How Long After Ratings Board?

[diablogun]

Hello everyone,

I took my initial C&P exam for two Service related conditions(they've already been granted SC) on Jan. 14. I did an IRIS two days ago and got back this reply. How long do you think I'll wait for a final adjudication from now? I am in the Phoenix office but have to move at the end of next month. Thank you in advance for any help :-)

This is in response to your February 9, 2009, inquiry.

We are thankful for your service to our country.

Your claim went to the Rating Board on Jan. 29, 2009, which is where we will review your file and make a decision on service connection and disability percentages. We are unable to give you a timeline when they will review your file as we do not know their caseload.

After a rating has been established, your file will go to the authorization department for verification and review. The claims process can be lengthy due to the many processes and the time we must allow for information to be sent to us from you or obtained by us on your behalf from outside sources.

Once you have been approved a rating you will be paid retroactively from the date of your claim for any benefits you may be entitled to based on your rating. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work our way through the claims processing procedures. You will receive notification via US mail once your claim has been finalized. Your notification letter will explain our decision in detail.

Thank you for contacting us. If you have questions or need additional help with the information in our reply, please respond to this message or see our other contact information below.

[Rockhound]

You say you use a PO Box as a mailing address. Check with the PO BOX attendant or manager to see if you can maintain the box and have your mail forwarded for awhile. I would put it to the PO Box attendant or manager that you are visiting an ill/or injured relative for a time and wish to have your mail forwarded until your return. Once you have your claim decision in hand, you can decide if you want make your change perminent and if need be, have your appeal done by your new area VARO or continue to maintain your old address and appeal through your old VARO. If they can not do that, then I would suggest you look for someone, a relative, a close friend you trust, anyone you can trust, to check your box and forward your mail.

Changing your address at this stage could be disastrous if the VA messes up the change or like some have stated, it may add addition processing to your claim.

I hope your claim moves along quickly before your move, but the VA cares little about your needs or your need to change residents. More than likely the VARO would use your change to pass the claim onto another VARO, just so they can clear it off their books, which in all probabilities would delay your claim while the new VARO places your claim at the bottom of the new Rater's stack of claims.

Rockhound Rider ;)

IMHO

[diablogun]

You say you use a PO Box as a mailing address. Check with the PO BOX attendant or manager to see if you can maintain the box and have your mail forwarded for awhile. I would put it to the PO Box attendant or manager that you are visiting an ill/or injured relative for a time and wish to have your mail forwarded until your return. Once you have your claim decision in hand, you can decide if you want make your change perminent and if need be, have your appeal done by your new area VARO or continue to maintain your old address and appeal through your old VARO. If they can not do that, then I would suggest you look for someone, a relative, a close friend you trust, anyone you can trust, to check your box and forward your mail.

Changing your address at this stage could be disastrous if the VA messes up the change or like some have stated, it may add addition processing to your claim.

I hope your claim moves along quickly before your move, but the VA cares little about your needs or your need to change residents. More than likely the VARO would use your change to pass the claim onto another VARO, just so they can clear it off their books, which in all probabilities would delay your claim while the new VARO places your claim at the bottom of the new Rater's stack of claims.

Rockhound Rider ;)

IMHO

Sounds good, I'll try to get someone to check my mail and send it to me :-) Thank you for the help!

[luvHIM]

So I can just change the address to another Az address, for example my father's in a different town? Or do I have to keep my PO Box and find someone to mail things to me?

This sure would be less complicated if they would just hurry up :-)

I'm so sorry...I didn't see your're response. All I can say is that I have given the PHX RO an address change three times in the past six years (to include my mother's address, which has always been my home of record anyway). But, however, they have all been AZ addresses. I have gotten my mail from them on time and they have gotten mine. Now, of course, I have an NSO who has been very good about making sure the RO gets everything I send through them. It is just really a tough call but it is your call.

I just wouldn't do a change of address completely out of state.