Pva Or Dav For Claim

[autumn]

who is the less owned by VA?

regarding my claims for MS and MS secondary issues and spinal injury and related issues, there's no question the VA is doing as little as possible and tossing me bread crumbs and dog bones hoping this will go away.

i'm on my 3rd PVA NSO in as many years regarding all this. and of course he says the same as all the others, like he's "going to do all this super work that should have been done years ago"

there is no question in my mind the VA can and does tell the PVA NSO's "what day it is" regarding some claims.

what experiences have some of had with getting fed up with your NSO service and jumping ship to another SO?

how negatively does that effect a claim?

[Philip Rogers]

While I do agree with Test and PR, I also think there is "some value" to a VSO for "some Vets". Not everyone is as good at research as PR! For example "All" Vets do not necessarily have either computer skills, nor the resources to have a computer and internet that seek benefits. This is why they call them "homeless Veterans". They dont have the skills or resources to fight the VA.

For those, certainly a VSO is better than nothing. You would think most VSO's should at least have a 21-4138 form, and know the address of the RO to send a NOD. Many homeless Vets would would not know what a "RO" even is, much less the address of where to send one.

Of course, a rookie VSO who had no training would be of little use to someone like PR, Berta, or Carlie. Probably skilled researchers like Berta, PR or Carlie once HAD a rookie VSO, and that is what motivated them to learn the system.

Statistically, according to the Chairmans report, the PVA does a better job than the DAV:

The report card is on page 22:

http://www.bva.va.go...s/BVA2011AR.pdf

In terms of denial rate, for 2011, here is how they did:

The attorney was the best with a 17.7% denial rate.

Next was the VVA who lost just 18.1% of the time.

The MOPH/AGents were tied for 3rd place at 21.7%

DAV 22.3%

PVA 22.8%

American Legion 23%

VFW 23.4%

STATE 27%

"Other" 28.8%

AmVets 31.8%

Your chances of a denial were nearly twice as good with an attorney as with the AM vets.

bronco - thanks for the compliment and I agree for the most part. Part of the problem is that the VA trains the VSO's, thereby making them pretty much worthless. They are not taught how to win claims, they merely show them how to fill out forms and how to avoid filing the claims, in the first place. It's not their fault . . . it's the VA's. jmo

pr

[broncovet]

Picking a VSO is problematic. If you find a knowledgeable and competent VSO who has won claims for Vets, he will likely be too busy to assist you.

However, the rookies or ones who have made Vets mad have lots of time to do your POA!

[autumn]

when I jumped after AL, DAV and PVA I jumped to a lawyer and less than 18 months later I was properly rated at SMC S, I spent from Dec 2002 to June 2007 trying to get my cardiac issues SC using VSOs some told me I would never get it SC others told me to start over and get my hypertension rated at 10% first and then go for IHD I was to stupid to quit and I kept the original claim active by filing appeals NODs asking for DRO hearings etc even my Congressmans military liason told me I needed to learn to accept NO for an answer that was in Aug 2007 in June 2009 I won and got back pay back to my PTSD effective date of Dec 2003.

I have no use for an VSO anymore I file my own paperwork and when it gets denied I let the lawyer handle it saves me new PTSD symptoms lol I think it was Berta who stated if you don't have PTSD before dealing with the VAROs you will have it before you are finished I truly think the nations VAROs could pizz off the POPE

exactly what i've finding/going through. i just can't commit to an attorney yet. one, i don't know who is really good, and two, i've done way too much work and spent way much to get this far and to give away 25%, well, i'm not there yet. appreciate the insight

[autumn]

I recommend none of them and suggest that if the claimant has any common sense, the ability to read, access to a computer/internet and can type w/one or two fingers, that they do it themselves. All the info you need is on the internet these days and no one will work your claim like you will. jmo

pr

gettting close to dumping them all, really. i've done way more work than any of these NSO's and the one attorney. i did notice that with the one attorney my SC for MS took about a year whereas with PVA things were at a standstill for 2+ years and the claim still isn't complete.

thats why im convinced the VA can tell PVA what to do, though they wont admit that. serious conflict of interests

[autumn]

While I do agree with Test and PR, I also think there is "some value" to a VSO for "some Vets". Not everyone is as good at research as PR! For example "All" Vets do not necessarily have either computer skills, nor the resources to have a computer and internet that seek benefits. This is why they call them "homeless Veterans". They dont have the skills or resources to fight the VA.

