How Long Is The Backlog Of Va Claims?

[broncovet]

If each Veteran waiting on the VA to process his claim were to line up, in Washington DC. How long would the line be? And how long would the wait be?

Answer: Not counting the backlog is Education benefits claims (the NEW GI BILL), if the 1,000,000 "backlogged" Veterans lined up, fingertip to finger tip, (Assuming 6 feet tall Veterans), the line would reach more than 1,136 miles. In other words, the line of Veterans waiting for benefits would stretch from Washington DC to Kansas City. Since Mr. Shinseki took over, the backlog has grown by about 15%, or the line has grown about 170 miles longer in the past year.

The wait averages about 2 years. The VA says that it takes about 6 months, however, since far less than 50% of Veterans claims get initial approval, an appeal process is required. Right now, a BVA appeal takes about 2 years. So the Average wait is about 2 years.

[john999]

Since everything the VBA does is based on numbers and meeting goals the VA could crank out twice as many decisions, but if the decisions all end up on appeal due to sloppy work who is the winner? The last decision I had was so poor I don't even understand their reasoning even though it was in my favor.

[LarryJ]

How Long Is The Backlog Of Va Claims?, How long is the "line"?

I dunno, you dunno, WE dunno.

So let's go to the "experts", let's go ask the VA..........NAW, that wouldn't work, because they've lied about soooo long that, whatever figure they came up with....they'd believe!

[windy city]

I dont think we should blame the VA in whole for this problem I think every RO should be responsible for its delay. My RO of juriasdiction is Waco and they are very good in time prosess, I think the only claim that I had was for my sleep apnea which took about three years of going back and foward including the appeal process.

How Long Is The Backlog Of Va Claims?, How long is the "line"?

I dunno, you dunno, WE dunno.

So let's go to the "experts", let's go ask the VA..........NAW, that wouldn't work, because they've lied about soooo long that, whatever figure they came up with....they'd believe!

[JamesBreckenridge]

Most of the claims awaiting my attention were filed since March (mostly over the summer). There are a couple of stragglers from late last year. None are Over One Year, but there are a few such claims scattered amongst my colleagues.

[carlie]

James,

I feel like most of the "backlog" of claims deal with claims

that are not an original (21-526) claim.

I feel that VA is trying and doing a fairly good in adjudicating

original claims, especially OIF/OEF.

But --- after the initial adjudication, if the vet files a NOD

for something or an additional issue --- now they start getting

caught up in the backlog.

jmho,

carlie

[john999]

For vets to have to "prove" a claim is a lot to ask from someone who may be unable to earn a living. I guess if you have some more minor problem that does not affect your ability to work it does not matter that much if your claim takes 6 months or a year to adjudicate. However, if you are not able to earn a living based on an unproven compensation every day seems like a year. I think IU or 100% disability claims should go to the top of the list. You can lose everything you have earned in a life time while you wait for an IU claim to be won.