Suggestion

[Berta]

Mods please chime in

We get convoluted questions here from time to time because people are asking questions for a friend or relative.

Isnt it much better if these individuals simply join us themselves if they have PC access?

What gets me too-is that I sometimes get emails from some of my vets org members telling me they are helping a veteran with a VA claim and then they ask me how to help the veteran-

I send them to hadit.I dont do claims stuff in emails.

Everything they need is here and they get more help than advice from just one person.

I can understand that many dont have access to hadit- but still a lot can be lost or misunderstood when the info goes through 3 rd person.

[carlie]

Ditto.

carlie

[Bonzai]

I am grateful to hadit.com and the support I have received! I have never told by any member that there was anything I HAD to do, nor do I really recall seeing any post where someone asking a question or for guidance was told that they HAD to do something. As was posted earlier, hadit.com is a "veteran based site to guide veterans" providing information and support in dealing with the VA.

I understand some of the members frustrations with trying to help someone other than the veteran needing assistance, because there is a longer time lag when asking for clarification or 3rd party misinformation (ever play telephone?). However, there are many veterans needing help, who are unable to access hadit.com. Even for veterans that are able to access hadit.com, it can be overwhelming in the beginning. I spent many days wondering around the hadit, trying to figure out what went where, and I have two Bachelor of Science degrees in the Information Technology field.

I like this thread, because there were many points brought up I had not considered before.

Disclaimer: This is my personal opinion. It does not reflect the beliefs of anyone at hadit.com, and is not to be used in a court of law..

[Pete53]

There is also a lot that goes on behind the scene as many will pick someone they think can help and send a pm or email. I probably spend a couple of hours everyday reading and sort of running herd on things. I read every post that I see as I miss a few from time to time but I also check links out.

New people have to have their post approved until TBird is satisfied with the cut of their jib.

Remember this there are enough people on Hadit that if someone can't help usually another fills in fairly quickly. In the old days on Prodigy I had to wait 5 days for one answer and it had nothing to do with my question.

It seems to me that very few posts that are ignored as even if no answer usually quite a few look at it.

Many have no idea what a blessing and miracle happened to give TBird the determination and the breaks to make Hadit last. You would not even be able to guess how many start up web sites fail or never really get off the ground.

If you post and don't get a response ask again or bump the post. Many here use view new posts and that system is not perfect.

[halos2]

I have noticed your information posted on some other sites too and find the time you spent to be so helpful to allow people and vets to read/review the topics. I feel the more information out there increases the possibility of reaching someone to help them. The diversity offerred here represents many different ideas and what may have worked for that person. The family members help with "their" vet or a friend vet speaks well of a kind humanity. Please keep up with your assistance and I hope you and your husband will achieve your goal. Thank you.

I am getting a lot of good insight out of this topic. Being the wife of a disabled vet (no PTSD) and not being military I am on the outside looking in. I'm fine with that. What I appreciate is learning a little more about how others are being helped.

Halos thank you for mentioning about your PTSD and how it can affect you and others. It makes me appreciate all the more how so many who have it still reach out to help others.

I am even more glad that I created my website to help guide in researching, organizing and assembling va claims. Maybe it will help those who don't quite know where to start and give them a foundation to then go on to ask questions or get help with their claims.

Hoppy, you are a special person. Helping guide someone and take them from total darkness to seeing some light is a great moment.

Friends, even passing friends, make a difference. If I have to go online and do a little research to help someone get started it is worth my time.

We do have to be careful though. If we are not trained to handle mental/physical issues, we could create more problems. I know I am not trained and thus try to offer only research not concise advice (other than in organizing).

Sorry if this rambled on and covered a lot of territory. Just my thoughts late at night.

fanaticbooks

[sixthscents]

Many of the members on Hadit work "offline" as well doing VA advocacy locally or with veterans they met on Hadit. Many work on other boards as well. It can completely take over a persons life very quickly though, and it's easy to get burned out. Also most of us have our own medical issues that eat into our time and ability.

Hadit is a very special site though. Many veterans online here have been doing claims for a very long time. I have been at this now for 8 years. Generally one of us knows the "answer" to whatever question is asked (the vast majority anyway). It may take a bit for that "one of us" to see the post but it will happen. If it doesnt repost and ask for a reply.

I have learned a great deal from Hadit, and hopefully I have given as well. We are not physicians... that is completely correct. So we should NEVER render medical advice - but we can render adice on how to process claims. Many people fail to understand that the VA medical system and the VA rating system are two different entities. The only time they even connect is for C&p exams... that's it.

The VA has created a system that is clearly "adversarial" towards veterans claims in my opinion. The least we can do is help level the playing field by pointing out where the veteran should look for answers. In the end we essentially use the VA's very own rules against them. The thing is to know what the rules are, and that can only be learned through experience and reading CFR 38, M21-1MR, the VACC cases, and the federal register.

I have no problem with helping a veteran. And with an older vet, or certain vets I am usually willing to really just do the entire claim (if they are old, or just completely unfamiliar with computers etc). I used to do entire claims all the time, from start to finish - or at least as high a rating as I thought the vet could secure, etc. However, due to my own failing health and a very few veterans who abused my compassion - I just no longer can. I will answe a question happily and point out where in the regulation a veteran can find further help, but I just don't do entire claims anymore - except for exceptions (theres always those right?).

Bob

Edited May 5, 2009 by sixthscents