ptsd Speeding Up Claims Processing

[john999]

If these wars in Iraq and Afghanistan really start to wind down the vets will be quickly forgotten. I think at that point VA claims process will get much harder. The VA just does not want to pay a couple of million new vets who may all qualify under new PTSD regs. Who knows what new presumptives will crop up for these vets. Vietnam Era vets are totally forgotten as if the war never happened and they make up the bulk of living vets. I watched "Winter Soldier" with all horrendous stories of war crimes and that is all forgotten as if it never happened. There were vets there with such horrible PTSD that they could never adjust to society. It took them 20 years to get a dime. The budget hawks want to renig on medicare and SSA. Do we think they will not betray veterans? Get a lawyer and get your money now.

[gizmohd]

3 yrs on appeal for me

2 yrs amc done nothing.

so i say 2 yrs till decision

My appeal went in 2004... finally got the decision from Washington 14 Mar 2011...... My appeal sat dormant in the St. Petersburg AMC from 2005-2009 w/o any activity... I moved to South Carolina in 2009 and the AMC there took it and ran with it... within 1 year I had 5 C&P exams... moved again in 2010 to Alabama... had 3 more C&P exams... then the file was sent to DC.... fast forward to today.. I've moved back to Florida, Washington made their decision.. St. Pete says it will be 6 months before my file is even looked at due to all the Nehmer claims....

*sigh*

[Berta]

Interesting info on the Buffalo VARO opening-

I meet those qualifications -I graduated with 3.7 or 3.8 forget what =2 Bs ,all the rest were "A"s.

But I feel that the VAROs should become sattelite BVAs with lawyers handling our claims and not raters.

You don't learn anything about evidence unless you go to law school.

So those educational qualifications do not reflect any aptitude at all to become a VA rater.

I have SOCs,SSOCs here from Buffalo that I swear someone who cannot read must have prepared.

[myround0]

No level of education can replace INTEGRITY, and SELF MOTIVATION. All a Masters degree does, is make the processors feel they are smart enough to fast talk the veteran and cheat him out of more money. Look at the numerous corrupt CEOs, Doctors, and Lawyers, all self serving professionals, and self serving people. What we need are integral professionals. They seam to be hard to find, as many once served our nation, but when faced with loads of cash, and the thought of "no oversight" one's integrity can be compromised.

[carlie]

Just for clarification in my prior post of,

" In VA claims adjudication, there shouldn't be a need for a specific college levelof education. There is a need to know how to read and comprehend what is read,

then apply the regulations correctly."

This was posted only as my opinion and not supported by any regs or instruction.

I am very much in agreement with pr, they just want sheep to follow the instructions from

higher up.

Something else for consideration is:

Let's say a claimant receives a Rating Decision, disagrees with something in the decision

and files a NOD which starts an appeal. The claimant receives a SOC from the decision maker

and then request a DRO Hearing.

The DRO hearing is scheduled, the DRO has never adjudicated any prior issues for this

claimant BUT the DRO's decision maker buddy (at work and lunch or drinks after work),

is the same decision maker that made the decision being appealed.

Is the DRO going to actually rate with the medical evidence of record and the regs,

which will go against their buddy's prior decision

OR

Is the DRO going to continue the decision or low ball, with the VBA attitude that

they have a very generous appeals process.

My opinion is that the DRO is going to continue to support the prior decision that their buddy made.

[broncovet]

While I think I like Pete's idea the best, Vets need to be told about the birds and the Bees:

There is no Santa Clause, and the VA does NOT want to reduce the backlog. All of the politicians talk about reducing the backlog is just talk. It would cost the VA too much money to reduce the backlog, because, other than denying claims, they would have to award benefits, and that costs money. They WANT the backlog, and prefer that it grows. Do not beleive the politicians promise to reduce the backlog..when they have done exactly the opposite. We have to look at what the politicians do, NOT their words.

So, there is no Santa, and the backlog wont be reduced. In fact, the Secretary is doing his best to create NEW backlogs...backlog in Caregiver act, backlog in "new" GI bill education benefits, and more backlog in VA claims.

There is a reason why VA employees are paid about $67k per year average, and disabled Vets get about $10,000 per year average.

Politically, Vets are dead. WE are divided...Iraq Vets, Vietnam Vets, female Vets, male Vets for DADT, Vets against DADT, Democrats, Republicans..etc. ..Vets that think we deserve a Cola, and Vets that say we dont..even when VA employees got a raise, but we didnt. WE are not a force to be recokened with, we have mentally ill Vets, and the VA takes advantage of Vets, why?

Because they can. And the VA will continue to get its way with VEts until we change and unite against this injustice to VEts.