Cleveland Regional Office Delays Veteran Claim 35 Years.

[broncovet]

In my group therapy, there is a man there who is in a wheel chair (motorized scooter) with braces on each leg. He tells me that he was wounded in Vietnam, and applied for VA benefits with the Cleveland Regional Office in 1973. He further says that he has been awarded NSC Pension, however, even tho the VA wrote a letter saying he was disabled (SC) in 1973, there has been some sort of error and he is not Service connected. He has been trying to get this resolved, for years..even going through congressmen..Veterans Service Officers..everything..and has been unable to get his issue resolved.

His claim is MORE THAN 35 years old. Does anyone out there have a claim older than 35 years? I think Guiness should hear about this one, and send the VARO in Cleveland a "letter of shame" for disrespect to this and all Veterans. I have met this man and am convinced he is "for real"..he seems to welcome the media, etc. to look into this. He just wants what is his. Has anyone out there waited LONGER than 35 years for benefits? If so, please respond..I think the Cleveland Regional Office deserves a "letter of shame" for this.

Edited February 4, 2009 by broncovet

[jbasser]

35 years is too long to wait.

Poor fellow.

Can you help him?

J

[sharon]

Is he receiving pension as the greater benefit? What is his service connected injury? Is this claim on appeal? Has it been at the Regional Office for 35 years?

[MikeR]

Cleveland is pretty bad. Mine is going on 11 this year, but is at the BVA rater now again after a 3 year remand. It originated in Cleveland.

[gp747]

man that makes me mad!!! this guy was wounded in vietnam and is not (sc)

in a wheel chair!! that cleveland office should be tore apart and investigated.

i went through there and i have no respect for them what so ever.

this is an outrage for vietnam vets!!!!!

[Berta]

It is difficult for me to accept the idea that this claim has been in process for 35 years without some sort of a resolve.

Unless his disabiliies are not service connectable and there is no nexus at all for them to his service.

Pete here was at Progidy BBS for vets when I 'met' him in the 1980s.

We had a former BVA lawyer, Bill Smith, on board as a faithful contributing member to the VA claims forums.

Bill used to say that he believed that 99% of all VA claims can succeed.

But it all boils down to evidence.

This vet might well have a very legitimate claim- but somewhere along the lines- either VA has not told him exactly what evidence they need or he might have sent it to them and they destroyed it or ignored it.

Or his SC rating would be lower than his NSC comp -so best he takes the NSC.

Congressman Hall here in NY (also he is on the H VAC committee) helped a WWII vet and it made the newspapers when he presented the vet with a big check (fake one) for $100,000 as the vet's VA SC retro.

The vet claimed he had been fighting VA for decades.I am sure the COngressman's intervention helped get the claim resolved.

What hit me right away as I read the story is that the VA probably low balled this vet's award at 10-20 % anyhow and paid decades of retro based on that -when the vet should have probably been given TDIU-for decades and a much bigger retro check.

[john999]

I have a CUE that goes back to 1971 which is the day I got out of the service.