Rating Team

[Armyvet1987]

I called the VA hotline today to ask the status of my claim and they told me it was accepted by the rating team on march 2nd, after that it will go to a something or another team to verify your claim...Anyone have any idea this part takes, I started my claim October 28th, 2010.

[myround0]

I use Waco as well. my case has been in since Feb. '08. Having said that, I work with a guy who filed his claim in Nov. '09, he got an increase to 30 percent. He received his first payment July, 2010. So my guess is it depends on the rating increase.

[Veldrina]

In ratings means that it's on the shelf with all the other final decisions to be made. In our office, we have have the oldest cases on a shelf, but they get bumped around depending on priority cases like FastTrack, Homeless, POW, etc At least this means it's ready for a decision. Hang in there, you're almost there.

[BFR]

I'm in Austin. It seems to me like San Antonio is a lot closer, but for some reason Waco is our RO.

@ Veldrina: Do you think it would be of any use to switch to a rep with an office in Waco? I understand that they can at least find out where things are stalled. Or does that just further delay the process?

[COOL BREEZE]

My husband began his claim at the end of June 2010. His stuff went up to the rating board at the end of October 2010. We have been waiting since to receive his rating. Every time we call the VA, we are told his claim is still in the rating process but that right now the Phoenix VA (which is where his claim is being handled) is severely backlogged due to Congress's recent decision for Agent Orange claims. Apparently those claims have priority and everyone else has been pushed aside. What the heck is up with that? I understand that Congress should have allowed this business with Agent Orange to go through a long time ago, but why does everyone else have to be shoved aside?

I am in AZ also. I have a reconsideration claim that has been with the rating team since Nov-filed in OCT(only was i development for 1 month) My thinking on this subject if yours is an agent orange claim, it shouldn't be much longer. If not we are looking at a possible 1-2 year wait as they have over 22,000 claims pending. Let me know if you get your decision-good look

[Veldrina]

BFR, if it's in the rating stage i wouldnt touch it now, but u can certainly move it once you have your award.

CoolBreeze, if by AgentOrange u mean the Fast Track cases like the ischemic heart disease, CLL or parkinsons, then yes it will move quickly. Otherwise, just by merit of being an AO case it won't necessarily go any faster.

[halos2]

Hardship cases are suppose to progress faster ie terminal diseases but it doesn't always happen that way. Raters are suppose to have a quota, but things happen and some cases are more complex to evaluate so this is why one never knows when they will receive info on their claim. Looking over my older records I noticed some signed by a rater and the one was signed off by a senior rater. Maybe the older or more difficult ones may be shuffled around to different raters, who knows? With the recent awards for AO all those previously denied and appealed need to move up to the front as these vets have waited(many of them, not all filed earlier) and are getting older, and they too will be moved aside for a terminal claim, or an extenuating claim, as should be for all this way/age/disability...