ptsd Dro Review

[tagandbag]

I opted for the DRO review on my NOD for the PTSD rating they awarded me. Do not have a date as of yet, when this will be. I'm a little nervous about this and wondering if there are any tips or info on how to prepare for this.

[john999]

Ask for a personal hearing with the DRO.

[carlie]

tagandbag,

Welcome. If you just ask for a review that's what you will get.

A DRO will just review everything and make a decision, there is nothing to prepare for because the issues were addressed in your NOD, (although you can submit additional evidence to the DRO).

Now just like John posted, if you ask for a Hearing with the DRO, then you will get a date for it and have a face to face Hearing with the DRO where you can present your claim and show the DRO why you feel XXX should be awarded.

It's considered another bite at the apple while staying at your local VARO.

If you want a face to face Hearing you have to request a DRO Hearing as you can see the difference in a Hearing v a Review.

jmho,

carlie

Edited August 16, 2008 by carlie

[tagandbag]

yes! that is exactly what I requested. To make sure, I e-mailed St Pete and they immediatley called me on the phone and said that is exactly what I will get. Pretty quick response. So i guess, the best thing to prepare for this is to simply have all my ducks in a row.

[carlie]

tagandbag,

Do you have a list and copies of ALL the evidence that VA is supposed

to have considered in their decision?

Do you have Medical Evidence that you feel was not considered in the decision you

have disagreed with?

Do you have some additional evidence to present at the DRO Hearing?

Do you know and agree with ALL of the Issues the DRO is going to take under consideration ?

By Issue's and there can be many I mean.

1) The disability is service connected or was Denied.

2) The percentage granted for each SC'd Disability, do you agree with the percentage

or feel the Medical Evidence of record show it show be granted at a higher percentage.

3) The Effective Date of the grant.

etc...

Compare their Decision, the EVIDENCE & REASONS & BASES Sections to what you have,

this is a good way to make your plan of action for your claim.

These and probably more are things to prepare for to present at your DRO Hearing.

Also, I would choose to take someone with me, hopefully someone that is willing to provide testimony under oath as to how your disabilities affect your daily living.

jmho,

carlie

[tagandbag]

Yes Carlie, I have every scrap of paper and evidence I submitted on my original claim and additional letters sent when I filed my Nod. My feelings are they overlooked the stressors on evidence that I submitted originally in the claim. At my C-P there was not any mention of the stressors I claimed. They came up with the rating with there own detemination of my stressors, that I agree is true, but not the only one. They ignored the stressor that I was very specific about, not one word of reference to it. Therefore I believe they did not thoroughly review the evidence or my file. I am definitley prepared for that and probably additional statements submitted by others.

[john999]

Since this whole thing will take time you might want to make an appointment to go and look at your C-File to see what is in it. I caught the VA just in time to stop them from shipping my claim off to the BVA when I was asking for a DRO. They had somehow got it into their minds I wanted a BVA hearing. You really need to verify every thing the VA tells you they are going to do.