Dav, Good Or Bad?

[abean]

Don't know much about the organization. All I know is that they seem to know more about my husbands claim than me, hubby, and VA. We really don't know how they got our info. Are they legit? Is it an edge to use them?

[rakkwarrior]

Thanks for that response. It is very disturbing to hear some members who have a very good communication, while others like myself are left in the dark with an VSO that should have never been allowed to represent us. I have used the majority of opinions and resources on this site to compile my claims. I don't see the DVA VSO in my area any help once the claim has been turned in or even a appeal if it is necessary. It seems when I talk to them they don't understand why I am going against there recommendations as far as what they want to do with my claim. The reason-I learned all this information here after hours and months of researching and asking questions here. The bottom line-I feel I have more knowledge in doing this they do. I want them as a power of attorney only to pursue the claim, but they disagree on what I want to file. Stating you have no chance in hell of getting this approved. They are not the one that will be making that decision.

I know when I gave you my recommendation it was to file the evidence and advise the Rating Board you have "no additional evidence to submit", I also advised you shouldn't file an NOD an issue where they did not have the evidence you are using as a basis for the NOD. Rather it would be more expedient to either allow then to review it in conjunction with your pending claim or ask for reconsideration under the FDC program (90-120 day turnaround). It is ludicrous to appeal something which could not be legally decided upon because you withheld evidence.

Regardless, this is tiresome, I think there are veterans out there which will gleefully allow DAV to write their legal briefs while they themselves act independently of their representation. Nothing can be done there, but then again DAV will blamed for their failed claims and long appeals. Unlike other organizations DAV will not revoke representation. AMVETS and others will if you do not comply with their advice and directives. Do you circumvent your attorneys the same way you circumvent DAV?

I'm done for the day.

Edited March 20, 2011 by rakkwarrior

[vmo]

The past 40 years, I've used the DAV,Legion, and AMVETs. Not much help or folow-up from any one of the three. Again, as I have mentioned to many, it is not which organization helps/represents you with your claim, it is the "individual" they employ. The last advice they gave me was to be happy when my sc was increased from 10 to 20%. I quit listening to them and started reading Hadit. Dang, I've gone from 20 to 70%----currently pending TDIU with a pretty strong claim.

[john999]

I think a vet's best VSO is himself. I have been getting compensation since the early 70's. I never heard of the concept of TDIU even though my doctor said I could not work and the VA knew it. I heard about TDIU from Hadit. This was about ten years ago.

[Pete53]

Whether or not you use a VSO the claim is still the Vets and no matter what they do or the VSO does the responsibility rests on the Veteran. Altrhough I am first to admit that new people and those who for some reason or another can't help their claim the Service Organizations do provide assistance. The problem to me is and has always been that some of the coach potato Service Officers who give out bad advice but act like they know everything.

Just remember that if you do not research and verify your claim and its status if you lose the SO goes on to the next one. I would not have won 100% without the help and support of two very good VSO's. The problem is there are a lot of bad ones out there. Many are in management one Service Officer in charge of a local service organization in Dallas gave my brother horrible advice and if we did not check it out with the VARO who said that the guy was wrong he would never had gotten the benefits he has now.

My suggestion is to inform you service officer of what you are doing and work on strategies together.

[COOL BREEZE]

Cool Breeze,

You should be hearing from the office supervisor in the near future, let me know if you don't. Following up on your situation was one of my missions to complete yesterday when I went in.

I really appreciate that. The main reason I have a major concern now is that after I had submitted a reconsideration for several issues, the VA finally through a routine doctors exam decided to get all these nerological tests done.(My condition had taken a turn for the worse). And this will take another month or so before they are finished. A small portion of these tests have been completed which will help me with the one claim for bilateral nerve damage for my feet(this was left out from a previous rating decision). I had no other medical evidence to support this issue at the time the reconsideration was submitted-this was done as the VA failed to rate a claim that had been put in previously and I provided copies of letters showing it was on pending claims. If I submit what I have now, there may or may not be a decision before the rest of the test were done. Then if there is a decision, I'll have additional medical information, however it will not only help the feet issue, but the rest of the body as I was told it had spread. I believe the VA may go by what they have for this particular issue even though the nerve damage conduction test wasn't done for the compensation exam due to high blood pressure at the time-wasn't safe to do.

If I wait until the rating gets decided, who knows when that will be done-what would happen to all this upcoming medical information? What to do with it? I probably will file another claim for the other issues and let them decide whether this will be secondary to the feet or any other issue. So confusing!

And of course there are 4 issues in this reconsideration claim.

[carlie]

The topic of this thread is getting over run.

Please try to stick with the OP's topic or start a new topic.

The DAV has helped thousands of VBA claimants.

In my opinion - if a VBA claimant has time, is willing to learn and can be

fairly well organized, they can present their own basic claim issues and

NOD's if needed.

If you feel scatter-brained,not willing to learn, don't have the time or interest

use a VSO/SO.

All VBA claims are is evidence,regs and rules, yes they can get quite involved.

I am of the belief that if you do have a SO / VSO representing your claim issues

and you have any evidence / information / additional claims you want the VBA to consider,

take it to your SO / VSO for submission. DO NOT make the mistake of thinking what you are

submitting without their knowledge, will definitely help your claim.

If you have a SO / VSO representing you and you submit anything to VBA without

their knowledge - you - yourself can be harming your own claim issues.