New Button

[rdawg]

upload documents.

I have no need to use it so I didn't check out it's functionality.

[71M10]

Well I received an answer to my complaint that I had not received an answer to my two December 2012 IRIS inquiries.

It states: We received your inquiry related to the status
of your appeals. A review of the file indicates the appeals are assigned to a
Decision Review Officer, and a Veteran Service Representative in the Detroit
Regional Office. A review of the appeals are due during the months of March,
2013, and April, 2013. However, there may be a delay due to the volume of
claims in the office.

Thank you for contacting us. If you have questions or need additional help with
the information in our reply, please respond to this message or see our other
contact information below.

Sincerely,

Keith Sekuterski

Veterans Service Center Manager

ms

My response was:

Please show me the basic respect of reading this entire message.

My inquiry was a complaint on not having received an answer to two previous IRIS inquiries in December 2012. Nothing in this answer is an explanation as to why I was not given the basic respect of an answer to my inquiry the first time I asked for information.

As for theresponse I did receive, as it is written, it indicates that that Detroit VARO’s expected completion of a DRO review
of a decision starts at 2 years 2 months? Sir it was due a response much earlier than March or April 2013. Additionally, I am told there might be a delay? Multiple times throughout the last year I have been told by VA employees on the 800 827 1000 phone line that Detroit’s
average DRO processing time was under a year (it was above 300 days, but less than a year). They then indicated that
mine must be complicated to be taking this long. This appeal only deals with 2 issues, not 10 or 19 or 27.

In an inquiry to the 800 number last year in August I was told on July 25^, 2012 the VSR or DRO working on this appeal indicated additional medical information was needed before they could render a decision. On September 11, 2012 I contacted the 800 number and was told the exam/opinion had not been requested and that there was no suspense date on the file. eBenefits indicates those exams were
requested on January 2, 2013 at 1:52 and 1:57. Am I to understand that 5 months 5 days is the standard amount of time
it takes Detroit VARO to request an exam?

It would be greatly appreciated if a review could be managed in March or April, it is my sincere hope that a well thought and factually correct decision that complies with all aspects of VA law and regulations is rendered.

Again I offer to participate in an informal conference (phone or in person) to discuss the letter of 11/12/2007 from Dr. XXXX YYYY, the copy of the handwritten note from him that was appended the copy of my C-file and SMR’s that he reviewed (forwarded to VA in Feb 2012), the two
VA decisions that indicate my service connected back injury have caused kyphosis and scoliosis in my thoracic spine (entitling me to a rating for
kyphoscoliosis 6842) and last but not least the VA heart Echocardiogram (dated12/07) that clearly indicates right ventricle hypertrophy and VA decisions for hypertension and hypertensive heart disease that indicate I have right ventricle hypertrophy. VASRD clearly states Kyphoscoliosis with right ventricle hypertrophy is to be rated at 100%, regardless of PFT values. If the law and VA regulations (M21-1MR) were followed in the first place this entire appeal would not have been necessary.

Which led to this response received within minutes of sending my updated inquiry:

We have already appropriately responded to your other requests for this same information. Therefore, we must discontinue any
further responses to you regarding this issue. Please feel free to contact us at https://iris.va.gov, call
us toll free at (800) 827-1000, or visit our web site at www.va.gov anytime if there is another way we may
assist you.ms

Now that is quality customer service!! Maybe they just should have sent me a video of a 5 year old with his fingers jammed in thier ears saying "I cant Hear You" over and over.

[plummer]

I live in southeastern Michigan,and the VA here in Detriot is broken and no one cares. I called my state senater Carl Levin. What I found out was that your VSO's DRO's your rater's all work in the same building but different floor's.The 11 and 12 th floors of the federal building here in Detroit. I said that no one cares because Detroit was voted worst place to live on a CNN pole. My claim started in 06 and now it's 2013,for seven years same place just different floors. Everyone goes out to lunch together,date and have drinks together. I'm a Beirut Marine and now I have a NOVA lawyer. I have friends that have died before they could use any benfits,so please dont give up!! This is for the one's that did'nt make it and for the one that will be there in the future. I hope you kept all of your documents,Detroit is one of those places where they shredded up records in 08. Semper-fi

[Pete53]

Whether or not you have a blue button is dependent on when your VARO implements it. For me it is so far behiond it is not any good.

[rpowell01]

I uploaded two documents a few nights ago. Afterwards you get a receipt you print for your records stating they received the documents. They are on the right track but the process is slow. I made sure they have recieved my IMO because I sent them my IMO but they are still asking for evidence which I guess is the norm no matter what.

[71M10]

Well since Detroit cant get my AB8 letter to display my percentage and the Employment preferance letter states I'm in receipt of pension for Non-service connected reasons. I am guessing those serviced by Detroit VARO will get that button about a year after Sec Sinsheski gets that average processing time down to under 125 days.

Best regards,

[meghp0405]

Everything on my FDC claim (increase) submitted in Dec 2012 is gone since this weekend. Shows the claim but nothing been submitted what a piece of junk. Can't they just get it right, from what I see it will not be in our lifetime LOL.

You have probably heard this many times before, but the ebenefit site is never up to date, inacurate and missing information. Most VARO's that I have delt with are completing the FDC in 90 days. About a month longer if you just retired and were awarded 50% or more. Hang in there!