Trying To Do My Claim But The Va Does Not Have My Records.

[Cm Burns]

I filed a pension compensation claim for service connected dissability in October. I got a letter from the va saying they do not have my records that are lost. i do not have a copy of them myself but have given them the info from all the civilian doctors I say. I wanted to know if anyone had any reference to people having this situation. Know of anyone with a similar situation that was still rewarded. I am not sure if there is anything else I need to do. Please let me know.

[Pete53]

If you can qualify for pension all you need is a diagnosis and served during war time. They usually award or deny it in 3 or 4 months.If you have income over 995 you probably will not qualify for a pension.

[Cm Burns]

I served during the gulf war and I did apply for pension and compensation. I applied in October 2009

Thnx

What about the issue with no records. is there something additional that I should be doing.

[Pete53]

Ask the VA to do an inquiry into where your C File is. If it is available go to the VARO and read it .

[Cm Burns]

OK What is a Cfile and what am I going to be looking for in it. A diagnosis or info into my claim.?

[LarryJ]

OK What is a Cfile and what am I going to be looking for in it. A diagnosis or info into my claim.?

Your "C"-file is your "claims file" and will have in it everything (supposedly) that the VA has regarding your claim(s).

Any medical, any service-related stuff, etc. (It cost the VA $19.82 to mail me mine).

It can take a while, so, in the meantime......................................................................

.......................Okay.

We KNOW that the VA has your service records SOMEWHERE, otherwise they would not be treating you at the VA Medical Center.

Right?

So, here is what I want you to do.

Get a copy (from the va.gov website, go to "forms" and type in SF 180, or go to the National Personnel Records Center website and download it from there) of an SF 180.

There will be three pages.

On one of these pages will be a list, at the bottom portion of the page, of the various addresses of the various archives and record locations across the country.

Make multiple copies of this SF 180, fill them out, then FAX or MAIL the data sheet of the SF 180 to:

The VA Archives in St. Louis,

The National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records, St. Louis,

The branch of your military service,

The VA Medical Center that you are being treated at, along with a FOIA release (get this at the medical records department and fill it out and hand it back to the dude/dudette at the counter).

The VA Regional Office that has jurisdiction over your claim.

On each and every one of these requests you simply write, in long-hand, in the comments section, that you want ALL of your records, to include all of your medical records, all of your STR (service treatment records, which, BTW, are NOT the same as your medical records) and all your other military records up until todays date.

Okay?

Edited February 19, 2010 by LarryJ

[Pete53]

Your C File should be at the VARO at this point