100% Service Connected Award Received December, Suspended In January?

[TripleDeuce10thMTN]

After a long stressful wait during the slow claims process, I was awarded 100% Service Connected Disability and received my retroactive payment and the first monthly payment in December 2012. PRAISE GOD! I thought the long battle was won... I was then disappointed to discover no January payment so with several calls to the helpline, no idea what the problem was, give it another month they said...no February payment either. By this time my wife and I are checking ebenefits and calling the helpline regularly again. This is so frustrating and confusing but finally a new claim pops up on Ebenefits, "Eligibility Determination". So after all the time it took the VA to determine I was eligible for Service Connection, a month after they figured that out they have to begin the process over again? Nothing has changed on my end, nothing. Sorry but I'm confused. Anyone ever hear of the VARO doing this? if so how often do they suspend awards to determine if you're still eligible?

[jbasser]

You need an attorney.

The VA must notify you if there was a mistake or a cue in the award.

J

[Philip Rogers]

Technically, they can't just suspend payments. They need to notify you of their intention and allow you a specific time period to respond and/or request a hearing. They need to follow "due process." Meanwhile, I'd tighten my budget and remove any monies they deposited into your account and place them in another bank or safe deposit box, where VA can't access the funds.

pr

[TripleDeuce10thMTN]

Thanks J and Philip, I checked back on ebenefits and now they are showing on the new claim "Contentions 21- 0820: resume veteran's award", so hopefully they realized they're mistake but this is March, the third month of no payments. I spent 14 years in and they were the best, I couldn't believe they let me get up every day and put on that uniform, but this whole process sure makes me miss humping a ruck sack... at least I KNEW my check was going to be in the bank and on time!

[Berta]

This wasn't a temporary 100% convalescence rating claim, was it?

PR and JB are right...they dont"suspend" anything unless they made a CUE.

I posted here this AM or yesterday that, since the VA is under the gun due to the H VAC hearings and media reports as to the unconscionable backlog, They are trying to whip out decisions faster than usual ...and I bet they making many errors in the process.

I know this must be very frustrating for you.

Do you have a vet rep or VSO on your POA who could possibly look into this more?

If you tell me the VARO maybe I would have their fax number you could use to ask them about the ebenefits note.

Or you could use the IRIS email system at the main VA web site and ask them what the ebenefits statement means.,

[TripleDeuce10thMTN]

Thank you Berta, Nothing in my award packet mentioned temporary or convalescence.. I am not familiar with the term CUE, is that like a note in their system?

We did contact the DAV back during the claims process and filled out the POA, I have heard nothing but great and wonderful things about DAV but the closest location to us, we visited was in a neighboring state, and in the middle of a move to a new location and didn't really seem to have the staff to help so we called them back a few times throughout the claim but each time we got the same person who didn't have the time or answers. We never received so much as a letter or phone call back. Since then we have ourselves moved and not intentionally, but it happens to be closer to the VARO which is Manchester, NH. My wife thought it would be a good idea to contact a different DAV now since they are already listed with the VA as our POA and we are closer to the city.

[Berta]

"Since then we have ourselves moved"

Is the VA fully aware that you moved? or

Do you still have Direct deposit with the same bank that accepted the retro?

You might want to double check with IRIS as to what address they sent the checks to , if they did send them.

IRIS is at the main www.va.gov/ web site under Contact Us.

It is best to get their rely via email so they cant make anything up. Or maybe a different DAV NSO can help you find out what the status is on your comp checks.