C-file Discrepancy

[jsdwd]

In connection with an appeal of a rating I requested a copy of my C-File (BTW this is virtually a necessity). After making that request, I retained an attorney to perfect my appeal. He also requested a copy of my C-File. His copy was mailed to him and I was notified (by a very helpful woman at the Oakland VRO) that I could go to the RO and pick up my copy personally, which I did. The attorney scanned the documents he received and sent me a copy of .pdf file of each page.

I compared the C-File he received to the C-File I received and they are not the same or even nearly so. There some major differences. I noted the differences and sent the attorney an annotated listing of different pages and their contents.

But the lesson for the readers of hadit.com is don't assume that the c-file that the attorney is sent is the same as one you can obtain for yourself. My c-file had over 20 pages that the c-file sent to the attorney did not and several of them were important to my claim.

,

[jsdwd]

It might just be clerical error. I noticed that in the copy the attorney received there were many pages that had been copied twice.

The person at the attorney's office did remark that neither version seemed to be as large as it 'should' be. The lawyer's version at 170 or so pages and my version had about 220, and she said that neither of those totals seemed normal (both too low). So who knows?

John,

I think we should have the same papers too but I think

a reason we don't is some of it is their internal paperwork

like a C&P request.

But heck we do need to see those also, heck your claim issue could be

hearing loss and (during pre-determination)the decision maker

could order a Neurology C&P for frequency of seizures, by mistake.

jmho,

carlie

[Pete53]

The people who copy files for freedom of information are usually doing it for punishment. Its more or less a crappy detail and I doubt that they have good intentions when they do it.

[SLEDGE]

Screwing up the copying process is standard procedure for the VA.

You may have noticed that medical records have dates on them, a practice that enables us to chronologically place each piece of paper where it belongs in regard to our medical history.

When I received my first copy of my C-file there were no dates on anything.

Can you accomplish that without trying?

I figure it must have taken several days to white-out that much stuff.

When I brought this discrepancy to the attention of a higher authority his remark was simple and rather plain.

He said; "So what".

I don't call that a conspiracy, I call it a deliberate action designed to illegally withhold my earned benefits, aimed at myself specifically, not veterans in general which would be a conspiracy.

The last 6 times that I officially requested records, in person, from a VAMC I got nothing.

The last time this happened I returned to the VAMC to straighten this crap out and they called security to escort me out of the building.

And I was being extremely civil.

In response to that head-on collision I called the records clerk from home and I got attitude (And No Records).

My lawyer has taken care of this crap since then.

sledge

[jsdwd]

I can't speak to their mindset, but the copiers certainly did a crappy job.

But my (going on two years) experience with the VA has been like that. There are some really nice, committed people who work there and there are some real bums. I couldn't put a percentage on it and it does seem to lean, at least in my experience, a bit toward the slow-moving, give-a-shit types, but I've also had more than a few really nice experiences. The woman at the Oakland RO who helped me with my C-File couldn't have been nicer and I had a guy draw blood from me at San Jose Medical clinic the other day who was kind, personable and did a great job on me, a person who hasn't got the easiest veins in the world. Nice stick!

I also get a sense that there is movement in the VA toward trying to push better customer service. I think in my brief involvement I have seen some improvement. It's a huge organization and trying to get that kind of change takes time. Big organizations are like that. IBM nearly went out of business before they woke up to the PC revolution.

I lived in S. E. Asia for several years and the surest way not to get something you want was to demand it. And, the harder you push and more insistent you get, the slower the process gets and if you get openly angry, everything just grinds to a complete halt. So, I learned to be patient and to come at getting what I wanted by a more oblique route. That experience has helped me in dealing with the VA. It helps to try to stay calm and polite.

The people who copy files for freedom of information are usually doing it for punishment. Its more or less a crappy detail and I doubt that they have good intentions when they do it.