Provisional Claim Closed

[Alishape]

I am writing because I finally got my big brown envelope and I have some new info regarding the process. My claim was closed and I was given a provisional rating under the new initiative to close older claims. Several of my contentions were denied, but the letter said I could submit new evidence for a year before the rating decision became permanent. I had some info, but wasn't sure where to send it because according to ebenefits the claim was closed, leaving me with no electronic submission option. Plus the claim said to send the info to the address at the top of the letter. That's cool and everything except for two things. First, ebenefits also states that my claim is on the way to the scanning center and second, my claim was fast tracked at a different RO than my original RO. The address at the top of the letter was not the same as the one on the envelope. Of course being a good ex-sailor I followed the directions on the letter.

I felt a little shakey about the whole thing so I called Peggy. Peggy said that he was going to put in a request to have my claim reopened. That means no lengthy appeals process, and access to electronic document submission if it gets reopened. He also suggested I fill out a VA form 21-4138 statement in support of claim to send in with the documents. I'll keep you all posted on how it goes, but so far I'm feeling pretty optimistic. I wanted to share because I know I had been looking for some info about this new initiative and others will be too. More later...

[cham1968]

I am writing because I finally got my big brown envelope and I have some new info regarding the process. My claim was closed and I was given a provisional rating under the new initiative to close older claims. Several of my contentions were denied, but the letter said I could submit new evidence for a year before the rating decision became permanent. I had some info, but wasn't sure where to send it because according to ebenefits the claim was closed, leaving me with no electronic submission option. Plus the claim said to send the info to the address at the top of the letter. That's cool and everything except for two things. First, ebenefits also states that my claim is on the way to the scanning center and second, my claim was fast tracked at a different RO than my original RO. The address at the top of the letter was not the same as the one on the envelope. Of course being a good ex-sailor I followed the directions on the letter.

I felt a little shakey about the whole thing so I called Peggy. Peggy said that he was going to put in a request to have my claim reopened. That means no lengthy appeals process, and access to electronic document submission if it gets reopened. He also suggested I fill out a VA form 21-4138 statement in support of claim to send in with the documents. I'll keep you all posted on how it goes, but so far I'm feeling pretty optimistic. I wanted to share because I know I had been looking for some info about this new initiative and others will be too. More later...

Congratulations! and hopefully everything else goes well too. If You don't mind could you post your timeline for your claim and which RO. Also your ratings and what was denied. Thanks for your service God Bless OOh Rahh!

Edited May 24, 2013 by cham1968

[Alishape]

I don't have my packet with me here at work but it pretty much goes like this. (A helpful person at the VA hospital helped me with filing. Not sure what her position title is, but she's there to help vet's with claims and I had to make an appointmet and everything. Anyways she pulled everything except the MS out of my copy of my medical record, which is what I'm using to send in new info.) Oh and I have a couple of zero percents, too.

Filed orig clam Jul 2010

C&P scheduled late 2010

Filed MS claim Nov 2011

C&P for MS and back Mar 2013

Claim moved from Balimore RO to Hartford RO Mar 2013

Prep for decision to VA letter 15APR13-13-May

Multiple Sclerosis: 30%

Degenerative disc: 10%

Pituitary adenoma: Denied service conn

Irregular heartbeat: Denied service conn

Headaches: Denied service connection

Gerd: Denied service connection

[meghp0405]

when you get your information together, I would send them to the address where you received your rating decision. If you want to do an NOD, compile your medical documentation to support your claims, then send it in. If, you do an NOD, you need medical documentation to support your reason.

[Alishape]

Here with an update. I mailed some info for the denied contentions to my RO in Baltimore. I also faxed that same info to the RO in Hartford that had temporary jurisdication of the claim when it was closed. I did this at peggy's suggestion, and I hope I didn't complicate things unessecarily. Anyways, they received the packet on the 22nd of last month according to certified mail receipt. On the 6th of this month ebennies posted that they'd received it. When I checked the status this morning, the original claims still has a closed status, but there is a new claim with tthe original claim date. The status of that one says administrative review. So as far as timelines go, I got my fast tracked provisional rating on the 13th of May and one month later after submitting more info, (actually the original info that was in my smrs), I'm back under administrative review. Hopefully a real person is actually reviewing it.

Also, Meghp people with provisional ratings do not need to do NODs and can't do them until the provisional rating is finalized. That would take me into the appeals process, which I heard was looonnnggg. Provisionals are given to people who have kinda complicated claims and/or are missing some info. From what I'm hearing in the news, half the backlog has been closed out (yeah right) and only 5,000 or so individuals got a provisional rating. I think that's why I'm having such a hard time finding info.

I'll keep you all posted.

[cham1968]

Thanks for the information Alishape, I believe i'm in a similar boat as you but doing C&P's this week so I'll keep you posted

[WhyMista]

I'll be doing the same as I got a provisional as well however my claim never closed out it merely went back to gathering evidence after a decision notification was sent out