may be able to get one from a private doctor (IMO/IME) to complete the required Caluza elements.

VA got its "lack of trust" reputation "the old fashioned way": THEY EARNED IT. They did not just sit on their laurels, they went out of their way to lie to Vets! Did you miss the new way? The BVA brags they did 25 percent more appeals in the past year! Ok, they forget to mention, when you "opt in" to Ramp, they automatically drop your (legacy) appeal, so it looks like they are churning out decisions, when, at least part of this is because Vets drop their (BVA appeals) and opt into RAMP. Its almost as bad as a few years ago, when VA made Veterans wait so long for an appointment, that Vets died waiting..then when they died, they brag that there is no more backlog!!!!! "Yep, we reduced the backlog..most of those Vets waiting are dead!!" Personally, I have been waiting 16 years for VA to finally resolve my tdiu claim. For the first 7 years, they dont even mess with it!!!!! Then, they finally adjutcate it as "moot". After I spend 5 years appealing THAT (it wasnt moot), they deny it. (12 years total). It takes the VARO 3 more years to implement (and redeny).. 15 years and counting. Finally, last year I get it awarded, but they figured out how to hornswaggle the effective date. Because I hired an attorney, I managed to get to the CAVC (after the board denial), and that is where Im at now. (16 years). Even if I get a favorable decision from the CAVC in the next month, I still have to wait for the BVA, then the VARO to implement it. So, it will likely be at least another year..maybe more, and that is the BEST CASE SENARIO!!!!