ptsd Va Disability Claim Error Rate Hits 26 Percent In Oakland Regional Office

[carlie]

http://vetlawyers.co...nn+%26+Moore%29

"Bergmann & Moore Testify Before Congress: VA Disability Claim Error Rate Hits 26 percent in Oakland Regional Office

On April 24, 2012, in B&M News, Department of Veterans Affairs, Disabled Veterans, In the News, Politics, VA Disability Benefits, Veterans, Veterans Law, by VetLawyers

"The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) made a stunning admission at last week’s Congressional hearing about VA’s backlog inventory of 1.1 million claims.

For the first time, VA revealed more than one-in-four disability compensation claims processed by VA’s beleaguered Oakland office are riddled with errors. Almost all of VA mistakes are against Veterans, forcing them to appeal.

Paul Sullivan, managing director of public affairs & veterans outreach here at Bergmann & Moore, testified before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Reporters from the Military Times, NextGov, and the Washington Post covered the hearing.

Sullivan told Congress that when VBA speeds up claim processing, VA makes mistakes. Then Veterans must appeal, often with the assistance of a private practitioner such as Bergmann & Moore.

Sullivan remains especially concerned about the impact of delays on veterans with psychological conditions. Being forced to wait months or years for healthcare and disability benefits for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injuries (TBI), and military sexual trauma (MST) can often worsen a Veteran’s health.

VBA’s Director of Compensation Service Tom Murphy confirmed VBA leaders had met with Veterans advocates, including Sullivan, and were willing to grant attorneys and agents access to their clients’ computer and paper VA files.

Murphy also pledged to lawmakers that staff at Oakland’s VBA Regional Office would receive additional training in coming months to improve productivity and quality.

U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas), a member of the Committee, admonished VA during his opening remarks: “VA should remember that ‘VA’ should stand for ‘Veteran Advocate’ and not ‘Veteran Adversary.’”

Wednesday’s hearing was titled, “From the Inside Out: A Look at Claims Representatives’ Role in the Disability Claims Process.” Bergmann & Moore testified on behalf of the National Organization of Veterans’ Advocates.

The hearing was held as investigative journalist Aaron Glantz of the Bay Citizen reported on very serious problems our Veterans face at VBA’s Oakland Regional Office:

April 15: “Veterans’ Disability Claims Buried Under Paperwork: The average wait for a decision in the Bay Area is now 313 days.”

April 16: “VA Pledges to Overhaul Disability Claims System: Promise comes after The Bay Citizen reveals Bay Area veterans wait an average of 313 days.”

April 19: “Send Immediate Help’ to Oakland’s VA, Say Bay Area Reps: Letter to veterans secretary cites ‘extreme disappointment’ over decision not to overhaul troubled office”

[retiredat44]

One of the big problems, IMHO, is that the morons (people who work the claims) who screw up never pay any price for ruining disabled vet's lives.. the people who screw up continue with screwing up more people and probably going up the food chain, with raises, vacations, etc, while the poor vets are either limping around, homeless, or says 'F' it! and kills themself..

If they had an 'intake' process where you could actually present your claim to someone that actually cared, instead, you give it to someone who looks like they just got off a greyhound bus, who has this 'F' I wish I wasn't here, in there eyes, and don't cross the yellow line on the floor with a rubber stamp next to a copier... if you could say hey, I have this problem, and while I served, so I need to know if this form is correct, and is this the right form, etc.. instead... you get a form, say, hey I still have a broken ass, or still lead in there, from all that work, and then they take two years to tell you denied, and then you say can I talk to someone in another 2 years, to tell your story, at that point 2 or 3 years has passed... and that condition you came in with is now terminal and you are counting the days and weeks until you either get your appeal, or you die, which ever comes first... and if they don't understand your claim, why the hell don't they pick up the frakkin phone, call and ask to clarify something, instead of the deny rubber stamp!!

So, let's put a system in place that everyone who screws some vet out of their claim, gets fired or demoted... and those that actually care get to stay and maybe even raises and vacations...

If they actually do catch fraud they get some award for doing their job correctly...

When they process the claim they should have to sign an affidavit that says they actually read the evidence... period...

lying sacks of $%%%##@..

The anger and resentment they foster is biblical....

[retiredat44]

300 days my ass, mine has been 17 months since my hearing..

of course mine is San Diego, but that article seems very misleading..

unless my math is wrong,,,

and of course if you go back to my orignal claim it's not even close to those numbers..

