How Much Longer, I Really Hate This Question, As I Know All You Hate Seeing It..

[retiredat44]

how much longer, I really hate this question, as I know all you hate seeing it..

I know when this question is asked everyone says, whenever it's ready it's ready,, stop asking,, go fishing come back in 10 years,, please stop asking.. etc..etc..

the usual, and those that know me, already know,, but I have to ask,,

had claim 2009, denied,,, all the usual appeal stuff

had DRO hearing December 2010, had SOC January 2011...

so far,, out of 6 issues, 3 had the SOC (plus SSOC). The remaining 3 issues had no answer, awaiting a decision..

been a long time...

Maybe in each region, there are differing times on when they get around to working on claims..

actually, I had one thing move in my claim, in January 2012, I had another c&p, this on for my left knee...

other than that no movement.. at least not openly, known to me

I have a representative, an American Legion VSO,

my VA Regional Office is San Diego..

I have no idea if it makes a difference if I am already rated, but I am currently at 50% since 1997...

the issues I am claiming go back to when I was on active duty, and all were from medical conditions and issues from when I was on active duty 30 years ago..

I already had a Form 9 in for an appeal to cover any issues that are still denied, so there is nothing left for me to do..

How close for an answer for my DRO hearing from December 2010, on the remaining 3 issues that I never got an SOC for,,

I believe the SOC I got for 3 issues means they are still denied, and the remaining 3 issues are not denied, and am awaiting their decisin.

My Question, how long for an answer, as it has almost been 1.5 years since the DRO hearing...

Should an answer be coming any day now, or will it be even longer than 1.5 years for the answer on a DRO hearing, from this office? Is it the current normal time for DRO hearing 1.5 years for answer on issues that have not been denied? Did the C&P for an issue mean it's moving forward at the current time? Does anyone have insight on San Diego and if they are slow or fast in this 2012 time frame?

My big problem (6 issues,, is pancreas disease,,,) I don't want to rehash all issues, but depression, Neuro diseases (tremors, shaking, balance, weakness, limb jerking, muscle twisting, fatigue. The there are more problems like, knee damage, limb swelling, intestinal disease. Degenerative disc disease, eye disease, very long list and more.

Not all issues are being claimed

Chronic severe pain and meds for it (20 years)

I am dying slowly from pancreas disease, the don't know how long I have but it's incurable. I am just wasting away...

MY main question is, how much longer for a decision for the DRO hearing on the 3 remaining issues, main disease pancreas disease, and hospitalization and surgeries going back since hospitalization in 1980 for intestinal disease on active duty. Chemical exposure (soaked in chemicals causing disease is in my SMR's from active duty.. and that is not in dispute... as the Air Force doctors actually noted the problems with chemicals and illness while on active duty.. for swelling and headaches.., also for tremors, and gastritis...).

Is the DRO getting closer to the decision? 1.5 years..... and boxes of medical records that the VA has had the whole time...

I know everyone will say when they are ready, they are ready,,, but someone must know some time frame??

my family desperately needs closure and help... all these years have destroyed our lives... my daughter has struggled for school money and help... our cars are junk.... my disease has kept me laying around sick for 20 years,, with no ability to work...

yet this constant wait and denials destroyed our lives... plus I live with constant suffering, and exams so they can watch the cysts on my pancreas continue to grow,,,,, knowing the next surgery could most likely be my death, since the last one was 6 months in a hospital bed to try to remove a 5 inch pancreas cyst.. learned to eat and walk again after 1 year in wheel chair... showing signs of new disease,,, and getting a new disease every couple of years.. just how much longer for a yes or no, and then the BVA hearing can use the tape from my DRO hearing.. for any issues left denied..

Thanx, for listening to me ramble on again in these forums, I know I have asked many times before... I Just wanted to say thank you, as just being able to ask again in these forums helps...

Thank all of you for your ears..

Steven

[carlie]

I don't undertstand,

I can only tell you I am currently rated at 50% for headaches from chemicals from working with petroleum chemicals and fuels.I was rated in 1997.

retired,

OK - you are currently only SC'd for Headaches and they are evaluated

at 50 percent.

What Diagnostic Code (DC) is this rated under ? Is it DC 8100 - Migraines.

[retiredat44]

retired,

OK - you are currently only SC'd for Headaches and they are evaluated

at 50 percent.

What Diagnostic Code (DC) is this rated under ? Is it DC 8100 - Migraines.

hi,

I will look soon... like I said, I am so damned depressed everytime I mess with the papers..

