Why Did The Dav Send A False Letter Of Award?

[4myboys]

So 7 weeks ago the DAV sent me an "unofficial" letter stating that I had my disability increased and that I would be receiving retro payment back over 10 years. Of coarse I get excited...even though I know that it is "unofficial" but was told I would receive official in about two weeks at the most followed by payment.

Not only have I not received a single statement of what is going on from the VA, when I call my useless VSO all he says is that I am still at the rater. Now my DAV rep said I was already at finance. IRIS inquiry offered nothing.

The DAV should NOT be sending out unofficial letters until the VA has completed the rating and it has been made official!

This has drained me mentally even physically! I am so frustrated and this process is torture.

To top it off I received a letter from Debt Management for some erroneous debt that has incurred due to my change in C&P. They stated that I have received and overpayment and they will begin recouping it Sep 09. There is no debt, I haven't ever been overpaid or received anything not entitled to.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE VA ?????????? It is as though they have so many chain of commands, departments, processes, procedures, YET they manage to lack COMMUNICATION between them!

I currently work because I have to financially support my family. This retro pay allows me to only work part time rather than full time and will help take care of my disabilities. Currently I work in severe pain and don't take my pain meds because it will keep me from being coherent and fulfilling my job requirements. In return I am in severe pain and end up having poor job performance because of it...Anyway my point is, is that this claim changes everything for me if I have indeed been awarded retro pay and an increase in disability.

I have HADIT.....sorry had to throw that out there!

[Pete53]

Welcome to Hadit. Do you have a Service Officer. If you do ask them to find out what in Hades is going on

Good Luck

This is not something you can wait for you need to also call 800 827 1000 and see if they have anything and also email IRIS Request

[Rockhound]

Pete53: Have you checked your meds lately? LOL :D As I read 4myboys, he implies he has a DAV VSO who appears to be useless in explaining why he received such a letter, and replying with more useless information and that the VA"s right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. It also appears that the VA is trying to pull one of it's fast ones by trying to claim he owes them, when in fact he doesn't.

This is why the VA needs to be reworked and penalties put in place for those that make such erronious mistakes and cause, who knows how much pain and suffering by Veteran's because of them.

My current claim in the works is just another type of useless information the VA tells Veteran's when my VSO was told that my claim had been returned to the Rater and that a decision was scheduled to be made in June, then only to receive a letter from Cleveland, OH from the Tiger Team, that they were taking over my claim, since it had been in the process for over a year, when in fact, it was only in the works at the time, 8 months, with June making it the 9 months.

Plus I was told I would not need a C&P since I had one within the past year and the Tiger Team changed that and scheduled one, on my birthday no less. HA LOL

If I wasn't already on meds, the way the VA works, would certainly have me on them in order to keep my sanity. <_<

Rockhound Rider B)

p.s. by all means keep calling the 1-800 number to check on your claims progress, but also e-mail IRIS so that you will get your answer on paper and above all, don't take any one of them as gossiple, only the final, official letter will answer your questions, well hopefully anyway.

Welcome to Hadit. Do you have a Service Officer. If you do ask them to find out what in Hades is going on

Good Luck

This is not something you can wait for you need to also call 800 827 1000 and see if they have anything and also email IRIS Request

[LarryJ]

Actually, Rockhound, he implies that he has TWO different SO's working this claim:

"when I call my useless VSO all he says is that I am still at the rater. Now my DAV rep said I was already at finance."

My grandma used to say "Too many cooks spoil the broth."

IRIS the VARO and ask for a simple answer. Tell these other two bozos to continue their coffee break.

Edited July 4, 2009 by LarryJ

[4myboys]

Actually, Rockhound, he implies that he has TWO different SO's working this claim:

"when I call my useless VSO all he says is that I am still at the rater. Now my DAV rep said I was already at finance."

My grandma used to say "Too many cooks spoil the broth."

IRIS the VARO and ask for a simple answer. Tell these other two bozos to continue their coffee break.

First you guys are making me laugh...needed it. Second, not that you would know any different as I have yet to imply male or female, but HE is a SHE. Men aren't as eloquently spoken LOL !!! Seriously...kidding.... don't attack!

As far as my VSO and DAV; the VA automatically assigned a DAV rep to my case (or maybe way back when, I signed them over as my Power of Attorney for my original claim in 1997, don't remember) I received the award letter from them even though I had never contacted them this time around.

I started with a great VSO last November at my local VA Community Outreach clinic. When I checked in after Christmas he was gone...Another one was filling in and just as soon as he "got" what my claim was all about, he was gone too. Now, 3rd one ISN'T a charm and is getting paid to keep a nice over-sized black chair warm.

I will continue due diligence on my own claim. I'm just afraid that I truly am becoming another statistic of Veterans getting screwed over by the VA C&P process!

Thanks for anymore advice you'd like to throw my way!

[jbasser]

if the award has not been generated and the letter was false than you can sue the DAV fort mental anguish in this case as this is a legal precedent.

Just inform them you have the right to do so unless they figure this mess out and give them a deadline.

J

Edited July 4, 2009 by jbasser

[4myboys]

if the award has not been generated and the letter was false than you can sue the DAV fort mental anguish in this case as this is a legal precedent.

Just inform them you have the right to do so unless they figure this mess out and give them a deadline.

J

Is this correct? Even though the letter states that it is unofficial? When I am lucky enough to actually speak to someone at the DAV they tell me they don't have control of anything and they are no longer allowed to approach anyone on the 4th floor (VARO). I think the DAV covers themselves by stating that the VA can change the decision at anytime.

The award certainly has not been generated. So far as I do know it is being bounced back and forth from Rater, to Authorization, back to Rater (which is where I was told it is currently). Not sure if this is correct; however, I was told that it was at finance at one point, which is the same thing as authorization (that is what someone at the 800 # said)???

Unfortunately, for the last week when I call the DAV I have to leave a message as they are always with someone else. Someone eventually calls me back and I miss the return phone call.

Mental anguish indeed ! Even when I was in the Navy I was never so stressed! The debt management letter (by the way) states it is going to recoup 18 months disability compensation. We will lose everything if I lose that!

Thanks everyone for responding....the more advice the better!