Iris Response Today

[donews]

I sent an IRIS inquiry on February 29, 2008 about my most recent grant for Service Connection for my Heart Disease.

I basically told them I did not understand the 60% rating and that I thought it was an error. I explained that I wanted a conferrence or meeting or hearing with the DRO that made the decision to discuss the issue. I also explained that I verified that all the evidence needed for this claim was present in my VA records and even had my VA cardiologist verify it as well.

Here is the response I received via IRIS today:

3-12-08

Dear Mr. XXXXXXX:

Thank you for your inquiry to the Department of Veteran Affairs. A decision was made on your claim on January 8, 2008. A notification was mailed to you which afforded you the opportunity to reply to us via the Appeals Response Form. Please complete the form and mail the form to: Department of Veteran Affairs, Attn: Appeals, 251 North Main Street, Winston Salem, NC 27155.

Thank you for contacting us. If you have questions or need additional help with the information in our reply, please respond to this message or see our other contact information below.

Sincerely yours,

X.X. XXXXX Jr.

Veteran Service Center Manager

How to Contact VA

On line: www.va.gov

By phone: 1-800-827-1000

1-800-829-4833 (TDD hearing impaired)

By letter: U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs

251 North Main Street

Winston Salem, NC 27155

//as

Very helpful as you can see.

[Pete53]

Fill out the form and ask for the hearing.

[tssnave]

Don,

Could you scan in the Appeals Response Form? I didn't get one with my Decision and am curious what it looks like. I didn't know the VA was sending out, in effect, NOD fill in the blank forms. Does sending this Appeals Form in mean you don't have to file an official NOD?

Thanks,

TS Snave

[jbasser]

I uploaded one for you. it is a fillable PDF file.

[Berta]

Arent they clever -this is the I-9-

Don you have a year from the decision date to file a Notice of Disagreement-

However- as I understand your post-

This is the first decision you got -right-? on the heart claim- it was an award that you disagree with-

You will fall into the attorney for vets regs since your NOD will be filed AFTER June 21, 2007-

HoweverI stringly urge you to file instead a Request for Reconsideration-

tll the exact;y why you think they should reconsider the rating.

Mark your calender for the NOD year filing date- one year AFTer the date of their decision-and make sure -if they dont resolve the recon before that date -that you file a NOD in time-

I am confused here-the VA DID tell you that you could NOD the decision 'right? In their recent award letter?

Boy I think they jumped the gun on sending the I-9 -some 90 day wonder must have answered the Iris -

still you have the I-9 but you also have- as I understand this all- and please others -chime in here-

time for filing recon request (which could turn this around) and almost a year left to file the formal NOD.

[donews]

I have attached a scanned copy of the " Appeals Response Form" for all to view.

This is not an I-9 form, I have never seen this form before this decision.

This is the decision from a De Novo Review.

The decision says I have 1 year from the date of this decision to disagree with the decision.

blank_appeals_management_form.pdf

Edited March 13, 2008 by donews

[Berta]

I have never ever seen that form before-

But I think it is like what I went thru in the 1990-

My rep called me to tell me that a claim I had filed I-9 on had succeeded and would I formally withdraw my appeal on it-I said yes and this was done by phone- but I also re-established that I was only withdrawing one issue on appeal and I won the second issue a few months after that.

I guess this form is SOP now?

Still this is Not a formal NOD-Notice of Disagreement-

in my opinion-and I have never seen one of these before-

ALL-isnt this just to withdraw an issue on appeal and keep another one going- if formal NOD is filed?