Question For Vike

[Berta]

Vike- I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO glad you are back!!!!!

You never steer us wrong-

question:

when a vet re-opens a claim (and the 21-526 has been filed long ago etc)

what is it that the vet rep does to re-establish the POA-

do they do this by sending a 21-4138 and that itself establishes that they still represent the veteran?

[Vike17]

What do you mean by "re-establish." Do you mean, for example, the veteran previously resinded the POA for some SO and then later he (the veteran) wants that SO again to represent him? If that is the case, the yes, the veteran would need to submit VA Form 21-22 again to re-establish that POA. If you mean, for example, a veteran had a POA let's say ten years ago to help with a claim and since then there hasn't been any actions done as far as claims wise and the veteran hasn't officially resinded that POA, then the POA is tsill good. It would remain good until one of the partys resinds the POA. I hope that made sense.

Vike 17

[Berta]

Makes sense to me-

I guess I meant-say vet has VVA on the POA and gets award.

2-3 years later he re-opens the claim for higher rating-by sending the RO a letter-

and goes back to the VVA (never rescinded them) and they do something?

then again they would receive copies of the mail from the RO anyhow-

I asked because a vet told me he filed a claim recently but the rep didn't make a copy of it-after the appointment- he just sent it to the RO-he has been on the same POA for years-

I sure hope the vet has a copy of it. And some proof of mailing-

[theotherguy]

As long as the veteran did not revoke their POA at some point, they should have received a copy of any correspondence sent to the veteran.