Thank You All!

[teejay53]

Hi;

I want to thank all of you for your guidance through this mess of getting my DIC and Social Security Death Benefit. There is so much information about the documents needed that the Veteran Association and Social Security do not explain completely to you. Through trial and error and with all your help I finally was able to provide the paperwork they actually needed.

I sent a total of 214 pages of information that the VA told me to send, ONLY to find out at the end I only had to send "5" of these pages in for the award to be granted. Go figure, I can't figure it out.

A veteran I was speaking with said he believes the VA does this to prolong the process. I do not know what to think.

Anyway, I thank all of you for all your help and my prayers are with anyone applying for benefits through the VA or Social Security.

teejay

[Berta]

That's wonderful Teejay!

It sure beats me why they ask vet's and widows for so much and then often keep asking for more.

[Tbird]

Wonderful news. Dogged determination is what a veteran needs. Congratulations.

[Pete53]

Better to send more info than not enough. No one really knows what the VA wants but they often make Veterans and family wait pending information not even needed for the claim.

Congrats

[Notorious Kelly]

Good news, teejay! Glad you won.

[teejay53]

hi all;

hope this information helps others.

out of all the 214 pages of my husband's information i sent, they only needed (i was told by the va rep) was:

* his death certificate (showing hepatitis c caused the hepatic cirrhosis that in turn caused his death)

* our marriage certificate

* the blood transfusion record from his cfile (2 pages)

* the letter from his personal doctor saying the cause of his death was due to hep c contacted from blood transfusion and he had no other risk factors

this was the only information i was told by the va i needed to send. i guess i really can't be to upset because it was really a big learning experience for me.

something else i feel is important is i should have ordered my husband's cfile from the national archives "before i filed my claim".

after anyone files a medical claim with the va, the medical records are requested and send to the va for review and you can not get them until the claim is complete. i think i would have felt better if i had ordered and had my husband's cfile in my hands to review before the claim started just in case some of the pertanent medical information fell through the cracks during the processing.

hind sight is 20-20 as they say.

have yourself a nice day.

teejay

[teejay53]

i would appreciate an answer to my question.

i was chatting with a va survivor on dic and she asked me a question and i know i should know the answer, but i do not.

is dic forever and do you have to fill out a questionnaire yearly on where the funds are going or reapply?

thank you so much for helping as i can call her and let her now.

have a great day.

teejay