Not Sure The Best Place To Post This So....

[hunter22375]

I am a disabled veteran, after waiting almost 2 years to get my first rating of 30%, I used the services of the VFW to help in getting 100%, though not total and permanent. I was told at this time that 2 years from this 100% designation I would get a review and if my condition had not changed I would most likely be given the total and permanent so that my wife and children would have medical coverage. Shortly before the 2 year mark we moved involving a change in VA regions and because of this my 2 year review was pushed back 5 months. During this time I was having issued having my medications delivered to my home as they always had been, my records went missing, various offices were telling me I was assigned to different regions, and nobody would give me a straight answer about anything. One month before my 2 year evaluation I began calling to find out the appointment date and time since I had not been mailed the usual appointment notification letter, I was told by several people that I had no appointment on record and continued calling through the end of the month the appointment was supposed to take place in. Now one month ago I get a strange letter in the mail from the regional office I left more than 18 months ago, it was a summary of benefits and it stated that I was in fact total and permanent. I submitted to ChampVA for care for my wife and children and continued calling my current regional VA office to find out why I had not been notified of the sooner and to get an official award letter for future reference, again they were confused as to what region I was assigned to. Now I have also been told that as of yesterday (01-11-2001) I have a future appointment for my evaluation in August of 2009. Today I call the DVA to see if there is any way they can assist me in getting the paperwork I need and in informing the VA that I have in fact been living in my new region for quite some time only to find out that this letter saying I was total and permanent was a mistake sent out to numerous veterans and that the VA knows where I am and when they are ready they will find me.

As far as I can see this is just a cruel joke that both the VA and DVA has been playing on me and my family. Like many others I have thousands in medical expenses for my family that have gone and will continue to go unpaid further destroying my credit and making it so that I may never again own a home, consider buying a new car, or have the security of having an emergency credit card. Additionally one of my children is classified special needs and her needs are going unmet, my wife has an ulcer that is going untreated, and my other child is anemic, also going untreated. What is even worse is that we are not eligible for public assistance in health care because the disability check we get puts us $1000/yr over the income limits.

I am sure I am not the only story like this right now, I would guess I am one of hundreds if not thousands. Is there no help for people like us? Are we supposed to sit here broke watching our families suffer knowing that with each day our situation gets worse. I feel that I have done everything possible short of hiring a private lawyer to help but obviously a family of 4 with only the disability income the VA provides cannot afford a lawyer.

[Berta]

"Today I call the DVA to see if there is any way they can assist me in getting the paperwork I need and in informing the VA that I have in fact been living in my new region for quite some time only to find out that this letter saying I was total and permanent was a mistake sent out to numerous veterans and that the VA knows where I am and when they are ready they will find me"

You are saying the DVA- you dont mean the CHAMPVA people here do you? How did you get a hold of anyone at DVA to tell you about the numerous vets who also got a wrong letter? WHo said that?

I can sure understand you feel that VA played a cruel joke on you-I am not doubting you at all- just wonder who at VA admitted to this error and how many vets are going to get the same type of letter?

Have you applied for SSA disability? You can receive both VA comp as well as SSDI (but SSI is different)?

I think you should contact the House COmmittee on Veterans Affairs-

If numerous vets got letters like this that are incorrect, the H VAC should know of it.

I wonder- is this a letter like one I just got?

The one they send to help a vet or widow apply for any tax exemptions etc?

The crucial part of my letter

is missing----

It says the Veteran died of a service connected disability. But after that it says "Not indicated"

In my situation my claim was awarded but still in process-still I dont know how they could make a mistake like this as they have awarded both 1151 SC death and direct SC death.I feel they made one more error regarding my benefits to a long list I griped to many entities in DC about already.

This letter is useless for the purposes they sent it out for.= to receive housing entitlements, property tax exceptions etc, in my case-is it similiar to what you got ? Does it say in bold type

American is Grateful to You for Your Sacrifice?

I am going to ask them to call a CUE on it but my claim is almost done and I dont want to screw that up by questioning this letter yet. They don't need help screwing up my claim.They did that for almost 7 years already.

