Appeal Frustration And Lost And Confused

[demeat]

Fellow hadit followers,

 

I am not sure where I could put this post because while I would like it to be a victory, there has been some bumps in the road.  I am trying to find out if there is something or someone that I could talk to who would be able to help me speed up an appeal that has been pending since 2007.  I have been informed as of recently that the reason that it keeps getting pushed back is because I have had other claims that was out and those seem to take precedence over an outstanding appeal. 

 

To speed forward, I have flat feet and have surgery on my left foot and I am in need on surgery on the right, plus they have to go back into my left foot to remove the pin in my ankle (that is now starting to protrude out).  At the present time I am not able to afford to be out of work for an extended period of time to have the surgeries but at the present time my ailments have put hindrance  on my day to day life.  The issue with my feet have not escalated more to my knees and cortisone shots and pain pills are not helping.  My private podiatrist keeps stressing that I need to have the surgery, but I am trying to hold out as long as I can.  I have contacted my local service organization (not sure if I can put the group down), as well as the VA case management in DC.  I am continuing to hear the same thing time and time again.  I am in the last stage of waiting for a date for the travel board hearing in Atlanta, but I don’t know how long that would be.  The last word I got was that I should hear something within the next 6 months, but I am not sure if that is some more of the VA stringing me along or accurate information. 

 

If anyone can help me with my dilemma, please help.  Also any additional information that is needed from me, please feel free to contact me. 

 

Thanks in advance !

[justrluk]

Hello everyone,

Thanks for the information that I received and I am trying to get my appeal moving as of right now... I have contacted the VA in DC and have gotten word that I would still have to wait to hear back from the regional office hear in Atlanta!!! ����. Also I have contacted my local congressman here and I am waiting to hear some word from them.

The DAV told me that my docket number was 9 (not sure what that means) and I should be hearing something by the end of this year to early next year. I have been informed not to file anymore claims or appeals until this one has cleared up due to all the confusion that I am going thru with this one.

So at the present moment I guess the wait continues while the health decreases ��. As I hear more I will continue to add to this post .. Thanks for the great and wise wisdom

D -

When did you file your appeal? What is your date of appeal according to the VA? I was told the same thing by the DAV over a year ago. I switched VSOs earlier this year, and still haven't seen/heard any motion. I was also told there were only 9 DROs in the ATL VARO (I asked for a DRO review) and I'm trying to at least get a better sence of when my appeal will be resolved.

Thanks!

[demeat]

Justrluk,

I contacted the congressman in my area and just found out yesterday that the Atlanta VA isn't doing anymore scheduling anymore appeals for the remaining of the year. I was informed that I would be coming up on the first quarter of 2013 so hopefully this will happen!!!

[justrluk]

The info is helpful, but disappointing. I'm so tired of the process of working through the VA systems being a part-time job. I'd rather have a colonoscopy prep than continue to deal with the VA appeals process. If I didn't have much at stake here, I'd kill the two I have on file. No more energy to deal with the buffoonery. Sorry for whining.

[john999]

Justrluk

Hang in there! Is there any money left on the table in your appeals you might just look around for a lawyer to take it from here and hand it off to him/her. I could never have done my CUE without a lawyer. The VA appeals process would have just tied me up in knots. If you beat the BCMR then I think you can win with the VA.

John

[justrluk]

John,

Sorry; had a bad morning and the big "D" took over. I should have gone home for the day to re-group, but didn't have vacation to do it. Called the psych and he helped talk me out of the tree. The meds mix isn't working the way it should - too many valleys and the peaks are happening again. I sent you an IM, but again thanks. Sometimes even those of us that have been in the system for almost a decade (can't believe it's been that long already) get hung up once in a while.

[broncovet]

Justrluck..

I LOVED your post. (about the colonoscopy the VA gives us when we file claims...I wonder why they need to look "up there" for reasons to deny us?). I also loved you referring to the claims process system as "buffoonery".

Its too bad we cant just email the VA a picture of our rectum so they can analyze that, instead of sticking a colonoscopy scope "up there", to try to find an excuse to deny.

After all, that would eliminate the infections caused by sticking their head up our rectums looking for an excuse to deny.

Maybe, as you said, you were depressed, but, as Berta said it, if you dont have PTSD you will by the time you get done dealing with the VA.