Rater Question

[Fletch]

I was called today and the VA rep told me I needed to get my 3 surgical reports since my physican didn't send them to the VA. He sent all my records, just not the reports. Easy enough fix. He said that this is all he is waiting for to be able to send me to the rater.

Since they are sending me to the rater, does this mean I will be rated or is the the stage where they could do either rate or deny?

Thanks in advance!!

Fletch

[les]

They rate and deny

[carlie]

fletch,

It just means VA is still working on your claim.

jmho,

carlie

[Fletch]

Argh!! Thanks.

[Pete53]

Fletch its on you to get the info they asked for or they will delay till the twelfth pf never. I am optimistic that if you do get it to them they will finish your claim fairly quickly.

If it was me I would take it directly to the VARO and ask to talk to someone on the team handling your file and have them sign for the info.

Good Luck

[Eric_M]

I had kind of the same situation. My claim was with the rater.

Then they ordered a c&p exam.

Hurry up and wait.

Eric

[Fletch]

Hey,,thats a great idea Pete! Thanks,,,

[poolguy11550]

fletch,

It just means VA is still working on your claim.

jmho,

carlie

R/O's famously use the "your claim is with the rater" statement, I think maybe because it gives some hope to the veterans that the end is near. However, it could be in one the "to due" boxes stacked up all around the raters desk. It may even be with pre-development folks. But like Carlie says, you can be assured that your claim is still somewhere in that long line awaiting processing. I hope that yours closer to the front.

Edited June 11, 2009 by poolguy11550 (see edit history)

[Rockhound]

Fletch: The VA Rep that called you, was probably the one gathering all the documents an evidence you either provided or told them who and where they could get it from. This is the develpment stage of your claim. once they have everything, at least what they think is everything, then it is handed over to or moved to the Rating stage. Rating stage being a bit of a misnomer, in that they can do any number of things with your claim, they can request a C&P exam or a number of C&P exams, depending on your claim and number of issues you are claiming, they can send your medical evidence with any diagnosises out to get a medical opinion for clairfication, and I'm sure there are a number of other things the Rater can do that has nothing to do with rating your claim, and if they want to and just to slow your claim up a bit, they can ask you for any more evidence you might have in your possesion or hasn't been sent in yet, and like in your VCAA letter ask you if you want more time or to wave any time, making you think if you wave the time it will speed things up. Oh Yea! All this happens after it has sat in a stack of other claims waiting to be rated as well and before any rating is actually done.

You don't say how long your claim has been processing since you submitted it. I had a simple claim worth only 10% and it took nine months to get a decision. I'm told repeatedly by those at the VA that claims run on average of 6 months to a year, which as we all know is not at all how long it takes for the most part, whcih is much longer. This claim I'm working now is already at the nine month mark and I have a C&P exam scheduled for the 19th and for no other reason than my VARO is swamped with claims, my claim was forwarded to the Tiger Team in Cleveland OH and I live near Reno, Nevada.

I guess that means that their getting a lot of new claims from Irac and Afganistan coming through my local VARO and they need the extra help on claims that have been sitting for to long with nothing being done on them.

By the way, best of luck on your claim and I hope it gets done in a timely manner also.

Rockhound Rider :D