ptsd Seattle, Wa Varo; Is This Not Unusual?

[RockyA1911]

Chicago, IL is my home VARO since I live in Illinois now but apparantley things are out of whack.

I orignially filed my initial claims for PTSD, increase for post concussion residuals, and skull loss of 4.5cm x 4.5cm both inner and outer tables to the St. Louis VARO on 25 March 2005. In June my whole C-file and claims were transferred to the Chicago, IL VARO stating that I now live in Illinois and that Chicago will now service my claim. I contacted Chicago VARO and complained about it and they told me that I live in IL and must have my C&Ps and claim serviced by VARO Chicago.

Well last July 27th, I had C&P exams at the VAMC in Iowa City, IA. I received the copies of the C&P exam reports the middle of August and it was favorable on all the claims and that the VA examiners agreed with IMO physicians to the tee and also service record documents in the C-File.

I contacted the VA in September and they sent me an email on the 29th of September stating that my claim has been sent to another office for rating decision in order to expedite it. They also stated in the email that I would be notified in approximately 60 days.

I contacted the 800 number this morning to check on the status and was told it was still in the decision process by a rating officer. I told the guy about the email I had received on 29 Sep 05 and he asked me to hold on while he looked some other stuff up. He then told me that Chicago doesn't have my file and that it was in another office. I asked him what he meant by another office and he said that my claim is being adjudicated at the VARO in Seattle, WA. I asked if he knew whether or not the Seattle VARO had been contracted out (I had read on this site that someone stated it was contracted out) and he said no, they are all VA employees.

I really don't understand what is going on especially when the Chicago VARO was so emphatic that since I lived in IL everything had to be handled by the Chicago VARO in the state I live in.

I really don't understand why my claim was sent all the way across the country to be rated by the VARO in Seattle when I live in Illinois. They can't even tell me if they have all my claims to include Tinnitus, Barrett's Esophagus, and TDIU as my file is not accessible at this time because it is in Seattle.

Does any of this make any sense to any of you experts on the VA bureacracy?

My buddy and I filed at the same time in St. Louis and he got his rating yesterday from St. Louis even though he didn't have his C&Ps until last month and I had mine last July. Anyway, he has 3 purple hearts with GAF of 53 and his C&P exam report said that the VA concedes PTSD, the VA added Depression and Sleep Apnea which he did not claim previously and then tinnitus and increase for feet problems (Jungle rot). They rated him at 40% - 30% for PTSD, 10% for tinnitus, and left his feet still at the previous 10%. This just don't sound right to me at all. They gave me a GAF of 52 so I guess since I don't have three purple hearts I'll probably get 10% for the PTSD, Depression, and Cognitive Disorder. I am only getting 10% since 1977 for Post concussion syndrome, they forgot to rate me back in '77 for the skull loss that I had claimed.

It's hard to believe that after all the media attention we are still getting low balled by the VA rating officers, even when under scrutiny.

[Pete53]

Rocky:

When they admit that they are behind they farm out claims to make them move through the system. Hope that it works good for you.

[SeattleShay]

As far behind as Seattle is, I can't believe that they are outsourcing claims to here. I have to admit that as a veterans that is "supposedly" taken care of by the Seattle VARO, this upsets me since I have a claim and a NOD at the VARO right now.

Please don't get me wrong, you certainly deserve to have your claim rated, but I'm hoping that mine doesn't go to the bottom of the list because they are bringing outside claims in.