To Dav Or Not To Dav?

[cvsp]

Little background.

Had a local program with a VSO that is not longer available to me (she left). I have taken over my case and learned a lot (thanks to Hadit and the folks). I was in contact with the local DAV office last Monday. I was told to call back today as they were at a travel board. Called back today and found out I was assigned to someone there, but he was not in on Mondays, and Tuesdays he is doing something else. I can call him Wed-Fri.

So just to get initial contact I am looking at 10 days. Frustrating! Bringing me the the question, is there anything that the DAV rep can do that I can not? Can he look into the VA system? Get status? Walk to the raters desk?

I guess what I am asking is should I put another hurdle in the way? Would it be to my benefit?

Thanks in advance.

Edited March 16, 2009 by cvsp

[Berta]

A revocation of a POA must be a written and signed letter to the POA with a copy to the VARO that has your claim.

It does take them weeks sometimes to take the PO off their records and put a new one on.

It cannot be done by Fax or via Iris as the VA needs your signature.

[vmo]

You can use any of a number or accredited organizations to assist you with your VA claim/medical benefits which I believe the list can be obtained from the VA web site and here at Hadit. Over years, I've used VFW, Legion, DAV, and AMVETS. Three of which provided some degree of service--with DAV failing miserably because of an ego beyond reproach. Here is one for ya: About 15 years ago I ran into a problem concerning VAMC Cleveland. Just happen to bump into (at hospital) a gentleman (service officer) from the "Jewish War Veterans", I believe his name was "Ed". Ed overheard my conversation and immediately took action to resolve the problem. Ed then asked me- if there was anything else he could help me with? I thanked him and informed him he was not my POA, then he informed me-it makes no difference to him. Ed never asked me to sign on with the Jewish War Vets and I never did. Ed called me at work next week see if I was doing alright and my problem was taken care of. Later on I referred three more vet friends to "Ed" for help/direction--he always came through. None of us were Jews. I am lifetime Methodist. WWJD-What Would Jesus Do? Just what Ed from the Jewish War Veterans did, someone needed help-he stepped in. Is this how things are supposed to work? Again, as many have said: "it is not the organization, but the quality and dedication of the individual"

[cvsp]

A revocation of a POA must be a written and signed letter to the POA with a copy to the VARO that has your claim.

I am 99% sure there was no POA with the VSO. Just an agreement on some form that she could be my VSO. I will have to triple check that.

[cvsp]

Thanks all for the responses.

I think it just boils down to the individual person that you get. I think I will stick to my previous post and interview the DAV rep tomorrow and see how it goes.

Just upsetting that from initial contact, I am still wating 10 days now to speak to him. Might be a bad omen.

[cvsp]

Sounds like the rater may have "inferred" claims for you.

I might be looking / thinking / reading too much into this but......

If the rater inferred these claims is it safe to assume they would be rated positively on my behalf?

That is to say, would a rater infer the claims and deny them? I know the VA is strange but that would be a strange one indeed.

[purple]

i know that each claim is different, but when filed way back when, i did my own claim and i was only filing for PTSD. when i got my decision back...many conditions had been added by the rater. migraines, scars, loss of creative organ, a foot condition, and a few other things.

didn't add up to much, but they are all now listed as SCd conditions and the one pays extra $$ per month by itself. (loss of creative organ).

i didn't know enough back then to ask for all of this....but whoever my rater was...they did.

so i would bet its a safe assumption that anything a rater finds would be granted, even if it's at 0%.