Getting A Dic Claim Status

[Berta]

I used to use IRIS for a status of any pending claims.

However, some of my IRISes went unanswered.

Still it is often a good way to get a status of a DIC claim.

Unfortunately widows.widowers cannot use ebenefits but if you call 1-800-827-1000 and click on the #1 first when prompted and then click on # 7 for ebenefits, -if you actually get a person, tell them you are a widow and cannot use ebenefits and they can give you a status on your claim.

The 800# is often very busy to include the # 7 access to ebenefits but -if you call 'after hours' as the VA 800# robot says, at the # 7 ebenefits thing, you can acquire an appointment time in which hopefully VA will call you back during their regular working hours.

I cannot comprehend why widows or widowers cannot use the ebenefits feature but that is the way it is.

Last year every time VA said they would call me back, they did.

[john999]

I am encouraging Berta to write a short book on DIC and I will be first to buy it for my wife. Berta is an expert on my VA areas, but DIC and 1151 are special areas of expertise.

[Berta]

John, that is a good idea but I think in a way I sort of wrote a book about DIC in this forum over the last 10 years.

I used the annual VBM since 1991 for my original DIC claim in 1994 as well as for my husband's 1151 claim that I continued when he died and the VBMs always contained the main DIC regs with any changes over the years.

All of the DIC regulations are pretty cut and dried and available here and within 38 USC,38 CFR and M21-1MR.

The problems occur when the cause of death involves a complex issue and the DIC claim doesn't fall under any other criteria in the regulations and the survivor must prove then that death was caused or contributed to by a service connected condition,or what should have been a SC condition.

That type of DIC claim ,in most cases, requires a very strong IMO.

If it is a Section 1151 DIC claim, it definitely needs an IMO,unless the 1151 issue has already been granted to the veteran in his or her lifetime and it has contributed to the veteran's death as noted on the death certificate and within any autopsy done.

It outrages me when I still see claims at the BVA from survivors, that are remanded for violations of the VCAA.I passed on a suggestion on that , to the TVC with 2 other ideas I had that could impact on the backlog.

The backlog started at the regional offices. ( and the backlog was perpetrated ,in my opinion ,by vet reps and VSOs who don't have the goonyats to question erroneous decisions right from the git go -or are so incompetent they dont even know to challenge a denial decision) That is another point I made to the TVC, in a little more diplomatic way.

The backlog must end at the regional office level. That is where it all began. It is not the fault of the BVA or of the CAVC and those entities are plagued by it's consequences.

[mrs rockman (widow of vet)]

1. Berta, your posting was so heartfelt and you do know what I am going through now. If you have never been in our place,you can empathize with a person and be very sincere about it, but you cannot know what that person is actually going through. When you are going through the grieving process, your feelings are all over the place and you never know what will spark a memory and you just end up stopping where you are and just start crying. Your emotions are everywhere.
   
2. Berta, when I see what you yourself have gone through in your life, it gives me inspiration that I can also persevere and make it through all of the rough times.
   
3. David knew he did not have much time and told me over and over all day that he loved me. He would say that he wanted me to know he loved me, no matter what. He wanted to make sure that when he left his world, I would know he loved me. When I think of this, that was such a beautiful thing to do. He also wanted me to be able to carry on long after and not to give up. I know that it seems impossible right now, but I will make it through this dark time for Rockman and for myself.
   

I do hope with all sincerity that my postings are not in any way bringing up painful memories for you, for this is not my intention. Posting has some sort of therapeutic effect and maybe it is just that you are putting it down in print how you are feeling at the time. It kind of helps release some of your pinned up feelings and frustrations too.

"My grief was compounded by overwhelming anger ."

I had also forgotten how very angry I was with the VA and how much I wanted to go after them with every bit of energy I had and even more!! When we found out in 2010 that VA knew Rockman had Interstitial lung disease at least as of 04/29/05 at his Agent Orange Registry Exam , we were both furious!! We also had very good private insurance at the time and could have gotten plenty of care. Va only sent him page 1 & page 2 for the summary of the AO Exam. Page 3 contained the interstitial lung disease diagnosis and was discovered when we began printing up his progress notes etc.

LESSON #1- You need to routinely go to the ROI Office and have them print up your medical notes etc. If you do print them about every other exam or about every 3 times, you should be able to sit and wait on them in the ROI Office. They may make you come back in an hour or so. If you wait until you have too much to print, then they have to mail them to you. This can take sometimes several several weeks. IT IS TRULY AMAZING WHAT USEFUL INFORMATION YOU FIND OUT READING YOUR OWN RECORDS!! GET COPIES ! GET COPIES! GET COPIES! PROTECT YOURSELF!

"Someone said when you are grief stricken and feel empty, you must give away what you do not have,to become full again."

This is such good advice and thank you for sharing it. It may be awhile before I can get to that point, but I will one day. I still attend the family support group with the Vet Center weekly and it is such a blessing! I am determined to learn as much as I can concerning PTSD. The guys there have been terrific and always checking on me and are truly concerned about my well being.

BERTA-GUESS WHAT... I forgot to mention this at the top of my posting!

I decided to call the 800 idiots this morning and was only on hold about 5 minutes and did talk to a "LIVE PERSON"!!

She said that it would be about 4 months from Nov, 2nd(when they received the DIC packet) before I may get anything. She said that Milwaukee knew he was 100% P&T at the time of death. My county VSO was worried that they may not have been aware of this and it could hold things up. Just in case, we sent in a copy of the P&T award letter with all of the other DIC info.

Also I went on to eBenefits and looked up the A&A claim that they denied on 08/13/12 and it shows what they did not receive. This was never there before and now it suddenly appears. I guess more research, but will address it later.

Once again, I ended up posting more than I thought that I would .

Thank you for listening.

God Bless!

Celia, Mrs. Rockman (for I will always be Mrs. Rockman!).