autumn

learning this the hard way (again). i'm writing a complaint letter to their headquarters showing 4 times in 22 years them dropping the ball with me (thats my perspective). then take back poa i guess. i can acutally sue the the org? any recommendations on an attorney that does this? almost all attorneys' i've contacted about VA issues is they want a perfect open/shut case, then they'll take it. like not much fight in them at all,

>>Any correspondence with the VSO or the VSO with the VA, request a copy for your records. do they have to supply all correspondance if i request it?

ok, thanks folks appreciate the education. well, i had to file. my spinal issues are some real issues that va docs seemingly didn't want to address, just like the ms issue. in my life, seems only C&Ps get me adequate diagnosis/treatment. is the moral of this story not to file claims when one is open? don't we lose effective date thing doing that?

i had a claim in for MS secondary issues and was told by a congressional rep it was in decision phase back in Oct 2011. so, i checked with vso about filing the SC for cervical issues and increase for already SC'd lumbar issues. today i get this notice from RO: Generally speaking, VA policy dictates that if additional conditions are claimed while you already have an open claim in process, the newly claimed conditions must be added to the open claim already in process and development must be completed for the newly claimed conditions. so now, what another 2 years to get this complete since they lumped it all together?

that site sure looks helpful! >>Any correspondence with the VSO or the VSO with the VA, request a copy for your records. i see the above on that website, so, the VSO has to provided this? any of his email correspondence with VA, internal SO correspondence regarding my claims, etc? thanks

thanks john. i seem to do all the work anyways. vso, to my eyes, writes a letter they rep me and filing for this or that, and then, nothing...i don't see them doing anything. i can write those type letters myself. oh well. 1. i know this is very subjective and depends on the type rep, but is VFW or American Legion better at helping veteran with VA claims? 2. when changing VSO does that hamper claims already in the pipeline? 3. if i take PoA away from current VSO would that hamper claims already in the pipeline?

hey pete, >>If I were you I would carefully decide if complaining to the NAtional will be helpful to you. this is why i post here in hadit cuz i need the extra "eyes". good point. i complained about one rep via phone to this org a few years ago. didn't do squat, and acutally may have been neg to me, but don't know for sure. maybe?, that is why i've slipped through the cracks again. ok, i can see a bit clearer now that i see you had so many reps. i like your idea of writing explaining in respectful way and then move on. that seems to be the wise thing to do and i can wrap my brain around that. it was only via hadit and folks on here that i got educated and got things to gether per recommendations here that i got sc'd for ms and found out about secondary issues. i might as well "go alone + hadit folks". i may switch to american legion in dc? i heard of them helping well via a veteran radio talk show, "unityamericanradio", but that is all i know. thanks mr pete53, appreciate the perspective

i just slipped through the cracks again so my VSO tells me. the particular service org has rep'd me 4 times over the past quite a few years. i slipped through the cracks the first time. a few years ago, in another city, same service org blew me off saying i didin't have this disease. though VA SC'd for it, but not cuz he helped, an IME did that. same service org didn't enlighten me that i needed to get all evidence into a c-file on a claim a few years ago, so that got denied. with their first claim years ago, i found/read their lawyer blew me out of the water with their asinine statements about my character that had nothing to do with the spinal claim increase at that time. that got denied now for this new claim, i'm told me for months they need to contact the station manager at RO, well now, after a year and half, they say they finally found out who he is and contacted him. what!!, they don't know who a station manager is at a RO and takes them that long to contact them -- only after i push the issue. note: i'm in one state, my NSO is in another. that shouldn't matter. a lot of runaround and bs from my perspective. 1. now is time for me to write their national office and note some type of complaint. seeking ideas on what is proper to write regarding such things. i've read on this forum a few folks that have had to write complaints, maybe i can get some pointers from them. this is to be a letter outlining this and that i'm tired of it. 2. after i write this note, do i still keep this service org or get another one or just do it myself?

i'm posting late but this info is what i wanted to knwo from a prvious post of mine. i will say this having been to both places, it is night and day difference between VA and cleveland clinic on how patiteint is treated and what is writtin in med records. speaking from a SC neuro disease. glad you posted this

ok, thanks for reply. i'll see how it goes. too used to being shot in foot via VA when i do the right thing. thanks

hey, i was going to start a new topic but see this one is titled what i would titlttle it. i requested a neuropsychological evaluation due to my stuttering, harder time pulling words out my brian for complete sentences, lessening of verbal expressiveness, etc. this mostly due to ms, depression/mood disorder(secondary to ms) i have no idea if thise witll be beneficial or detrimental to me (knowing the va). but, no one at va wants to write what and why i have these issues so i asked for this exam to check it out. i see "wings" below explain some of this type of testing, anyone know other stuff about it? schedulaer did say to bring snack/meds/water due to it is like 4 hours long or so. i'll have to take meds just ot sit 4 hours and the stress of just being at a VA will increase. ok, i'm rampbling, sorry. just trying to get heads up of what to expect if any folks here know. thanks

i know this post a bit old, but Mr Rafa, i have to put a sentence or two here. happy for you on your success so far with VA, its a daunting task at the least end of the spectrum as most here know. i had not read on here about anyone else where the VA hammered the alcohol issue like they do to skirt the health truths. just wanted to say i can empathize. VA hammered the alcohol issue with me even after 20+ years of not drinking and tried to say that was the lesions in my brain. that is (i) caused them. turns out they are ms. i'm a little hung up on that issue i know. anyhoo, i see they did the same with you. best to ya and your future claims with VA, keep fighting.

