Bva And Amc

[JoAnn]

Hi all again. After receiving the letter stating that I was going to be denied my claim at the BVA I wrote all of you and you had excellent advice. However, based on what you all told me and what has happened I am very confused.

I filed my claim in the Reno Nevada Regional Office. My appeal was done through the traveling board. I finally got a C&P ordered from the BVA. It was returned for further clarification and the doctor for the C&P was in my favor and then stated it again for the BVA. The next thing I knew I received a letter from the Seattle Regional Office stating that my claim was going to be denied and gave me 30 days to respond. I sent them a copy of all of my specific evidence based on their denial. Today I called the AMC and was told that a decision was made on my claim and that it had been sent to the DAV Washington office for review. I was then told that the decision would be sent back to the AMC who would forward it to Reno Regional Office for disemination. My DAV officer here in Vegas told me that that was standard protocal and that it would take another two to three months for me to know what the decission was. So here are my questions:

1. The denial came from a rating board out of Seattle. I understood that my claim could not leave Washington once it had gone there.

2. The denial overturned the judges opinion. The judge found a service connection and that is why I finally got a C&P exam. In fact it was returned just to verify that the doctor also found a connection.

3. The denial went over the top in calling me a liar and stated that I did not have anything in my files to support the claim at all. That is when I sent them all of the evidence again, hilighted so they would not need to read it all but would see that I did fit within the guidlines of service connection.

4. The DAV in Washington is reviewing the decision for errors. Is this routine?

5. Reno will be the one to issue the decission. How can one office issue a decission from another office?

6. Is this really standard protocal?

I am becoming ill with stress over my claim. I want to contact my stated Senator to show him the letter from the Seattle office and how slanderous it was. Even my therapist said that the letter went over the top and was very disrespectful of who I am. I need to know if there were any rules broken by the VA in their handling of my claim. I have read where the claim should not have left Washington and I have also read where the rating board cannot overturn the decision of the BVA. Your advise please.

Respectfully,

Jo Ann

[Pete53]

I would call the AMC back and ask for an inquiry and you want someone to physically lay hands on file and make sure it is where it is supposed to be.

In all likelihood it is sitting on some knuckleheads desk gathering dust.

[JoAnn]

Is calling the AMC every day too much pestering? Or should I do it every other day. I am not sure that I should call the American Legion because the Disabled American Veterans is my SO. I will also try to be patient and keep thinking that it may not be logged in yet too. I am also practicing deep breaths so I will not fall apart. I have only been at this for four years and I do not know how some of you do this for 20 to 30 years. My hat is off to you.

Jo Ann

[Josephine]

Is calling the AMC every day too much pestering? Or should I do it every other day. I am not sure that I should call the American Legion because the Disabled American Veterans is my SO. I will also try to be patient and keep thinking that it may not be logged in yet too. I am also practicing deep breaths so I will not fall apart. I have only been at this for four years and I do not know how some of you do this for 20 to 30 years. My hat is off to you.

Jo Ann

JoAnn,

I would call them until I received my answer. Ask the counselor to ask to speak to Ms Dunlap.

Always,

Betty

[JoAnn]

I finally got a hold of the DAV Rep in DC. His office is across the hall from the AMC and he told me that it may take another week for my file to get to him. :D He is responsible for sending me the letter that gives my decision. He had a whole bunch of excuses why it takes so long. If he had of said that there were thousands one more time I would have gotten sick.

The Social Security just put new rules into effect that has cut the time for a decision from years to months. My question is if the SSA can do this then why can't the VA do this? Is anyone in congress working on this problem? Can I call someone to help all of us out? I cannot work anymore due to my medical situation and I have a lot of time on my hands. There has to be a better way that is more cost effective. Whoops, I live in Vegas so maybe I should stop my rant right now. After all, they are adding to the coffers of our local economy. Sorry. B)

JoAnn

[Josephine]

I finally got a hold of the DAV Rep in DC. His office is across the hall from the AMC and he told me that it may take another week for my file to get to him. :D He is responsible for sending me the letter that gives my decision. He had a whole bunch of excuses why it takes so long. If he had of said that there were thousands one more time I would have gotten sick.

The Social Security just put new rules into effect that has cut the time for a decision from years to months. My question is if the SSA can do this then why can't the VA do this? Is anyone in congress working on this problem? Can I call someone to help all of us out? I cannot work anymore due to my medical situation and I have a lot of time on my hands. There has to be a better way that is more cost effective. Whoops, I live in Vegas so maybe I should stop my rant right now. After all, they are adding to the coffers of our local economy. Sorry. B)

JoAnn

JoAnn,

I don't think the VA system will ever change. If you find someone to contact, please let me know.

Any reason why your rep couldn't walk across the hall to check this out for you?

Josephine

[Pete53]

Jo Ann:

You are going through hell and yes many here did the same. My journey started in June of 1991 till decision was made in Nov 1996. Nothing as long as some and in fact you are fairly close to the end of the line if they do the right thing.

My advice is that keep after them at least once a week and since the DAV SO promised another week call him back first thing next week.

My philosophy to keep from going crazy was to respond and do everything I could but only work on VAS stuff an hour or two and take the weekends off.

Not that it was perfect but it worked for me.

Pete