Are We Better Off Without So's?

[KennyJ]

I have come to position of asking myself what good are SO's. No doubt there are some good ones but the bad overwhelm the good by such a wide margin that it is a shame. Called my DAV SO Wednesday asked about my claims and Appeals. Filed new secondary claims and reopened claims in February of this year. She told me that Appeals could take up to 2 to 3 years, which I knew this, but then she said the new claims and reopened claims could take the same length of time before I would hear anything on them also. I thought that I heard somewhere that new claims are usually acted upon within a year so I called the 800# and the Rep told me that new and re opened claims are usually responded to within 8 months. I don,t really know who is right , that is why I turn to the knowledgeable people here. Another thing why everytime you call your SO they say they were just looking at your file?

[Pete53]

I made a DVD with everything I think that my wife needs and my wishes. I made a copy for each son.. From time to time I update.

[Hoppy]

I made a DVD with everything I think that my wife needs and my wishes. I made a copy for each son.. From time to time I update.

This question of So's has come up several times over the years I have been around hadit.

I was thrown out of the office by an So for a large vets organization. He told me I had no claim. I changed So's and 5 years later I got 100%SC. My second So was on top of my claim the entire time. Each So is an individual and has their own abilityes and short comings. I would much rather have an attorney as my front line of defense.

Attorneys get high grades and have to have exceptional organizational skills just to get their JD. I am not knocking So's except I have no idea as to what their trainning is.

I was in a car accident and had to have surgery while working for city government. The first person my union sent me to see was an MD/JD. This guy specialized in occupational injuries. He had the best shot at asking the right medical questions and applying the right laws. Veterans deserve the best. The best treatment I got as the result of being injured was by my union not a service officer.

[Tbird]

pete that is an excellent idea! i have a list of phone numbers for my sister for when i die, i've given my niece the will and list of all the names and addresses for my nieces and nephews in the will, not that i got anything, but if i live long enough the house may be worth something. i got my will through http://www.legalzoom.com and they did a really nice job for me. so i got my bags packed and i'm ready to go sort of speak, damn that overwhelming sense of impending doom

we should put together a list of stuff for the civilain spouses and dependents of our veterans. post your suggestions and i can put a list together for the main site.

[Alex]

Any SO that has worked claims before the VARO knows pretty much all e needsto know about putting 8a winning8 claim together; and, if he does it, he ought to find some new day work.

My only beef is that some are lazy in developing the facts and let the BVA fix it This is what happened to Comraee Sledge when he oticed he couod not water-skii as well as he did before.

One structural problem with all SO's is that they must take *all* claims and not chery-pick out the good ones. Thi jus adds to their press of workload and need to get cases out the door, both good and bad.

I can usually win 50% on cases service reps send to me, and probaby of thoe 75% could have been won by service reps.

As for the VSO oranizations not having an impact on the national scene, it was through their initiative that we got the court in 1979.