ptsd Tdiu Application Non Response At Varo

[keepugessn]

Hi Everyone,

We are a little confused with a call we made in regards to a TDIU application I filed in March of 09 for 70% TDIU...... 50 ptsd &40% loss of eye while shot down

in Vietnam. Awarded 70% combined. Have Dupreyntens Contractures in both hands (no rating) with use of basically my thumbs only. It is said that is a secondary

condition to PTSD and I am 60 years old.

I was told the file has been sitting on desk waiting for decision since 12/22/2009. I have called several times and was told this again and again. I

called two weeks ago and the American Legion officer in Oakland said he would get my file decisioned immediately and I would hear back from him

in one week. Two weeks go by and today I call and here is the story I now get.....

My file is sitting in an appeals office upstairs with about 250 more files on someones desk and they are waiting for a decision. But because there are so many files I can

guess how it may take more time to get a decision. However it would be definitely decided in 1 month.

First, am I wrong but I filed for TDIU and have not gotten a response as of yet so how can It be in Appeals? I have not filed one yet???? Since I filed in March of 09

and it has supposedly been sitting on some guys desk for months does this sound right, and now its in Appeals. I told the American Legion officer I felt some idiot

lost my file and he started changing the story after he looked at the notes in the file. He said your right it was received on the desk 12/22/09 but well it should be soon.

What gives with these guys???? What else can I do to get an initial response to my application, oh and by the way don't they have to send you a status update every

60 days or so saying they are working on my file? I have never received anything with this application since I filed it in March 09. This is with the Oakland office by the way. Any response would be

appreciated and I know there are a lot worse than I still waiting to hear something also. Thanks Buckwheat and Donna

[LarryJ]

Hey, Buckwheat!

Here's something I want you to try. Go the the VA.gov website, go to the "contact" heading, and send them an "IRIS" enquiry. Tell 'em the same thing you just told us and ask them (nicely) WTF?

The IRIS enquiry will net you a much better response than the telephone (and, you'll have the VA's "official" answer in PRINT).

If that doesn't work, let me/us know.

Okay?

[LarryJ]

.........oh yeah, and by-the-way, any veterans service officer, I do NOT care who they may be, that tells you that "they" can get you an immediate decision.............well, maybe you might ought to try elsewhere.

But, then again, WTF do I know, right?

[john999]

Do you have a date stamped copy of your TDIU form? This would be your proof of the fact you filed and when. When you filed for TDIU did you give your form to the AL guy or did you file directly with the local VARO. For anything important you need to get date stamped copy.

[keepugessn]

Larry J,

Thanks for the info. I will do that right now. I believe I signed the form in the AL office and the officer faxed it right then and there. I know they

received it because they had me go to two doctors and when I called in Dec. 09 they said the TDIU claim was on the guys desk waiting for

approval. But as to real hard paper I don't believe I have that. The AL officer does. Thanks Buckwheat....

[keepugessn]

Larry J,

OK... I did what you suggested and boy was that something. IRIS sent back a response that they requested more from the SOJ and

they would let us know asap. Well today we got a letter stating that they needed for his TDIU claim a new VA21-2183 (verification of employment) from his former employer because they recently received one and it was wrong because my husband filled it out and signed it (BBBSSS).

This was so unreal we could not believe it. The VA sends out employment verifications to the employers so there was no way my husband could have filled out or signed anything because it was mailed to the former employer not him.

We called his former employer and they pulled his file and said they submitted to the VA this requested form over a year ago and had their copy in his file.

I asked her to fax it to the RO in Oakland and also fill out and sign the new one they were requesting and also fax that one, then mail it to them and mail me both copies. Our questions are... we were told for months they had all records, and it was sitting on the DRO'S desk waiting for approval. The only way this would even be being addressed is if I had not bitched my poor husband into calling the VA because it had been two years with no response or even a letter saying it was being processed. Why did they not request a missing form until now after they verified several times they had it all? Who would of submitted a recent VA 21-2182 filled out and signed by my husband? Answer.... no one this was just a stall tactic on their part for losing his file.

I asked the VA nicely to please send a copy of the form he filled out incorrectly because it did not happen and we want written proof of this. All I can say is I believe they lost his file or it sat unattended in some stack for months and no one knew where it was until we started screaming. They now say get the form to them asap and they will make a decision because we told them we had a hardship. Funny thing is, if they had done this and processed it right in the first place we would not have lost our home, or be in the financial situation we are in due to our illnesses. My husband is a PHx2/DFC/5 Air medals with V devices and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry and so much more and he can't get the time of day out of the Oakland RO office. We are starting to believe in the hurry up and die theory......Thanks for listening....Donna and Buckwheat

[Pete53]

Never trust the VA and by the way many SO's have no paper copies they merely forward paperwork. If you want to track this down on the VA end you have to see the C File. My suggestion is to call the RO and ask for an appointment to view the C File. Than you might get somewhere