Va Disability Claim

[SSGMike.Ivy]

Seems within this forum there are a large number of Veterans who have hit the magic 100%, even those with less. Spefically those with 100% who worked their claim through an organization like the DAV, American Leagion, VVA etc and received a nice little back check.

Was wondering how many of you after receipt of a back check, which in some cases can be thousands of dollars, made a substantial donation as a thanks. Or did you let them work your claim and once you received your back check forgot about the hard work that these organizaitons did.

[cloudcroft]

Mike,

When I first filed my claim and was a novice in the claims process, I received an unsolicited letter from the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) asking to represent me. I thought that very nice and accepted, since I didn't know anything about the assorted vetorgs and which were more-effective/less-effective (track records), good, bad or indifferent...although it really depends upon WHO you get -- the individual assigned to yor case -- in any given vetorg rather than the vetorg itself.

Unfortunately, I NEVER EVER heard from my local TVC rep again, probably due to being too busy or whatever, so for me the TVC was useless so I wrote them off and handled my own case. They may have been good with other vets' cases but not in my case. [EDIT: And if the local rep was overwhelmed with work, the TVC shouldn't have asked to take my case because that would add MORE work, but since they DID take my case, I expected more from them.]

Yes, I won, and got a nice retro, but I did not make any donation to the TVC because I creditied myself for the win, not them.

-- John D.

Seems within this forum there are a large number of Veterans who have hit the magic 100%, even those with less. Spefically those with 100% who worked their claim through an organization like the DAV, American Leagion, VVA etc and received a nice little back check.

Was wondering how many of you after receipt of a back check, which in some cases can be thousands of dollars, made a substantial donation as a thanks. Or did you let them work your claim and once you received your back check forgot about the hard work that these organizaitons did.

Edited September 27, 2007 by cloudcroft

[Pete53]

I worked my claim with the help of a Service Officer who became a County Paid Veterans Rep. The DAV was not much help than or later. I have donated money to Hadit to help TBird keep the Board running. Frankly when I got my back pay most of the money went to catch up pay bills and it came in stages over 5 and 1/2 years.

Tbird is very sensitive to Veterans who are struggling with their claims but I think that when someone gets a nice check if Hadit helped them they should donate.

Like Cloudcrof said there is really no reason to donate to a State or Government Agency.

[john999]

It is OK to use an organization like the DAV but you have to work and fight your claim for yourself. If you don't you won't ever see that 100% check.

[entropent]

wow, ssg mike, you touched a nerve with me. i do not believe it is necessary to use a service rep at all, and it can sometimes do more harm than good. i know this will not be a popular opinion on this thread, but it is what i strongly believe. most vso's are earnest enough, and want to be of help. but they will lead a vet to believe they have more knowledge than they do, and a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. unless your service rep used to be a rater, you are rolling the dice with your claim. i know of specific instances where overconfident service reps cost their vets dearly.

examples? a vso files, without the veteran's knowledge or permission, for a cue, alleging that the vet should have gotten not only a 20 percent for osteomyelitis, but also additional compensable for limitation of motion of a major joint. the result? the vet got his 10 percent for limitation of motion and lost his 20 percent for osteomyelitis. another? a vet gets 40 percent for ankylosing spondylitis straight out of service, and later files for increase and gets 100 percent. his vso encourages him to file a cue alleging that the original 40 percent was erroneous and the vet should get 100 percent back to release from service (because his condition hadn't changed!). the result? turned out the 100 percent was erroneous. vet got dropped back to 40 percent and lost chapter 35.

and those are just two cases in as many months, going through a single rater (me).

the service organizations get accomodations in the regional office that they do not pay a cent for. they review ratings before they are released so they can send the vet a letter telling him how much the organization did for him. they have access to the rating floor, where they get into pissing contests with the raters. who do you think wins? not the vet.

if you want to donate to the service organizations, do it because they do other good work for vets. not because they "represent" a vet with his claim.

[tssnave]

Here's my two cents:

I agree w/ Pete that there's no need to donate to a gov't agency - I donated to them every day of my working life via taxes and now I join the "voluntarily taxed" and play the state lottery occasionally! ;-)

As far as donating to a non-profit like DAV, well, I had every intention of becoming a life member of the DAV when I got my first check but that happened to be during the time the DAV was lobbying against letting vets use lawyers and since I believe we should be able to have legal representation, I didn't think the DAV as an organization was representing my best interests but their own and elected not to become a life member (or give a donation to them in any form).

Did the DAV help me w/ my claim - yes and no. Three year story short, I never talked to my first DAV rep, despite several unreturned phone calls, they just kept passing me off to whoever was handy, he was too busy getting promoted out of the office. The next guy I get tells me "sorry for ya" when my initial claim was denied and didn't even mention that I should put in an NOD because the VA completely ignored the letters from the shrinks who treated me while I was on active duty. A later phone call, when Mr. Sorry For Ya was out, clued me in that I had a valid NOD claim. I work with Mr. Sorry until he gets promoted and then get a really nice guy - who can't keep me straight from another vet. No, I am NOT the PTSD combat vet, I am the peace time bipolar vet. Never had a lot of confidence in him, though he was nice, seemed to sincerely care, and did email some memos that I found helpful. He's gone now and I'm back in the whoever gets the call pool but I do have a vet rep there I like, but can't get assigned to him. So, has the DAV helped me? Yes and no. Will I ever donate to them if I win my current appeal to increase my rating? I doubt it. In their defense, I've heard some horror stories about lawyers as well so who knows. It could be six of one and half a dozen of the other but I want to have my options open and the DAV was against that.

Now, as for donating to T-bird, the jury (composed of myself and spouse) has decided that it would be appropriate if I do win the IU NOD to make a donation to hadit since so much of what I put into the IU NOD I learned from hadit. I didn't get involved w/ hadit until after the first NOD for service connection went in. I have learned a GREAT deal at hadit, probably the most important bit of info was about the VBM and The Advocate. I spent a lot of years in military admin so I understand that the best way to fight to win this paper battle is with evidence presented in accordance w/ the regulations, laws, M21-1MR, and court cases and then remind the VA, ad nauseum, of their own regulations in the hopes that they will actually read and apply them to my claim.

Ultimately, decisions to donate are up to the individual veteran (and spouse if married). I appreciate that the DAV hasn't hounded me about it and I appreciate that Tbird has never solicited donations.

Hey, if 6 cents will put in his 2 cents, combined with mine that would be what, 10 cents? Years ago that would get you a candy bar. :-)

Thanks,

TS

[tssnave]

Entropent - ok, now you're scaring me. The DAV can put in paperwork without running it past you first? I realize that when you give your spouse a POA that they can buy a car (or whatever) while you're deployed or hospitalized (important when you're a psych patient) without your consent but somehow I never made the possible connection between giving the DAV POA and your spouse POA as being the same thing ie, that the POA could act on your behalf without your knowledge or express consent.

Please confirm if I understood you correctly that the DAV can take action with the VA without first running it past you.

Thanks,

TS