Anyone Seen This Before?

[USMC5811]

an AB8 letter change BEFORE the status shows completed? That is what I am seeing right now - the AB8 letter shows a change but the status moved from Decision Approval back to Gathering Dust Phase.

Claim received by VA in June 2011

C&P's completed in early March 2012

Results of C&P's received in April 2012

Sat in Gathering of Dust phase until May 2nd - move to Review of Evidence

Requested copy of C&P's for me to review July 2012 and received them within 7 days

Back to Gathering of Dust Phase

Mailed DBQ's to rebutt C&P's in August 2012

Back to Review of Evidence after VA received them in the middle of August 2012

Back to Gathering Dust in September 2012

Prep for Decision last part of December 2012

Pending Decision Approval Jan 7, 2013

Reset Pending Decision Approval to Jan 8, 2013 with a annotation right below the phase - stating that after a second review, VA needs more evidence and will be contacting us. AB8 shows blank now for % = just the % symbol and nothing else there

QTC calls Jan 9th stating VA wants pictures of scars.

Jan 10th - pictures taken by QTC and reportedly sent to VA digitally

Jan 17th went back to Gathering Dust Phase

Jan 18th still in Gathering Dust Phase but now AB8 shows.....drum roll please.....100%. AB3 letter shows "total disability is permanent not scheduled for future exams" and DD1172 letter is also there (already have commissary and military ID card - husband 22 years retired).

To be honest I was taken aback at seeing the AB8 letter and the percentage and am thinking that "Peggy" changed the information just to mess with my head - I actually laughed and pictured "Peggy" doing just that. I won't believe anything until I see the letter in my hands and/or the money in the bank. Did not put in for IU...don't think the contentions would add up to 100 (scheduler) rating with VA Math even though there are more then a few of em and still working though hanging on by a string.

Only time will tell........

[MarkInTexas]

Congratulations on the progress, USMC! I definitely understand what you are talking about regarding VSO interaction. I met mine once at the Houston VARO, and outside of the one letter from the VA showing that I had given the American Legion power of attorney over my case, that was it for any substantial contact.

I will say though that I used (and continue to use) my VSO as a way to bypass the VA's 1-800 system. When I call the AL number in Houston, I usually get a warm body that will tell me if the VSO's are in or not, and if so, I usually can get to talk to one on the phone to get my own status. They pretty much only have what a VA employee accesses, and don't have a crystal ball either. But it beats waiting on the phone forever too.

Something tells me that they aren't "lobbying" my case with the VA raters or anything like that, and that they spend most of their time on the phones or meeting new walk-ins. However, as I mentioned, they can be more informative than ePeggy and less of a wait time than the 1-800 number.

Mark