Still Waiting

[jhilly]

I need some advice. I wrote a letter to the VA in December 2009 about the delay in getting my benefits. I was assigned and advised by a person from the VA office in St. Petersburg, Florida, to help me with my claim. This person added two claims and scheduled them for me.

I finished all of my C & P exams in April. I called my VA contact and told her. She told me that she would begin to work my file so it could go in front of the rating board.

I called my contact again on May 2, 2010, to check on my claim. She only needed my medical records from my personal doctor to send my claim to the rating board. She told me that if she gets my medical records she would work my claim before beginning her vacation. I sent those back in January, but I overnight them to her via FedEx again so she could get them before she went on vacation on May 4, 2010. I called her on May 3, 2010; to be sure that she got my records. She said she didn’t but FedEx called her and would deliver them on May 4, 2010. She said that since she will be on vacation then, she will work my claim when she returned on May 17, 2010. I called her on May 18, 2010, and she had not started on my claim. She told me that my file was on her desk and that she thinks that she has everything she needs from me and that my claim was next in line. I called her again today and still nothing has been done.

Is there anything else I can do because it seems my claim is being delayed? My claim has been on her desk for a month and she has not touched it.

[jbasser]

I moved this topic to claims research as it will enable you to receive more attention.

J

[SLEDGE]

What you are experiencing is perfectly normal.

She is aware and stated that you are next.

Anything can cause a delay at this stage but, this one won't be very long.

Be cool and give her some time.

Her boss is probably pushing something in front of you.

sledge

[carlie]

I was assigned and advised by a person from the VA office in St. Petersburg, Florida, to help me with my claim. This person added two claims and scheduled them for me.

I finished all of my C & P exams in April.

jhilly,

If you get a rating decision out of the St.Pete VARO within six months

of a C&P exam, I consider it as lucky.

jmho,

carlie

[Testvet]

calling them does not make them handle your case any faster if anything else it just tends to irritate them as you can see yours is not the only case they have to deal with and the VA does not have any time issues they have to meet unlike veterans have deadlines to get evidence turned in the VA has no deadlines like wine it never gets done before it's time I am sorry you are having to see first hand why we all came to Hadit but it is the VAROs and the VSOs failures to handle our claims on time or properly all of us have gotten fed up with the system but it is the only system we have so we have to play on their field and use their rules sometimes we find manuevers that speed them up but not often thats why we tell most people to find hobbies and try not to let the claim eat you up the waiting is unbearable at times and even worse when you are broke and can't work

[halos2]

Last Sept 2009 I met a VSR like you speak of, heard the same stories as you, still waiting...I think they might be trying to do something but they are not really in a position to do what they say...so they fill us with false hopes, and we sit and grasp for straws and wait, and wait, and wait.

Don't want to burst your bubble, but the reality of waiting, years might be more the norm than what we might be led to believe. If the VARO's acted upon claims, timely and acccurately there would be little need for all the VET"S help sites all over the internet, and all the self help books on fighting your way through the claims processes.