Jump to content

Ask Your VA Claims Questions | Read Current Posts 
Read VA Disability Claims Articles
Search | View All Forums | Donate | Blogs | New Users | Rules 

  • tbirds-va-claims-struggle (1).png

  • 01-2024-stay-online-donate-banner.png

     

  • 0

Video Conference/hearings

Rate this question


Tomahawk

Question

What exactly takes place with a video conference or a hearing? Ive seen the option before but never understood what the purpose was. When is a good time to recommend one of these?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Answers 6
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters For This Question

Top Posters For This Question

6 answers to this question

Recommended Posts

Well they are quicker than having to wait for a BVA law judge to come around to your RO and is the main reason for them. I live close to Washington so going to the BVA for a hearing does not cost me much but others it would. The video conference usually gives you the best of both worlds low cost and you do get to plead your case some what in person.

There are also the hearings that are set up at the ROs for these traveling judges but as you can imagine they are pretty booked up. There the vet will get to plead directly to the judge their case.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What exactly takes place with a video conference or a hearing? Ive seen the option before but never understood what the purpose was. When is a good time to recommend one of these?

I recommend a hearing to everyone that I help who have filed NOD's. The DRO hearing in my opening lends credibility to the claimed conditions by putting a face to the claim. It allows you to argue your claim, and ensure that they have all your submitted evidence. I have been through 2 myself the most recent 2 weeks ago. I believe it's in the claiment's best interest to opt for the hearing. The way you go about getting the hearing is to request it when you file the NOD.

JMO,

Bergie

As a combat veteran, or any veteran for that matter!!!

If you thought the fighting was over when you came home, got out, or when the politicians said it was over.

Welcome to the real fight, welcome to VA claims!!!

"Just sayin"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HadIt.com Elder

If you are going to have a hearing have it in person. That is the only real reason for having a hearing is to meet face to face with a judge or DRO. I had a hearing with a traveling BVA judge 6 months ago. I think my lawyer got the points across better in person. How long I have to wait for a decision I don't know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay thanks. I wasnt sure if this was something to request prior to getting my rating or denial. So as I understand it now that if I get denied or dont agree with their rating I can and should request the hearing.

Thanks again all =)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HadIt.com Elder

With a hearing you can have witnesses speak for you. You can have a VSO or lawyer. With a DRO hearing I would always do it face to face. You have less chance of dumb mistakes by VA raters if they get the facts straight at a hearing where you can correct them before it is cut into stone. If you are going to do a BVA trip you might as well do a hearing because you have to wait years anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A DRO Hearing is held at your local VARO in person.

A video conference hearing would be a hearing at the BVA level where the claimant is physically at

their VARO and sees and speaks with the BVA judge via the video conference.

carlie

Carlie passed away in November 2015 she is missed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Tell a friend

    Love HadIt.com’s VA Disability Community Vets helping Vets since 1997? Tell a friend!
  • Recent Achievements

    • Lebro earned a badge
      First Post
    • stuart55 earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • stuart55 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Lebro earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • Sparklinger earned a badge
      First Post
  • Our picks

    • Caluza Triangle defines what is necessary for service connection
      Caluza Triangle – Caluza vs Brown defined what is necessary for service connection. See COVA– CALUZA V. BROWN–TOTAL RECALL

      This has to be MEDICALLY Documented in your records:

      Current Diagnosis.   (No diagnosis, no Service Connection.)

      In-Service Event or Aggravation.
      Nexus (link- cause and effect- connection) or Doctor’s Statement close to: “The Veteran’s (current diagnosis) is at least as likely due to x Event in military service”
      • 0 replies
    • Do the sct codes help or hurt my disability rating 
    • VA has gotten away with (mis) interpreting their  ambigious, , vague regulations, then enforcing them willy nilly never in Veterans favor.  

      They justify all this to congress by calling themselves a "pro claimant Veteran friendly organization" who grants the benefit of the doubt to Veterans.  

      This is not true, 

      Proof:  

          About 80-90 percent of Veterans are initially denied by VA, pushing us into a massive backlog of appeals, or worse, sending impoverished Veterans "to the homeless streets" because  when they cant work, they can not keep their home.  I was one of those Veterans who they denied for a bogus reason:  "Its been too long since military service".  This is bogus because its not one of the criteria for service connection, but simply made up by VA.  And, I was a homeless Vet, albeit a short time,  mostly due to the kindness of strangers and friends. 

          Hadit would not be necessary if, indeed, VA gave Veterans the benefit of the doubt, and processed our claims efficiently and paid us promptly.  The VA is broken. 

          A huge percentage (nearly 100 percent) of Veterans who do get 100 percent, do so only after lengthy appeals.  I have answered questions for thousands of Veterans, and can only name ONE person who got their benefits correct on the first Regional Office decision.  All of the rest of us pretty much had lengthy frustrating appeals, mostly having to appeal multiple multiple times like I did. 

          I wish I know how VA gets away with lying to congress about how "VA is a claimant friendly system, where the Veteran is given the benefit of the doubt".   Then how come so many Veterans are homeless, and how come 22 Veterans take their life each day?  Va likes to blame the Veterans, not their system.   
    • Welcome to hadit!  

          There are certain rules about community care reimbursement, and I have no idea if you met them or not.  Try reading this:

      https://www.va.gov/resources/getting-emergency-care-at-non-va-facilities/

         However, (and I have no idea of knowing whether or not you would likely succeed) Im unsure of why you seem to be so adamant against getting an increase in disability compensation.  

         When I buy stuff, say at Kroger, or pay bills, I have never had anyone say, "Wait!  Is this money from disability compensation, or did you earn it working at a regular job?"  Not once.  Thus, if you did get an increase, likely you would have no trouble paying this with the increase compensation.  

          However, there are many false rumors out there that suggest if you apply for an increase, the VA will reduce your benefits instead.  

      That rumor is false but I do hear people tell Veterans that a lot.  There are strict rules VA has to reduce you and, NOT ONE of those rules have anything to do with applying for an increase.  

      Yes, the VA can reduce your benefits, but generally only when your condition has "actually improved" under ordinary conditions of life.  

          Unless you contacted the VA within 72 hours of your medical treatment, you may not be eligible for reimbursement, or at least that is how I read the link, I posted above. Here are SOME of the rules the VA must comply with in order to reduce your compensation benefits:

      https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/38/3.344

       
    • Good question.   

          Maybe I can clear it up.  

          The spouse is eligible for DIC if you die of a SC condition OR any condition if you are P and T for 10 years or more.  (my paraphrase).  

      More here:

      Source:

      https://www.va.gov/disability/dependency-indemnity-compensation/

      NOTE:   TO PROVE CAUSE OF DEATH WILL LIKELY REQUIRE AN AUTOPSY.  This means if you die of a SC condtion, your spouse would need to do an autopsy to prove cause of death to be from a SC condtiond.    If you were P and T for 10 full years, then the cause of death may not matter so much. 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Guidelines and Terms of Use