I am considering appealing a recent rating decision and would like advice. The rating is what I expected, but I think I deserve an earlier effective date.
My question is, Could this appeal "open a can of worms" and result in a rating reduction? Has anyone had their rating reduced upon appeal, that is, has anyone wished they had not appealed and wound up loosing benefits instead of gaining them at the BVA level? (My most recent decision was a favorable DRO review) I dont want to "take chances" of a reduction, but really think I deserve an effective date 5 years earlier, based on an "informal" claim.
My "informal claim" was for depression..at the docs office. At that time I had no idea that there was such a thing as a claim for depression, however, I did tell my doc that I was depressed, and he prescribed meds for it, and told him it was related to a service connected condition. He documented this. However, I did NOT follow this up with a formal claim for depression, until more than a year later.
Also, I filed a claim for increase in 2004, which may have been shredded. I filed for "special claims handling" and, based on the most recent decision, altho they did not come right out and admit I was one of the victims of shredded documents, my decision would suggest that would be the case.
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broncovet
I am considering appealing a recent rating decision and would like advice. The rating is what I expected, but I think I deserve an earlier effective date.
My question is, Could this appeal "open a can of worms" and result in a rating reduction? Has anyone had their rating reduced upon appeal, that is, has anyone wished they had not appealed and wound up loosing benefits instead of gaining them at the BVA level? (My most recent decision was a favorable DRO review) I dont want to "take chances" of a reduction, but really think I deserve an effective date 5 years earlier, based on an "informal" claim.
My "informal claim" was for depression..at the docs office. At that time I had no idea that there was such a thing as a claim for depression, however, I did tell my doc that I was depressed, and he prescribed meds for it, and told him it was related to a service connected condition. He documented this. However, I did NOT follow this up with a formal claim for depression, until more than a year later.
Also, I filed a claim for increase in 2004, which may have been shredded. I filed for "special claims handling" and, based on the most recent decision, altho they did not come right out and admit I was one of the victims of shredded documents, my decision would suggest that would be the case.
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