ptsd Question About Claim In Process

[eganusn]

Hello all. I will be honest, I posted this topic on another site. However, I am not getting any consistent response. I just hope I can get some opinions on this, I do think its somewhat of a valid topic. Here goes:

Information about this first.

I filed a "informal" claim on 2/9/11. It was for an increase on Fibromyalgia, IBS, and Patellar Femoral Syndrome (Left Knee), Currently rated at 30%. I also claimed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and PTSD (under the new rules). I have medical documentation for all ailments that I claim. I completed a QTC that encompassed all the claimed ailments, minus the PTSD. I have no scheduled c&p exams or a qtc for the PTSD (It cannot be disputed it was dx'd in service).

Now I know the process takes awhile, and I understand the wait, however, I did request a hardship expedite more than two months ago, haven't worked in over 7 months and homeless for the past two months. I inquired with every level of the VA to see what kind of status update there may be due to the request of hardship, but no one would give a definite answer. I've done the congressional inquiry deal, and my POA has also attempted to contact the highest levels possible to get an idea of what's going on but there was no answer forthcoming from anyone. What I do understand is that my claim is still in "development" phase and no movement at all up to this point.

Now I finally called the VA's office of case management, and I was actually surprised by the response I got. I was told that my request for an increase for Fibromyalgia is what's holding up the process. I asked the analyst how that was, and he said "we didn't receive your request for increase until this past January". Now, I know what I submitted last February 2011, I made copies of what I submitted, so that's kind of a surprise. My question is why would it hold up the rest of my claims? How can one thing hold up the rest? Especially since the QTC is complete and I know that its been received. I'm not asking for a "WAG", I would just love to know if anyone else had a similar situation and how was it resolved?

[donna68]

eganusn,

Sorry you are having hard times. Im not sure why you are not getting instant results as it is my understanding that homeless veterans are a priority. It is true that a new claim can hold up an claim pending and its possible they sent your case back to the developemet stage if they feel they received a new claim. If you have access to a phone, call the VA again and send an IRIS inquiry via the internet pleading for an immediate repsonse. Hope things work out for you.

donna

[eganusn]

Donna68, thanks for the response. At this point the analyst said that he will monitor the claim at this point, and send word to the VARO to see if this can be adjuticated in a timely manner since the homeless expedite was received over two months ago. I am not going to hold my breath, but I think I've pretty much exhausted all the options I can think of. I just cannot believe that with what I sent to the VA originally was overlooked, to be nice, because the copies I sent was very obvious in the claim for an increase for fibromyalgia.

To me, its sounds like someone didn't do their job right to begin with, and I had to wait for someone to correct that, and that caused delays through no fault of my own.

Edited March 8, 2012 by eganusn

[cooter]

eganusa, did you hand carry your docs to the VARO or send them thru mail requesting certified w/return receipt? If you hand carried them did they stamp date and time on them. If so, theres your proof. The same on the return receipt.

Coot

[eganusn]

cooter, I initially mailed the documents w/return receipt-confirmation. I made copies of all that I sent just in case. I also gave a copy of what I sent to my POA as well. Its kind of dumbfounding. The VCAA docs I submitted had "Requesting increase consideration for SC Fibromyalgia" It was plainly on there. Whoever was working on it initially didn't include that for some reason.

[JR Reihs]

Whoever was working on it initially didn't include that for some reason.

Which has haapened thousands of times. Also your paperwork on this issue could have been mixed in with another Vets c-file and was just found. Who knows, it's the VA.

Hope you get this straightened out soon.

[eganusn]

JR, appreciate the response. Thats exactly what I'm thinking. I really want to be fair to the VA, but when things like this happen, how can one be objective?