Veteran Advocate

Related website: <http://www.ssa.gov/woundedwarriors/>

Lu 12, Just having a medical condition noted under the "Medical History" heading will not help you. It has to be noted in the results somehow or in the form of an opinion by the examiner for it to help. A rationale for his opinion is also helpful to intitate the claim. His statment has to somehow form a "NEXUS" or a relationship between the condition and serivce or a service connected condition. Veteran Advocate

Cherie 33, Are you represented by anyone? They should know about your decision! Veteans Advocate

Lu 12, One example of this is, The VBA and the VAH is two different houses, however the VAH does send the VBA inpatient reports of patients that stay there over a certain number of days. When the VBA receives the report, they have a responsibility to “infer” and “adjudicate” a claim if they can relate the medical condition to an already service connected condition or the veteran’s service medical file. This VBA intervention could prove to be invaluable to persons who are diagnosed with a terminal illness as well as there spouse if that person was to expire. Also the report could be harmful to persons on pension because an extended hospital stay will reduce their benefits, so they look at that too. I recommend that if anyone is in the hospital for more than 10 days, they should request a copy of their treatment records since admission and review them for possible disability claims of increases. If they are unable to do it by themselves, they should find someone knowledgeable to assist them with the review of the medial records and there VBA file. In the same case if a veteran goes to a C&P Exam, the report of results do end up in their C-File. If the doctor during the C&P Exam for a right knee increase states that the persons recent fall, that injured his left elbow was more than likely due to his right knee condition, the VBA should "infer" and "adjudicate" a claim for a left elbow condition to be claimed as secondary to the persons serivce connected right knee condition without the need for the vetran to file the calim themselves. Veteran Advocate

The POA table is located in the rating area and is where all decisions go (for review by a Service Officer) prior to going to Post Determination. When I was a Service Officer, I found many mistakes made by the Rating Team and have sent them back for correction. This review gives your representaive a chance to catch things that can be corrected and avoid any furhter delay in the claims process and or trouble down the road from mistakes made by the RO.

Actually it goes to the "POA Table" prior to the "Post Team" if you are represented by a service organization. Your copy is mailed out after the "POA Review" and prumolgation by the "Post Team".