I regret this happened to you-

the RO here tried to stop my CHAMPVA benefits by telling CHAMPVA something that was inaccurate.

The RO director fixed that in weeks because I raised an uproar.That is why I asked if this DVA statement came from CHAMPVA

I feel you should ask them to declare you P & T right away and send them any evidence at all that would support that finding.

And ask them for a proper EED as to the P & T that might cover some of the past medical bills for your dependents. Might---hard to say-

and -if I were you-

I would tell them you are going to send the erroneous P & T letter to the H VAC as the DVA said this error has affected other vets too and is indicative of the arbitrary and capricious way our claims are handled.

In the SOC you got for your award- it said why they didn't consider you P & T- (or should have said why)

the keys are there for the evidence you need to prove you are P & T.

I hope the vet rep service you get on this is far better then the VA's service to you.

This stuff is disgraceful.Welcome to hadit!

Edited January 13, 2010 by Berta

[jbasser]

Hunter, you are caught up in the system. It is a system of mass confusion, mistakes, misunderstandings and flat out errors.

You need to write 2 letters. One to the old RO and one to the New Ro. Ask them not to fowrard the letters to each RO.

Explain your date of your move which you most likely have already done.

Send both letters vis certified mail with return recipt.

After about 10 days send an IRIS inquiry to the RO and ask them to verify your address on file, (In their computer)

I am also interested in Berta's Post.

Are you receiving SSDI benefits?

J

[carlie]

Hunter,

If your able - go to your closest VARO in person.

Rated at 100% SC with dependent compensation you

should be receiving over 3K per month.

jmho,

carlie

[Loma Linda Bill]

I am a disabled veteran, after waiting almost 2 years to get my first rating of 30%, I used the services of the VFW to help in getting 100%, though not total and permanent. I was told at this time that 2 years from this 100% designation I would get a review and if my condition had not changed I would most likely be given the total and permanent so that my wife and children would have medical coverage. Shortly before the 2 year mark we moved involving a change in VA regions and because of this my 2 year review was pushed back 5 months. During this time I was having issued having my medications delivered to my home as they always had been, my records went missing, various offices were telling me I was assigned to different regions, and nobody would give me a straight answer about anything. One month before my 2 year evaluation I began calling to find out the appointment date and time since I had not been mailed the usual appointment notification letter, I was told by several people that I had no appointment on record and continued calling through the end of the month the appointment was supposed to take place in. Now one month ago I get a strange letter in the mail from the regional office I left more than 18 months ago, it was a summary of benefits and it stated that I was in fact total and permanent. I submitted to ChampVA for care for my wife and children and continued calling my current regional VA office to find out why I had not been notified of the sooner and to get an official award letter for future reference, again they were confused as to what region I was assigned to. Now I have also been told that as of yesterday (01-11-2001) I have a future appointment for my evaluation in August of 2009. Today I call the DVA to see if there is any way they can assist me in getting the paperwork I need and in informing the VA that I have in fact been living in my new region for quite some time only to find out that this letter saying I was total and permanent was a mistake sent out to numerous veterans and that the VA knows where I am and when they are ready they will find me.

As far as I can see this is just a cruel joke that both the VA and DVA has been playing on me and my family. Like many others I have thousands in medical expenses for my family that have gone and will continue to go unpaid further destroying my credit and making it so that I may never again own a home, consider buying a new car, or have the security of having an emergency credit card. Additionally one of my children is classified special needs and her needs are going unmet, my wife has an ulcer that is going untreated, and my other child is anemic, also going untreated. What is even worse is that we are not eligible for public assistance in health care because the disability check we get puts us $1000/yr over the income limits.

I am sure I am not the only story like this right now, I would guess I am one of hundreds if not thousands. Is there no help for people like us? Are we supposed to sit here broke watching our families suffer knowing that with each day our situation gets worse. I feel that I have done everything possible short of hiring a private lawyer to help but obviously a family of 4 with only the disability income the VA provides cannot afford a lawyer.

I sure would contact varo you should be recieving 3K a month if not something is wrong check it out for sure-Loma Linda Bill