Filing Claims

[COOL BREEZE]

I went through 2 VSo's and that result turned out less than satisfactory. The filing of claims not received, claims filed incorrectly, and claims for disability that I never filed for left the burden on my shoulder to file these claims myself. I used some of the ideas here, actually most of them and a few of my own to file these claims. I called the 800% today to find out the status of the reconsideration of my cardio-missing information. The rep with an terrible attitude said what do you expect by sending all this information in repeatedly, they don't know what to do with this, and it may take a year or more to sort through this material.(should have asked for her supervisor to file a complaint) I thought when you do a reconsideration, it doesn't take very long. All the faxes, overnight mail has left a ton of material that they have to sort through. Someone has to go through all my NODS, new claims, reconsideration separately as it is all together. They don't sort these when received and put into the appropriate category The VSO material just arrived on top of all of this, this is an extreme mess. Told to file one claim at a time, wait for a letter to come from the VA. I haven't received 1 letter from the VA for one single letter since filed. My thinking is that all this material will go through the regular process as a new claim-1 year or so until the VA starts going through these statements and sort them to the appeal process. I sent everything in at once, mail and fax, plus the VSO has their incorrect claims sent on top of this mess. Sending in duplicate material will hold up your appeals considerably. This gives them much more material to go through. Better to send in the material once, wait 1-2 months then find out what is going on. I did do an IRIS the other day to see what have they received. So the bottom line, I believe I really screwed up all my claims, and really have no one to blame this time.

[stillhere]

I went through 2 VSo's and that result turned out less than satisfactory. The filing of claims not received, claims filed incorrectly, and claims for disability that I never filed for left the burden on my shoulder to file these claims myself. I used some of the ideas here, actually most of them and a few of my own to file these claims. I called the 800% today to find out the status of the reconsideration of my cardio-missing information. The rep with an terrible attitude said what do you expect by sending all this information in repeatedly, they don't know what to do with this, and it may take a year or more to sort through this material.(should have asked for her supervisor to file a complaint) I thought when you do a reconsideration, it doesn't take very long. All the faxes, overnight mail has left a ton of material that they have to sort through. Someone has to go through all my NODS, new claims, reconsideration separately as it is all together. They don't sort these when received and put into the appropriate category The VSO material just arrived on top of all of this, this is an extreme mess. Told to file one claim at a time, wait for a letter to come from the VA. I haven't received 1 letter from the VA for one single letter since filed. My thinking is that all this material will go through the regular process as a new claim-1 year or so until the VA starts going through these statements and sort them to the appeal process. I sent everything in at once, mail and fax, plus the VSO has their incorrect claims sent on top of this mess. Sending in duplicate material will hold up your appeals considerably. This gives them much more material to go through. Better to send in the material once, wait 1-2 months then find out what is going on. I did do an IRIS the other day to see what have they received. So the bottom line, I believe I really screwed up all my claims, and really have no one to blame this time.

Yeah it is back to the chew gum and walk scenario at this RO. If they are close by you could always offer to come in and sort this all out for them or you could say OK I will send you exactly what I want you to use for my reconsideration and you can use JUST that and decide.

Of course anyone of those solutions would not help them in their objective of making you wait a year because a VSO or should I say two who have been trained to do this for vets to speed it up have screwed up!!

Call the 800# back and get the fax# direct to your RO and offer them either one to come in or the other option IF you are comfortable with that and let us know what they say.

Making you wait a year for a reconsideration is total BS!!

Just my opinion!

[COOL BREEZE]

Yeah it is back to the chew gum and walk scenario at this RO. If they are close by you could always offer to come in and sort this all out for them or you could say OK I will send you exactly what I want you to use for my reconsideration and you can use JUST that and decide.

Of course anyone of those solutions would not help them in their objective of making you wait a year because a VSO or should I say two who have been trained to do this for vets to speed it up have screwed up!!

Call the 800# back and get the fax# direct to your RO and offer them either one to come in or the other option IF you are comfortable with that and let us know what they say.

Making you wait a year for a reconsideration is total BS!!

Just my opinion!

I did make another call and I am really disappointed. I was told a reconsideration is opened as a new claim. It goes back to the development phase-takes 3-4 months. I thought this would go straight to decisions to review the missed medical information. Perhaps I am misinformed what the average time to get this done. It looks like a regular claim, the only difference is if it gets approved it goes with the original date filed for. And the DVA told me 1 month? The other claims for the NOD take over 1 year at the phoenix office. So she(rep) says-hmmm!

[71M10]

If you have some items in as a NOD you can request a DRO hearing. This will force the DRO to review your file prior to the hearing. At the hearing you can clarify what it is you are asking to appeal and what it is that you are asking a reconsideration for. You can ask for a transcript, they will have to type it then send it to you. You point out where they have transcription errors..... they have to read your file in this instance. They may not read all of it, but they have to review it. My stuff was going no where until I had a DRO hearing and forced the issue.

Best regards,

Tyler

[john999]

There is no quick way to get a decision via reconsideration or NOD. I did a reconsideration and it took 8 months. That is not quick if you are out of work. The VA can work through all the evidence when they sit down to do your claim. I don't think there is anything you can do but wait and don't let the one year NOD date pass by without filing. Depending on your VARO a DRO could take 6-12 months or two years.

[pacmanx1]

Unfortunately what is done is done, so the only thing you can do now is wait. I know that this is not what you want to hear but you have to give VA a chance to go through everything. I agree with John, do not let the one year mark pass. If you do not get an answer on your request for reconsideration, make sure you file a NOD but keep it short and only focus on the claims that were denied.

[carlie]

So the bottom line, I believe I really screwed up all my claims, and really have no one to blame this time.

Cool,

No way to console you on this except to say - you are 100 percent right.

I bet your issues are a huge FUBAR.

This is the exact reason that when we have VSO's they say - DO NOT SUBMIT

ANYTHING TO VBA WITHOUT BRINGING IT HERE FIRST.

Sounds like between the VSO and you - your issues are on big discombobulated mess.

As everyone has stated - don't let your one year time clock tick by

without filing a NOD on what's needed.

I would try to just get a plain old hearing as soon as possible to straighten the mess out

of what your issues actually are, but I'd probably be leery of submitting even that now.

I am sorry for the mess this has put you in : (