Hardship Case

[#1Cavtrooper]

Does anyone know approximate timelines for a claim to be finished once "hardship" paperwork has been submitted? Just how quick will it expedite the claim process? Anyone that has done this please respond also. Thnx

[UsmcSGTVet]

My claim started October 2010, filed for hardship due to eviction same time. Claim went to preparation for decision September 2011 still no decision. My claim is not the standard. You could hear something quick depends on workload and how many are in front of you. Get a hobby, study every angle of your claim. Just stay busy and hope your VSO is doing there job. Stay positive as much as possible.

[#1Cavtrooper]

@UsmcSGTVet which Varo are you with? I am with probably the most backlogged in the nation > Houston. Per my Vso recommendation, today I faxed papers to his office. Please see "Lot of Activity" thread in this forum to include activity on 4/4/2012 with my claim.

Edited April 10, 2012 by #1Cavtrooper

[UsmcSGTVet]

Mines at the Pittsburgh RO

[Mil T]

There are only 2 hardships per the VA.

1. Financial which usually is for bankruptcy or forclosure.

2. life or death.

I have filed both types for a couple of vets. The financial is not as fast but does get a little more attention and moves a little quicker but you need to actually have court paperwork showing either the Bankruptcy or forclosure.

On the Life or Death, they made a decision in 2 weeks. Although it was a denial because the Doctor did not use the right wording for the leukemia this person has. We have the Doctor writing the correct wording on his condition. He has been given 6 months to live so they are expediting.

It is so important to make sure that the doctors you use that diagnose SC conditions such as for Agent Orange presumptive illnesses use the correct words when sending in their letters or DBQ's.

It must say either "Morel likely than not" or "As likely as not" or the examiners will kick it back denied.

Good luck.

Mil T

[Hoppy]

A homless vet I know had his claim expeditied because he was homeless. He was requesting an increased rating plus TDIU. There was a notation in the veterans medical records 10 years before his request and repeated by various clinicians over the ten year period that the veteran was homeless. The RO placed an tag on his file to indicate it was an expeditited claim. It took 90 days with some prodding by his SO. The SO told the veterans that even though he requested an expeditied claim, when she originally went to the RO they did not mark the file as an expeditied claim. When she inquired as to why it was not being expeditied it took only a month from that time for about a total of 90 days.

[Teac]

There used to be a time when a veteran stated he had a financial hardship the va would rush the claim through the system.. this without any proof of the hardship... But..... veterans have abused this claim so now it is almost impossible for a claim to get advanced unless it is due to pending death....Dealing with Houston also makes it almost impossible to expect anything extra....

The facts be known...almost every veteran has a financial hardship of one kind or another especially durning the last few years... To push your claim ahead of everyone else's just means we all have to wait longer for our claims to be processed... Some veterans have claims much older than yours......

Edited April 23, 2012 by Teac