Claim Status

[pilgrim01]

I filed my claim prior to actually retiring in Nov 08. I filed mid August and I was calling the VA every other week. My claim had been at the review board/rating board since Dec 4, 2008. Well, I called last Friday ans they told me it was "still at the review/rating board". Well, yesterday I sent a message via IRIS (learned that from this board) and they replied today stating....

"After review of your files, we see that your claim is “Ready for Decision.” Your claim is with the rating specialist at this time. Generally the rating specialist will take 60 days to reach a decision. After the decision is reached, it is reviewed, updated in our system, the updates are reviewed and authorized. Once it is authorized, a letter is sent to you explaining our decision."

What actually is "ready for Decison"? Does anyone actually know how much longer I really have? My VA office is in Roanoke, VA. Thanks, all!

[pilgrim01]

Thanks, for the hope, munchie! Yeah, I filed mid-August and it is almost mid-Feb. So, based off your statement, I am really close!

Anyway, how is the Roanoke office? Pros/Cons??

[Fosk]

I too have been waiting since March of 08 and have called weekly as my claim is in Roanoke. I have recently found out that the VA shipped my claim to West Virginia but, I was told also by a rep that they will not ship one claim at a time so my claim is in a box waiting to get filled with a backlog of claims of other veterans claims folders. Again take it for what its worth, but, at the VA claims processing the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. Beleive me I wished I had an answer months ago....It has been in and out of ratings since July (ready to rate) Even asking a congressman to help is like adding gas to a fire, their hands are tied and can't get the VA to move any faster. I even was written to by an IRIS manager and told my hardship was very real and that was on Dec. 3rd. Just a suggestion....don't let it consume you and be patient because waiting a year or more is the norm. I wish you well and good luck to you.

[munchie1017]

I was told by someone who works in the va claims department in Oh that the longer you been out of service the longer you have to wait because it takes longer to retrive your files. I don't know how true that is. And to your question Pilgrim My only complain with that office is i had to send my medical records to them three times because one time they said that they never received it. and after i got my rating they sent a copy of my medical records back saying i sent to many copies. Wil you be treated at the va hospitail in hampton VA cause i heard horror stories about them.

[john999]

The longer you have been out of service has nothing to do with how long it takes to get your records from St. Louis to the VA. The problem with there being a long time between the time you get out of service and the time you file for disability is that you have to show that you have been disabled from a service connected injury or illness during the time between discharge and the time you file. The VA often wants you to show you have been getting treatment for your disability. If you wait 20 years to file on a back injury you got in service and you have not been getting treatment for that back injury all those years the VA may claim some intervening injury occurred. The longer you wait to file the harder it is to prove a nexus. This is particularly true of any illness that could be affected by age such as hearing. You are trying to prove it happened as a result of your service, and the VA is trying to show it didn't. That is what I think it boils down to.

[munchie1017]

im sorry about the incorrect info John you are right that is what i was told my by friend and that is why she told me to to file as soon as i got home.

[broncovet]

Munchie

I am at the Cleveland RO..but have been "farmed out" to Roanoke RO. I felt the Roanoke RO service was about 10 times better than Cleveland. IN Roanoke, the guy emailed me back and forth about my claim and, unfortunately, they sent it back to cleveland for rating.

Cleveland shreds about 60% of my evidence, while I have not had anything shredded at Roanoke.

Also, your claim will probably go faster since you are a "new" Vet..and new Vets have priority over us Vietnam era "older" Vets.

Sometimes, if things go good, new Vets can get claims done in a year or so. However, if one thing goes wrong, I think our claims go into "the dead zone"..none of the rating specialists want to work on "difficult" claims..they take longer so they just wind up in a pile and are not touched for years. Rating specialists have a quota..so many ratings per day, so they stay away from the "difficult" cases, like mine, like the plague. They "cherry pick" claims that are simple..only one issue, not a lot of medical history to read, and no IMO's. The "difficult" claims are left in the pile..appeals, multiple issues, IMO's, long medical histories, ..anything "out of the ordinary".

One reason new Vets claims always go first (other than some legislation mandating it..of course, VA pays no attention to regulations..after all, they do have their agenda..)is that the medical history is less, and less reading is required..that is they take the rating specialist far less time. So, why pick an old VN vets claim, which could take six hours, when a new Vet claim may only take one hour.

I have a friend in Group therapy, who applied for benefits in 1973 from a Vietnam war wounds..he is in a wheel chair with braces on his legs. They awarded him NSC pension..and he has been fighting for 100% for more than 35 years. There is really no doubt that his injuries are from the war, (and it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out he is 100%) but the Cleveland RO has made him wait more than 3 decades for his benefits anyway. His medical records are so extensive, that his claim may not fit in a wheelbarrow.

Edited February 4, 2009 by broncovet