I just got back from driving 90 miles round trip to the VA office, and also left a copy of the paperwork with my VSO, she took an interest and looked up to see what was going on with my claim, and I of course delivered everyone at the va, the copy of my 'Hardship Request' and they timestamped it at the desk. of course the time going there, being there, is never pleasant,

it's huge PIA...

...story of bad time just trying to park and get through security-(they are really a nasty bunch) is enough to push sane people to go insane...) there was a guy in front of me cussing at the security for being pushed over the edge,, and I don't blame him,... I tell you San Diego, Mission Valley R egional VA security is horrific in people skills.. plus there is no parking after 8 am, there are hundreds more cars than parking spaces.. and the next closest parking is quite a walk...

of course no one wants to hear me groan and gripe,, so just saying, thank you very much, as I tried getting this done last year and it appears no one else would do it, my VSO didn't after I begged her many times... last year, so I finally got it done.. (she seems nice, knowledgable, but I am left with a lot of doubt about these service organizations, almost going to rant and say we get what we pay for).

My VSO said she will read my letter later... she has thousands of appeals in cabinet surrounding here, she said the appeals in the cabinets next to her go back to 2005.

so, while I get pissed for her not doing enough,,, I have to hold back and think, hey, she is probably doing her best...

my original VSO (near my home) left for some new job in the organization, and left me and probably others with no represenative a couple years ago, so I ended up moving my claim 50 miles South of me, to the American Legion office in San Diego... so going there sucks...

[retiredat44]

btw, my vso told me today (yesterday I mean) that my form 9's were filled out and submitted in 2009. So, the road to the BVA started way back then...

I can't think, I am tired but my mind is caught up in wondering when the hell everything will get better..

tick tock....... 11:30 p.m..

[jbasser]

Retired, you would be better off with an attorney.

VSO's are great for some things but at the current level your claim is a matter of legal precedence and out of t he RO's hands.

Do you really want some VSO handling your claim at that level.

You need someone who knows veterans law and can practice as well as argue your case,

Your claim is only as good as the evidence and the argument you make supporting it. It is your and your family's future and way of life that is at stake.

You need the best possible representation available.

J

[retiredat44]

Last weekend (04-07-12) I did an IRIS (online) request.. I requested a (USPS response)..

Last Wednesday I went in person and handed in a hardship form, to both the VA claims and My VSO,, today I recieved (USPS) a stupid standard form letter, saying something like ' thank you for submitting a claim' and due to the large volume of claims.... blah blah, blah..

my Claim was originally submitted 36 months ago...

the DRO hearing was December 2010.

Form 9's were sent out 2 years ago..

had a C&P for my Left Knee (January 2012) (damaged my knee on active duty..) chondromalacia.

Still no decision for Pancreas and the other issues in this thread.. pancreas is the biggie... (terminal disease).. with complications, too many to ever list here,,

all other issues are small pototates as far as health goes...

I hope I at least get a decent IRIS answer.. (the website says it takes about 5 days..)..

Edited April 17, 2012 by retiredat44

[retiredat44]

I only asked for a US mail response, I never out down e-mail, yet, somehow they got the e-mail address sent me some crazy worded statement (canned info, put in the wrong dates, put in the wrong claim names on the injuires and diseases, and even said I filed a claim on April 11, 2012, that was the day I hand delivered a hardship claim on a statemnet form,.. but they took all the info put it into a blender and printed out garbage...... I am blown away by the incompetence of the IRIS Inquiry system,, I would tel anyone that tries to use it don't bother! it's a total farce...

If a human actually touched that info that were the dumbest person ever... What a waste of time it is trying to communicate with the nincompoops over there...

I was dumb enough to think If i asked for it to be (USPS) mailed to me, it would be correct, intelligable, yet I get crap in my e-mail...

I would not even bother posting it here, you would think I was to dumb to read and post it, if you saw what I have in my hand.. the people working there should be brought up on charges of destroying Veterans claims and purposely being stupid... un frakkin believable..

I have the IRIS InQUIRY in motion which is supposed to give me answers by next week... on the state of my appeals and locations.. I am going to get workon gon th e Harship paperwok myself, even though I already had asked my vso to do that a long time ago, I will get it going by sometime next week. I think I had better do thinks a little at a time, like let a week go by so I don't stack things on top of each other... it might make things worse if I just make a lot of requests al at the same time,, but as you guys belive so do it, it's time to start moving things along.... Unless you guys think I should just do all of these things immediately... instead of one by one...

IN other words, should I wait for the IRIS Inquiry answers before the Hardship request, or just do the hardship asap?,, and the writ stuff... is it really time for that of where does that fit in,, also, how do I let the vso know that I tried to get them to do things but they did not get them done so I have to start them on my own...

???

Thank you,

Steven

Edited April 19, 2012 by retiredat44