I have nightmares (honestly) about see the DRO's hearing officer's face...

and how a vulcan mind meld would dig in and find out what wtf they are hiding in those offices.. (yes, I am trying to be cute,, but it like he was holding back info that would make vets very angry if they spilled the beans on wtf is going on...)... wtf can't they just tell us to our faces it might take a few years, instead they clam up if you say anything about time... yes, they do, they just give you a stare... which is so rude, so mean,,, sorry a tangent.. after all it took a couple years just to get am meeting with a live human being and then you go to the hearing to show them everything they didn't read... and they grill you like you have been charge with a crime... yes, that is exactly hopw it feels... I am not ponitificating.. and I will never get over the trauma of everything that has happened... never ever... I have considered opening a website with an open letter to what I have been through... but am scared it might affect my claim negatievly, they might find a way to screw me even more..

http://vetlawyers.co...nn+%26+Moore%29 "Bergmann & Moore Testify Before Congress: VA Disability Claim Error Rate Hits 26 percent in Oakland Regional Office On April 24, 2012, in B&M News, Department of Veterans Affairs, Disabled Veterans, In the News, Politics, VA Disability Benefits, Veterans, Veterans Law, by VetLawyers "The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) made a stunning admission at last week’s Congressional hearing about VA’s backlog inventory of 1.1 million claims. For the first time, VA revealed more than one-in-four disability compensation claims processed by VA’s beleaguered Oakland office are riddled with errors. Almost all of VA mistakes are against Veterans, forcing them to appeal. Paul Sullivan, managing director of public affairs & veterans outreach here at Bergmann & Moore, testified before the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Reporters from the Military Times, NextGov, and the Washington Post covered the hearing. Sullivan told Congress that when VBA speeds up claim processing, VA makes mistakes. Then Veterans must appeal, often with the assistance of a private practitioner such as Bergmann & Moore. Sullivan remains especially concerned about the impact of delays on veterans with psychological conditions. Being forced to wait months or years for healthcare and disability benefits for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injuries (TBI), and military sexual trauma (MST) can often worsen a Veteran’s health. VBA’s Director of Compensation Service Tom Murphy confirmed VBA leaders had met with Veterans advocates, including Sullivan, and were willing to grant attorneys and agents access to their clients’ computer and paper VA files. Murphy also pledged to lawmakers that staff at Oakland’s VBA Regional Office would receive additional training in coming months to improve productivity and quality. U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas), a member of the Committee, admonished VA during his opening remarks: “VA should remember that ‘VA’ should stand for ‘Veteran Advocate’ and not ‘Veteran Adversary.’” Wednesday’s hearing was titled, “From the Inside Out: A Look at Claims Representatives’ Role in the Disability Claims Process.” Bergmann & Moore testified on behalf of the National Organization of Veterans’ Advocates. The hearing was held as investigative journalist Aaron Glantz of the Bay Citizen reported on very serious problems our Veterans face at VBA’s Oakland Regional Office: April 15: “Veterans’ Disability Claims Buried Under Paperwork: The average wait for a decision in the Bay Area is now 313 days.” April 16: “VA Pledges to Overhaul Disability Claims System: Promise comes after The Bay Citizen reveals Bay Area veterans wait an average of 313 days.” April 19: “Send Immediate Help’ to Oakland’s VA, Say Bay Area Reps: Letter to veterans secretary cites ‘extreme disappointment’ over decision not to overhaul troubled office”

[john999]

The BVA makes errors as well. You combine those with VARO errors and you probably have much worse error rate. Then you have legal gun battles at court of vet appeals and years and years go by.

[71M10]

300 days my ass, mine has been 17 months since my hearing..

of course mine is San Diego, but that article seems very misleading..

unless my math is wrong,,,

and of course if you go back to my orignal claim it's not even close to those numbers..

I have nightmares (honestly) about see the DRO's hearing officer's face...

and how a vulcan mind meld would dig in and find out what wtf they are hiding in those offices.. (yes, I am trying to be cute,, but it like he was holding back info that would make vets very angry if they spilled the beans on wtf is going on...)... wtf can't they just tell us to our faces it might take a few years, instead they clam up if you say anything about time... yes, they do, they just give you a stare... which is so rude, so mean,,, sorry a tangent.. after all it took a couple years just to get am meeting with a live human being and then you go to the hearing to show them everything they didn't read... and they grill you like you have been charge with a crime... yes, that is exactly hopw it feels... I am not ponitificating.. and I will never get over the trauma of everything that has happened... never ever... I have considered opening a website with an open letter to what I have been through... but am scared it might affect my claim negatievly, they might find a way to screw me even more..

The 313 day average mentioned is I believe for an initial award not a Denovo Review or Appeal. My DRO Hearing was March 2011 so I am at 400+ days waiting for decision post hearing.

Best regards,

[john999]

Let's consider that a vet is unable to work due to SC condition. He/she is waiting 400 days to get a decision including a DRO. That is an unreasonable hardship. Unless this vet has assests or some other means of income he/she is broke and probably ruined financially. Most Americans live from paycheck to paycheck. Who can go 6 months without a paycheck?

[71M10]

Let's consider that a vet is unable to work due to SC condition. He/she is waiting 400 days to get a decision including a DRO. That is an unreasonable hardship. Unless this vet has assests or some other means of income he/she is broke and probably ruined financially. Most Americans live from paycheck to paycheck. Who can go 6 months without a paycheck?

John you and Retiredat44 are absolutely right the delays are inpropper and demonstrate apathy at some levels and outright mistreatment of Veterans by some government employees(doctors who by ingnorence, incompetance, or design that can't acurately relate answers given by veterans in C&P exams or who forget half their medical knowledge when submitting thier medical conclussion/finding)

(Edited by original poster, to keep more in line with the topic at hand)

Edited April 27, 2012 by 71M10