For those, certainly a VSO is better than nothing. You would think most VSO's should at least have a 21-4138 form, and know the address of the RO to send a NOD. Many homeless Vets would would not know what a "RO" even is, much less the address of where to send one.

Of course, a rookie VSO who had no training would be of little use to someone like PR, Berta, or Carlie. Probably skilled researchers like Berta, PR or Carlie once HAD a rookie VSO, and that is what motivated them to learn the system.

Statistically, according to the Chairmans report, the PVA does a better job than the DAV:

The report card is on page 22:

http://www.bva.va.go...s/BVA2011AR.pdf

In terms of denial rate, for 2011, here is how they did:

The attorney was the best with a 17.7% denial rate.

Next was the VVA who lost just 18.1% of the time.

The MOPH/AGents were tied for 3rd place at 21.7%

DAV 22.3%

PVA 22.8%

American Legion 23%

VFW 23.4%

STATE 27%

"Other" 28.8%

AmVets 31.8%

Your chances of a denial were nearly twice as good with an attorney as with the AM vets.

you're right about the homeless veterans and such. i forgot that (shame on me). so many of them it is sad.

another reason among many i hate the VA system, its rigged to where you almost have to get an attorney to win. what was granted by Congress, now 25% goes to some legal eagle. and the ones i called only discuss sure bets. its a corrupt system.

appreciate the link. that will help me decide.

[autumn]

...

To add to that- the "motivation " factor is highly important.

>>I have seen that lacking in many claimants over the years who believe somehow a vet rep or lawyer can overcome their lack of evidence but they are not motivated enough to find it themselves.

i've heard this same from SO reps and seen it myself. folders tossed onto SO's desks with veteran wanting a magical outcome from basically dust. not all veterans. but i know for experience if there is something in the records the veteran better dig it out and show it because no NSO that has worked on my cases looked at it or looked for it. again,, its up to the veteran.

i will add, back in 80's when i first started this VA journey i didn't know what to do with my records or anything. i took at face value what SO was telling me and took as gospel what outcomes the VARO sent my way. boy did i have it wrong. i didn't realize i could get a civilian doctor to counter the VA until like 5 years ago. i was really *ignorant* of VA stuff. well, the light didn't go off until a civilian doctor told me i had brain lesions and i had MS. *bingo*, exactly what the VA and Navy said i *didn't* have years ago. so the motivation you speak about really didn't set my arse on fire until then. i was like a wounded dog getting kicked about by VA and PVA and taking it cuz i didn't know what was wrong. so, yes, individual motivation is huge regarding us all and VA.

>>Part of my motivation to succeed was to prove how deficient they were. ...

no question, and that motivation is in my blood now too

>A denial letter holds the keys to the eventual award if the medical evidence warrants it.

i have a few of those that over time now holds quite a large key. just depends on how my IMO doctor can word it correctly. good thing i had those old boxes of old docs. the VARO still hasn't sent me copies of old claims decisions that i requested, go figure. i found copies anyways in that old box.

>In the late 1980s I was on Prodigy BBS and we had a former BVA lawyer ,Bill Smith, on the board with us.In those days IMOs were really hardly ever discussed. And many vets won claims without them.

i forgot about Prodigy. indeed, no one that i recall back in late 80's mentioned i should get a IMO. though the Navy did say i should get more spinal taps from VA once discharged. took VA 23 years to do that. Bill Smith i'm sure gave out a lot of good advice.

> Evidence is skimmed over too fast or,worse yet lost, or ignored.

the recent bread crumbs they tossed clearly ignored quite a few evidenced medical conditions and these are ones VA diagnosed!

>Denial rationales are usually to the point.

glad you mentioned this. i'll bring it up with the IMO doctor to ensure it gets included.