ptsd Status Of Claim?

[Ethan'sGrandma]

Hello To All,

I hope I'm posting this in the right section. If not, please forgive me. I am so confused, but asking questions through the IRIS just got me more confused. I have been battling with this claim since 2005, still on appeal @ VARO, not certified to BVA as of yet. Below is the response that I received today per my request for status of my claim. I read it, clearly, honestly I do, but I am so overwhelmed with this, that it still makes no real sense to me. Can someone please help me decipher this message from VA? Why are they still holding on to this appeal? It's just as more twisting of words, it seems to me, because I don't understand what else are they waiting for to certify this appeal?

Everything I've sent them is not noted in their message, but they have everything they could possibly need. So, if they're not going to re-evaluate anything, this could take more years before it ever gets certified to BVA. They already have everything that I have, including my diagnosis from VA psych., and everything else required, but still I wonder... what can they possibly be waiting for? I've read on here that it's best for the claim to remain with VARO, but if VARO is not going to act on this claim, why not just send it to BVA, so this can, at the very least, be placed on the docket, someday to be looked at?

I did not want to obtain an attorney, but am in the process of asking about it, even if all the work that I have personally done with my claim, even as I've struggled with it, just be to make it easier for someone else to take the credit, never mind a nice chunk, if I am eventually granted. Yet, I'm almost at my limit of trying to deal with this claim, so I'm thinking, it may not be a bad idea to allow someone else to be the messenger. In any case, I would greatly appreciate any words of wisdom someone on here could offer. Is the message I am reading saying the claim will eventually get certified, but VARO can still make a decision before that? Or, is the VARO done with it, just holding on to it, for whatever reason, before sending it to BVA? Thank you very kindly for any response I may get.

"This is in response to your inquiry to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) dated May 10, 2011.

We apologize for the length of time it is taking to complete your appeal. According to our records you have two appeals pending in our system.

Notice of Disagreement (NOD) dated November 6, 2007: We received your NOD for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on November 6, 2007. We released a statement of the case (SOC) on August 8, 2008. You attended a formal hearing on July 21, 2009. We released a supplementary statement of the case (SSOC) on September 16, 2009.

Our records indicate VA Form 9, Appeal to Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA), was received on October 7, 2008.

NOD received November 7, 2007: We received your NOD for Benign skin neoplasms on November 7, 2007. We released a SOC on December 30, 2009. Our records show that you attended a formal hearing on July 21, 2009. We released a SSOC on February 26, 2010.

Our records indicate VA Form 9, Appeal to Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA), was received on February 26, 2010.

At this time, your appeals are awaiting review by a member of the Appeals Department at your regional office. This review is necessary to ensure sufficient documentation has been received to support the appeal. Once this determination is made, the appeal will be certified as such, and forwarded to BVA for processing.

If it is determined additional information and/or evidence is required to make a decision, you will be notified via U.S. mail. If additional information or action is not required, and a decision can be rendered, you will be advised of the decision via U.S. mail.

We appreciate your service to our country!

Thank you for contacting us. If you have questions or need additional help with the information in our reply, please respond to this message or see our other contact information below."