Fully Developed Claim

[AfghanVet850]

I filled a FDC Feb 01, 2013 It moved to prep for Decision April 08,2013 where it still sits does anyone have experience in how long a FDC takes out of St. Petersburg?

[AfghanVet850]

I hope so I filed it through ebenefits and clicked that I had no additional evidence to provide. It skipped the gathering of evidence phase so I think it is a FDC.

[Theblaze]

I hope this is not a thread hijack, but is everyone submitting the FDCs with DBQs?

And if so, who is filling out these DBQs?

For me that seems to be the difficulty.

I'd love to submit an FDC (for the next claim), but it just seems impossible to get those DBQs filled out.

BTW, I am at the St Pete RO as well...

[manning01]

I hope this is not a thread hijack, but is everyone submitting the FDCs with DBQs?

And if so, who is filling out these DBQs?

For me that seems to be the difficulty.

I'd love to submit an FDC (for the next claim), but it just seems impossible to get those DBQs filled out.

BTW, I am at the St Pete RO as well...

I have done two FDC's online through VONAPP one took 111 days and the last only 45 days both I recieved the proper rating for my conditions so I've been happy with the FDC program. Better than waiting 2 1/2 years on my first claim from 2010. Anyways both time I had my own doctors fill out the DBQ's and subitted all my medical history documents from them so that really shortened the wait time. If you can't get a doctor to fill one out then the VA will schedule you for a C&P and they will fill it out. It won't affect your claim being processed as a FDC if the VA needs to do the DBQ it just slows it down a little for them to do the exam. Just don't submit anything after you file the FDC and state you have noting else to submit to the VA (leave it alone). If you submit anything after the received date online (Vonapp) or in the mail room if you mail it in your claim will be removed from the FDC program and end up as a normal claim. Just my 2 cents worth if you can get the DBQ done by a doctor outside the VA do it.

Edited June 19, 2013 by manning01

[Theblaze]

Thanks for the great info!

I understand that you don't want to send anything in after you file an FDC.

But I see several things that are needing to be sent.

- DBQs

- Claim

- Medical documentation

How do you manage the order these get sent in?

Since the DBQ states that the doctor is to fax the form directly to the VA, it seems like that one is out of your control. (what if you have a few of these and they are a week or more apart?)

So, would you have the doc send the DBQs, then send all pertinent medical documentation and THEN file the actual claim?

Seems like that way you wouldn't be sending in anything after the claim is actually filed.

Or am I making this harder than it needs to be? : -)

Edited June 19, 2013 by Theblaze

[Kray]

I submitted a FDC on April 30, 2013 and it is listed on eBenefits to be looked between May 8, 2014 and Dec 2014. They don't seem to be in a hurry on my claim.

[TiredCoastie]

I have done two FDC's online through VONAPP one took 111 days and the last only 45 days both I recieved the proper rating for my conditions so I've been happy with the FDC program. Better than waiting 2 1/2 years on my first claim from 2010. Anyways both time I had my own doctors fill out the DBQ's and subitted all my medical history documents from them so that really shortened the wait time. If you can't get a doctor to fill one out then the VA will schedule you for a C&P and they will fill it out. It won't affect your claim being processed as a FDC if the VA needs to do the DBQ it just slows it down a little for them to do the exam. Just don't submit anything after you file the FDC and state you have noting else to submit to the VA (leave it alone). If you submit anything after the received date online (Vonapp) or in the mail room if you mail it in your claim will be removed from the FDC program and end up as a normal claim. Just my 2 cents worth if you can get the DBQ done by a doctor outside the VA do it.

My outside doctors filled out the DBQs for me as well, then they were reviewed and submitted by the DAV. ALWAYS check over your DBQs before they are submitted and ensure that all the information is correct, no matter how much you like or trust your doctor/specialist.

Concur that FDCs are much better than waiting for the traditional claim processing. My first FDC, submitted June 2012, took five months through Philly. My latest FDC is 69 days old as of today with eBennies stating "under review." DAV says that it will take somewhere close to 6 months to be completed. Judging from the Monday Morning Workload Reports (http://www.vba.va.gov/REPORTS/mmwr/index.asp), it seems like the NSO is probably pretty close in his thinking timewise. The VA nationally is focused on reducing the overdue backlog and newer claims aren't getting the same level of attention, which is what the stats for Philly are showing as well. I've got another 56 days until my latest claim is officially "overdue." I don't expect much to happen until it gets closer to that 125 day milestone.

My first FDC had me do C&P exams even though my doctors filled out DBQs. In fact, the VA lost some of the initial exam notes and was in the process of scheduing me again when they somehow figured out that they had all they needed and then cancelled the last C&P. So far, no indications of C&Ps this time around.