The Big Question Out There

[JHawks]

I know this is probably an insane question but here goes..............

Now that Nehmer claims have been being worked since 10/2010 and all the other "Priority" claims have helped bog things down, once a "Normal", run of the mill, one item claim reaches the "Decision Phase", what kind of a time frame are we looking at for completion?

My claim for just one item hit the "Decision Phase" on 1/20/11, 31 days ago. Is it real to expect them to complete it in the next week or two or are we looking at a much longer window?

I'm NOT complaining at all. I know the rules. Go fishing, get a hobby or have a beer and relax. Just curious what the recent track record has been for those whose claims have been in "Decision Phase" for a non-priority claim and how long it took to complete.

[LarryJ]

Sorry for the Z...on my cell right now.

Please, tell me you are not also DRIVING a THREE THOUSAND POUND AUTOMOBILE, while texting?

[COOL BREEZE]

My suspense date was for December 16. I believe tomorrow is March 1. It looks like they used to go by a suspense date, however that tool is no longer feasible. There no longer

is any estimate time that any claim will be decided on. The last issue of the magazine for DAV has an article in it how they expect to start reducing the claims by 2015. Even

that date probably is just hogwash!!

Edited February 28, 2011 by COOL BREEZE

[LarryJ]

May be "off topic", may be not. If so, admin can move it or stick it in file #13:

http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21-526EZ-ARE.pdf

Download it. Read it. Use it. It works.

I'm getting responses in LESS than 30 days.

Amazing.

Just MAKE SURE that you KNOW and UNDERSTAND the content that they need and send them EACH and EVERY pertinent document. Otherwise, your claim goes on the bottom of the regular old 21-526 stack and your wait starts all over again!

[SLEDGE]

The top dog at the VA is a political appointee.

I'm assuming that many of the managers under him are also political appointees.

That tells me that, from the top down, the political agenda is much more important than following 'any' rules that would improve the claims process.

IMO, changes are made at the VA just for the sake of change, not to actually improve anything.

Politicians are speech makers first and experts at smoke and mirrors second, law enforcement is about number 12.

The VA is simply a political organization that answers to nobody except the President.

Changes in how they operate just serve to slow things down even more.

Changes ment to lower the amount of claims waiting to be worked will only decrease the accuracy of each and every claim.

I've seen a lot of changes over the last 30 years and I'm still on appeal.

The VA has never done anything in my case that proved to be an accurate assessment of the claim.

sledge

[rakkwarrior]

Nope I was attending, had a few mins to squeeze one in at a Yellow Ribbon event as a guest speak before about 250 troops who just got back home from Iraq. It was a great time, a lot of outstanding people out there both soldiers and the cadre.

rakkwarrior, on 27 February 2011 - 11:37 PM, said:

Sorry for the Z...on my cell right now.

Please, tell me you are not also DRIVING a THREE THOUSAND POUND AUTOMOBILE, while texting?

You are absolute correct regarding the Fully Developed Claim (FDC) process, it requires you to have all of your ducks in a row, locked and loaded prior to firing off the claim. Leaves little room for the VA to wiggle if your doctor will render the proper opinion, it's also great for claims for increases (w/ med evidence according to rating criteria), presumptives (38 C.F.R. 3.307, 3.309(e), and claims regarding combat (CIB, CAR, PH or awards with a "V" device) such as PTSD, and TBI. Although, the latter can become complex later in the process.

However, they'll spit you out if you submit one additional piece of documentation in the majority of cases.

[rakkwarrior]

The top dog at the VA is a political appointee.

I'm assuming that many of the managers under him are also political appointees.

That tells me that, from the top down, the political agenda is much more important than following 'any' rules that would improve the claims process.

IMO, changes are made at the VA just for the sake of change, not to actually improve anything.

Politicians are speech makers first and experts at smoke and mirrors second, law enforcement is about number 12.

The VA is simply a political organization that answers to nobody except the President.

Changes in how they operate just serve to slow things down even more.

Changes ment to lower the amount of claims waiting to be worked will only decrease the accuracy of each and every claim.

I've seen a lot of changes over the last 30 years and I'm still on appeal.

The VA has never done anything in my case that proved to be an accurate assessment of the claim.

sledge

Sledge what are you on appeal for? Looks like you have TDIU, are you looking for an "S" award? Or is it retro pay? Let me guess...they didn't award you when you became schedularly entitled at 70% and weren't working many years ago, or you made less than $10,000 a year and they said you were gainfully employed. You feel as though they should ge back, but they said it was the date you filed the formal application...maybe? If so, I got something for that. Hopefully, not for something that they can reduce or take away. You probably know better than to do that.