Statement Of The Case ( Soc )

[militarynurse]

It's been over a year since my Notice Of Disagreement ( NOD ) with the VA's decision denying my claim(s). Anyone know how long it takes to get a Statement Of The Case?

[Pete53]

Sorry to say no one can answer your question not even the VA.

[carlie]

It's been over a year since my Notice Of Disagreement ( NOD ) with the VA's decision denying my claim(s). Anyone know how long it takes to get a Statement Of The Case?

mn,

Have you received anything from VA since you filed your NOD ?

Is your VARO close enough to drive there?

Do you have a SO or do you rep. yourself?

carlie

[militarynurse]

Carlie, Thank you for the reply and the questions. After the RO's denial decision I had a hearing at the RO without an SOC first being issued. At that hearing I presented irrefutable evidence from the VA's own staff that their denial(s) of my claim(s) were erroneous. Now, I think they are playing "hot potato" with my claim(s) by routing it all around the VA gulag of bureauracy.

I do have a SO...who told me this lack of a SOC is unusual...and left it at that.

I can get a ride to the VARO.

mn,

Have you received anything from VA since you filed your NOD ?

Is your VARO close enough to drive there?

Do you have a SO or do you rep. yourself?

carlie

[vaf]

It's been over a year since my Notice Of Disagreement ( NOD ) with the VA's decision denying my claim(s). Anyone know how long it takes to get a Statement Of The Case?

I would send an inquiry via the VA website, through the IRIS system. The VA will most likely tell you that it's unable to estimate how long it will take to issue an SOC, but at least you might receive verification that it got there. Even if you sent the NOD certified mail and received the green receipt card back. At least with IRIS, you receive a written response. You never know, down the line, they may claim you never sent them anything.

I have an IRIS where in one case, the VA said the claim appeal was decided and they would notify us soon of the decision. That's a valuable document, because what they had really done was to tell the Board my husband dropped his appeal, when he didn't do any such thing. You can bet I sent in a copy of the IRIS response when we sent the writ of mandamus request to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, as well as the VA General Counsel and our U.S. Congressman, to show them the kind of crap we deal with all the time.

[militarynurse]

Sorry to say no one can answer your question not even the VA.

Pete, Shouldn't be that way...if the VA holds the Veteran accountable to time limits for filing appeals then they should also be held accountable to time limits in responding to those appeals.

[militarynurse]

I would send an inquiry via the VA website, through the IRIS system. The VA will most likely tell you that it's unable to estimate how long it will take to issue an SOC, but at least you might receive verification that it got there. Even if you sent the NOD certified mail and received the green receipt card back. At least with IRIS, you receive a written response. You never know, down the line, they may claim you never sent them anything.

I have an IRIS where in one case, the VA said the claim appeal was decided and they would notify us soon of the decision. That's a valuable document, because what they had really done was to tell the Board my husband dropped his appeal, when he didn't do any such thing. You can bet I sent in a copy of the IRIS response when we sent the writ of mandamus request to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, as well as the VA General Counsel and our U.S. Congressman, to show them the kind of crap we deal with all the time.

VAF, Good tip. Thanks.