i will print this out and mention it to my VSO mon. i don't think much was submitted last time so that new folder VSO supposedly sent in Nov should be almost all "new" evidence. i sent another note to RO last week asking them to let me know if they got that folder with the claim letter from VSO, but haven't heard back. VSO, if willing, should be able to find that out, i would think. but, as you say, what WE VETS think and they, is well, different. thank you

didn't do the NOD for the denial that i recall. i didn't even remember submitting that claim until this new letter. i'll call my VSO mon to verify. i already asked him if he had a receip for that folder being delivered. he wasn't very responsive. probably busy. i'll ask him to verify . last thing i want to do is make RO job more difficult, really. whats a CP versus Appeals? sure, it all helps...at least for me it does. thanks

i submitted a claim via VSO in 2008 for cervical/lumbar issues and increase. i was at the time still assuming RO got copies of med records vrom VA. wasn't enlightened to the c-file fact of life. so i was denied, obviously, as i know now. submitted a new claim recently with "all" med evidence. (learned the hard way) finally got the VCAA notice today saying they are working on my claim for this. they don't mention they got the document folder sent to them in november. they mention the 2008 claim and that in order to reopen they new matierial evidence and related to that fact. i'm thinking everything i sent this time is new as i really didn't send them much in 2008. the VSO rep never mentioned to me about getting evidence into a c-file when i told him it was all in the va med records. q1. are these standard letters? they write they need evidence from mil time to present time. however, docs showing all that were in the folder i sent them. do i send that again or what? does this mean they didn't get the folder or is this just a standard letter? q2. should i let RO know that in 2008 VSO rep didn't inform me of c-file needing docs or is that just my mistake to eat? you may remember me asking another question on the forum that i never got the VCAA notice that they recielved my folder of info.

i honestly don't know but wish i did as thoudans of other vets do to. i've always been told for the past 24+ years, sit back and wait have patience - we'll wait for the VA to do the right thing. never happened. VA is insulated from accountability or anyone from my experience. sure doesn't take VA long to deny, or lose papers, or seemingly make you wait does it? they really expect to get the process to 120 days or less as is trying to implement? anyhoo, if there is a magic way to ask them to "move along" some on this forum surely knows the words to let you know.

just as well i didn't get anyone on the line. i contacted his local office so there would be a paper trail with all this. i've had little success in anyone listening to me at va or med eividence. i know va doesn't liket congress being contacted but really, what is a veteran to do in certain situations where VA doesn't listen, VA doesn't listen to VSOs, they don't listen to congress aides (letters), but i wrote him anyways. if you had MS and VA wouldn't diagnose you with objective med evidence and shrugged you off, who would you contact. look how many veterans across usa have many of the same issues with va over the years. nothing changes except for a smile and pat on the back. way too many newstories and cspan documentaries to back that up. cuz i'm not so good with the money thing thks, yur JMHO is always welcomed

ok, thanks. i'll check. not much in this state though. i'll check around in my soppurt groups. most of them have been trhough this stuff too

hi, thanks for reply. looks like i can file for them so i will. i thought my shoulder pain was from spine/ms stuff, hmmm, oh well thank you

hi ms Carlie, i put together my folder for IBS claim ready to send off after the MS secondary ratings are completed, if ever they will be. i notiece in records over past 24 years, VA has diagnosed these things below and i'm wondering what is candidate for claim besides IBS? IBS (can be claimed) gerd ? dysphagia ? hyperlipidermia ?

fwiw mr justrluk, been wating 14 months. this with VSO writing letters/claims, congressman contacting them periodically. it is now in admin review phase supposedly waiting on a signature or something. man who takes care of my savings account called today and informed me i have about 3 months left of savings, so stress i s getting abit worse. nothing new for us vets waiting on va stuff or trying to get va to do right thing. i never had any luck calling that 800 number but maybe i'm calling wrong number tired of it as you are, hope it gets rolling along sooner than later. so much for claims to take shorter time, huh?

hey folks, me again... i'm down to about my last money in savings account. i've been having to dip into it to supplement ssd and va disability income while waiting on decision for va increase. i'm sure a common scenario amongst us. is there a va program one can apply for financial hardship while waiting on increase decision? after savings is gone i don't think i can do rent and my simple monthly bills which are just bare essentials, zero enteratainment or things tlike that. just bare eessentials. not whining, just the facts

just found out today yesterday was a holiday. ;-) i goofed there. ok, thanks for the update

agreed with ethan. i went to ebenefits. it does list they received via poa/vso a packet of med docs. it doesn't mention that was a claim request though. maybe apples and oranges, but i liked the vcaa letter that actually states, "we recieved claim request" or something like that. as for the lengthy secondary issues claim filed last year, it lists this now: Details of your Claim Received on 12/28/2010 (Administrative Review) they had told the congressman's office that the claim was processed back in oct and was waiting on a signature. is that what admin review means, they review it prior to signing off on it? hard to believe it has gotten this far after all these years. if it ever gets done satisfactorily i probably won't know how to live without the VARO stressors on my nervous system. i don't know if i'm being funny or serious, hard to tell anymore. thanks for all the info/advice. where else but hadit.com can a vet get such timely good info regarding the va!

i called this number. my brain coulnd't rap around the endless recording loop. couldn't get a person on the line. i've had an ebenefits account for a few years. my profile is out of date and i've asked RO to update it but that hasn't happened in over a year. i guess others can get more mileage from that phone number to the VA ebenefits than i could.