The Whole Game Is Appalling!

[free_spirit_etc]

I get so frustrated when I research sometimes. Time after time I see the BVA chastising the VARO, and the Court of Veteran's Appeals chastizing the BVA, and on up the chain.

The BVA and the Court consistently say - "since the previous agency didn't do their job - we can't do ours." But instead of just over-ruling the previous agency - they just "imply" they were "wrong" and then throw the ball back to them - leaving the claim in VA limbo.

It is almost like this is a game they play with each other - and the veterans are just the playing pieces...the pawns... check and checkmate!

Couldn't they AT LEAST establish SOME type of FINE system.... to pay the vets a little. They could do it just like the rating system:

Full Failure in duty to assist........$100

Assisting only half way....$50

Going through the motions of assisting while not really assisting...$1000

Failure to read file....$500

Only reading the parts that are not in favor of the vet..$5,000

Kind of like government agencys do to OTHER agencies. When they mess up - they are fined and re-fined until they get it right.

With the fine money - they could pay the VETS $500 every time they pass GO

Free

[vaf]

And it's also why the Appeals Management Center is now receiving so many of the Board-remanded claims that would previously have been sent back to the VARO.

We have one claim that the Board remanded back to the VARO three times in five years, which the VARO never took any action on. Never asked us for additional evidence, in fact, never contacted us about it. We had other claims in the meantime that reached the Board, who would chastise the VARO for not taking "expeditious" action on the still-remanded claim, direct the VARO to handle the claim, and then wouldn't do anything to enforce the ruling.

The third time around was the last straw. The remanded item is now sitting at the AMC for handling, and I have no idea how long it will take this time around. But it's better there than at our VARO, I'm sure of that.

[Pete53]

Appeals Management started out as a good idea to develop claims that RO's had mucked up but now they appear to be just as bad as any RO I have seen.

Its my opinion but I have not seen anything to get excited about and it looks like it is just another holding area to slow down development of claims that should be paid.