Need Hadit Vso Assistance

[chr49]

First off, my VSO's are with the TN DVA and I believe they have done their jobs properly. I'm trying to figure out how to keep the following situations from happening again.

Old issue: April 2010; submitted evidence thru my VSO in reply to a VARO request. The VARO said they never received it. I re-filed that evidence in August. A day or two afterwards, I received my c-file and found it contained the date stamped form VA-4138 and all records that my VSO had submitted for me in April. April's evidence was omitted from my July decision. Hopefully, the April evidence will be viewed as new evidence as I move forward in the process.

New issue: August 13th; submitted a NOD thru my VSO. On September 30th, I made an IRIS inquiry to verify the VARO was in receipt of my NOD. I received 2 IRIS replies stating the August 13th NOD was not (1) in my electronic file and was not (2) in my VARO c-file. The last reply advised that my VSO re-file the NOD. I continue to lose time with all of this re-filing.

Questions:

Is this a common problem?

If so, are there any recommendations to remedy this situation?

After my VSO re-files the NOD would it help if I personally send or fax the VARO a copy of NOD?

Thanks in advance for any advise you can give me.

[sharon]

If the paperwork was submitted by your VSO let them handle the fact that the RO says that it was not received. You should not have to provide them with the NOD again as they should have a copy of it in your file kept at their office. Speak with them and see what direction they are going with at this time. If you don't get the answer you want then resend the information yourself.

[chr49]

If the paperwork was submitted by your VSO let them handle the fact that the RO says that it was not received. You should not have to provide them with the NOD again as they should have a copy of it in your file kept at their office. Speak with them and see what direction they are going with at this time. If you don't get the answer you want then resend the information yourself.

Sharon,

Thank you. I promise not to send things in without checking with my VSO first, especially since they helped me with the NOD in the first place. I need to talk to him anyway, since I've gotten an 'more likely than not' IMO since we last spoke and he may want to go in a different direction.

I noticed that my IRIS request & reply was copied to the TN DVA but I doubt he'll notice it unless I contact him. I will most likely get some time off work tomorrow so I can run into the city and get this taken care of.

I was concerned that we may doing something wrong which is causing the problem I've had twice now. My wife says it's more likely a TN DVA & VARO issue than our issue but either way, I'd like to know that the VARO is getting my paperwork. The medical files that were omitted from my decision may have made a difference in one of the decisions.

I appreciate the advice I've received here, especially running things thru my VSO as usual but sending in the paperwork myself so I can get verification that it's been received. We'll see how it goes with my VSO...he's a pretty good guy and has been very helpful.

[john999]

Because I only live about 25 miles from my VARO I hand deliver important documents. My VARO has lost every document I ever sent them. They get 10,000 pieces of mail a day. They were delaying my claim because they said I did not have a DD214 even though I had been SC'ed for 30 years. Of course, I took them a brand new certifed copy of my DD214. A copy was sitting in my c-file but they were too lazy to look for it. I mean how can you respect people like this? I trust no one at the VARO including the VSO's.

[COOL BREEZE]

I have exactly the same situation. My VSO addressed the letter with NOD'S. ect. with their name of the organization to the regional office in Phoenix. I was given the letter, sealed, stamped and told to mail it. Its been over 1 month, nothing has been received. So what I have been forced to do, was to submit the documents myself, done by myself with the reason why I was doing this in case the original turns up in a couple of years. In fact, I probably did a better job than what they did as I used there original, fine tuned it, supplied a few supporting documents, got a big mailer from Walmart, and over nighted, return receipt certified-don't tell me they won't receive this. That extra step of sending a letter addressed to the DAV at the regional office caused some more grief. The less people that are involved-the better. The paperwork must get straight to the mail room where it is sorted, processed to the correct dept, and put officially in the system. I even called the headquarters of the DAV 2 weeks ago, told me they would call back.(and they wanted me to join the organization which I did). The local office can't track this. This is totally unacceptable. I thought it would be a great idea to get a good VSO to assist me, so it looks like the idea of them preparing the documents is good, but you must be responsible of mailing them as noted above. That letter probably is in file 13.

[john999]

Cool

Probably the only VSO around here you can trust is Larry and we can't clone him......yet! To appreciate what a vet goes through with a claim you need to be a vet who has been screwed over in the grand style. When they lose your documents and forget to mail out notice of c&p exams you begin to understand them. They don't care.

[Vync]

Proof of receipt of documentation should work in both directions. If we mail something, we must have proof they received it. If they mail something, they automatically assume we have received it.

Has anyone ever used return receipt to find the VA confirms only the receipt of an envelope, but not the contents of the envelope?