Handling Mail And Other Documentation

[George Patton]

It will take a great deal of time and effort to correct what is wrong with the VA. I mean the way the system is currently set up, evaluators (RVSRS) have little incentive to examine the entire claims folder--and believe me, in most instances, they should. They are concerned with making a certain number of credits per day in order to keep their managers happy.

A veteran submitted a claim several decades ago and it was denied because he/she has not been diagnosed with a disability. The person is merely claiming a symptom; however, that symptom was also present in the military medical records. In 2007, he/she submits another claim and this time notes a specific disability. However, he/she submits no medical evidence of a "current" disability. The person responsible for reviewing the claims folder before it is given to the RVSR notes that there is no evidence that the claimed disability actually exists. Thus, usually, the RVSR take the reviewer's word and denies the claim. However, in this instance, the RVSR actually examines the claims folder--that is, he/she reviews previous rating decisions and other correspondence. The RVSR discovers that the denial several decades ago (the veteran's claimed symptom) of the symptom may be related to the current disability being claimned--in fact, it is. Additionally, review of the veteran's electronic medical records (VA) show their is a current disability. Thus, a medical exam is warranted to determine if their is a link between the current diagnosed disabiity and the symptom claimed several decades ago, which is also listed in the military medical records. This RVSR has spent a great deal of time on this case. However, the case must be deferred for an examination, which mean the evaluator will receive no credits--they are only awarded for completed decisions.

The point here is 95% of the time that veteran would have had his/her claim denied: the person responsible for reviewing the claims folder noted there were no evidence of a "current" disability. In most cases, the evaluator see that note from the reviewer and proceeds from there; however, in this case, the evaluator actually examined the entire claims folder and discovered that the current disability being claimed may be related to symptom claimed long ago. You would think that the evaluator would get a pat on the back for doing a good job--not exactly. He/she did not earrn any credit for that case. Nevertheless, the manager can decide to wave the credit if he/she thinks it is warranted. In this case, the manager did not.

You would think that the ultimate goal is to assist the veteran--give him/her the compensation earned. In the VA, it is complete rating decisions as soon as possible. There is no incentive for an evaluator to thoroughly examine the claims folder; there is not a enough time. In any event, the person risks getting behind in production.

Sadly, this is true

[gp747]

It will take a great deal of time and effort to correct what is wrong with the VA. I mean the way the system is currently set up, evaluators (RVSRS) have little incentive to examine the entire claims folder--and believe me, in most instances, they should. They are concerned with making a certain number of credits per day in order to keep their managers happy.

A veteran submitted a claim several decades ago and it was denied because he/she has not been diagnosed with a disability. The person is merely claiming a symptom; however, that symptom was also present in the military medical records. In 2007, he/she submits another claim and this time notes a specific disability. However, he/she submits no medical evidence of a "current" disability. The person responsible for reviewing the claims folder before it is given to the RVSR notes that there is no evidence that the claimed disability actually exists. Thus, usually, the RVSR take the reviewer's word and denies the claim. However, in this instance, the RVSR actually examines the claims folder--that is, he/she reviews previous rating decisions and other correspondence. The RVSR discovers that the denial several decades ago (the veteran's claimed symptom) of the symptom may be related to the current disability being claimned--in fact, it is. Additionally, review of the veteran's electronic medical records (VA) show their is a current disability. Thus, a medical exam is warranted to determine if their is a link between the current diagnosed disabiity and the symptom claimed several decades ago, which is also listed in the military medical records. This RVSR has spent a great deal of time on this case. However, the case must be deferred for an examination, which mean the evaluator will receive no credits--they are only awarded for completed decisions.

The point here is 95% of the time that veteran would have had his/her claim denied: the person responsible for reviewing the claims folder noted there were no evidence of a "current" disability. In most cases, the evaluator see that note from the reviewer and proceeds from there; however, in this case, the evaluator actually examined the entire claims folder and discovered that the current disability being claimed may be related to symptom claimed long ago. You would think that the evaluator would get a pat on the back for doing a good job--not exactly. He/she did not earrn any credit for that case. Nevertheless, the manager can decide to wave the credit if he/she thinks it is warranted. In this case, the manager did not.

You would think that the ultimate goal is to assist the veteran--give him/her the compensation earned. In the VA, it is complete rating decisions as soon as possible. There is no incentive for an evaluator to thoroughly examine the claims folder; there is not a enough time. In any event, the person risks getting behind in production.

Sadly, this is true

george , patton was and still my hero. i aws wondering if you could give me some advice

as to whether to file a nod on my 30% bi-polar , panic attacks , ptsd claim that was decided

at appeals management. i have been in numerous va and state hospitals am on ssi havent

worked in years. i just believe i was rated way too low . there is a lot more i cant go into

and i know you dont have probably enough info from me , but do you think i would be taking

a chance to nod this , man i am dumb as a plank.

[George Patton]

george , patton was and still my hero. i aws wondering if you could give me some advice

as to whether to file a nod on my 30% bi-polar , panic attacks , ptsd claim that was decided

at appeals management. i have been in numerous va and state hospitals am on ssi havent

worked in years. i just believe i was rated way too low . there is a lot more i cant go into

and i know you dont have probably enough info from me , but do you think i would be taking

a chance to nod this , man i am dumb as a plank.

[George Patton]

I will reframe from giving advice. However, I assume you know that an NOD, assuming a DRO does not rule in your favor, can take years if it leads to a formal appeal. It is importnat that you read your decision letter and try to understand why the VA thought you warranted a 30 percent evaluation. You say that you are not working, but is that due to just to your service connected disabilities or are non-service connected disabilities a factor as well. If you believe you were rated too low you can always ask to be reconsidered, but there must be new evidence. If indeed you were rated low, I am sure that in time your outpatient treatment records would show that you warrant a higher evaluation--submit those records and you will receive a higher evaluation.

If you do not have one already, you may want to consider being represented by a veterans service organization; they can be helpful, at times.

[gp747]

I will reframe from giving advice. However, I assume you know that an NOD, assuming a DRO does not rule in your favor, can take years if it leads to a formal appeal. It is importnat that you read your decision letter and try to understand why the VA thought you warranted a 30 percent evaluation. You say that you are not working, but is that due to just to your service connected disabilities or are non-service connected disabilities a factor as well. If you believe you were rated too low you can always ask to be reconsidered, but there must be new evidence. If indeed you were rated low, I am sure that in time your outpatient treatment records would show that you warrant a higher evaluation--submit those records and you will receive a higher evaluation.

If you do not have one already, you may want to consider being represented by a veterans service organization; they can be helpful, at times.

my apoligies george , that is very helpful information. i just think i am better off without

the nod after thinking about it and file for increase am on outpatient, getting old have

a whole lot of more health problems besides sc disability. just trying to figure out what

to do reason i am on here a lot.

anyway thanx

[George Patton]

my apoligies george , that is very helpful information. i just think i am better off without

the nod after thinking about it and file for increase am on outpatient, getting old have

a whole lot of more health problems besides sc disability. just trying to figure out what

to do reason i am on here a lot.

anyway thanx

I hope I did not come across as being rude, as that was not my intention. I would just hate to give you advice that somehow adversely affects your claim. However, I am here to answer general questions.