Terry Higgins

Berta · August 23, 2006

Men and women - our dear veteran Terry Higgins-

whose posts have tremendous value to me-

told us some time ago as to how he got something resolved with the VA by sending them a copy of a page from the VBM (NVLSP)

Yesterday I wrote and asked the RO to CUE itself on a decision they made on my main claim.

I had forgotten that -in my years of relationship with VARO- I got them to do this 3 times in the past-

I stated the regs they broke and was going to explain it to them like they are ten years old- (their significant error) but on page 1307 of the 2005 edition of the VBM, NVLSP had stated it all.

My request for them to CUE themselves was very brief-and I highlighted the VBM copy.

Terry -you gave me this idea -----yesterday I remembered it-

I did not have to copy and paste portions of Pelegrini decision, nor send them 38 CFR 3.159, or the specific provisions in M21-1 like I usually do- so they know what the specific applicable regs are-

All I needed was that page from the VBM!

Thank you so much Terry- this was good advice!!!!!

By the way- all- I have been griping here and to the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs about the failure of VAROs to send proper VCAA notifications-

they are supposed to come BEFORE initial denials Do.

The page - 1307 from the VBM, 2005 edition explains this very succinctly and then NVLSP expands on the VCAA-

I thought I might have to send them the whole Veterans Claims Assistance Act-

but they cant read at my VARO anyhow so Terry made this CUE request easy for me.

Berta · August 23, 2006

Terry- I have dealt with NVLSP for almost two decades -right after they were founded-

I do not work for them and this is a not an advertisement -it is an opinion-

In my opinion a veteran with a CUE issue or complex claim should buy the VBM.

The lawyers at NVLSP are pro bono and are not getting rich. NVLSP is a non profit org.

A good law library might give anyone access to the VBM-my local law library doesn't.

No one can do affective veteran's claims advocacy without the VBM.

I donated it to my vet reps-only one of them uses it.

I cannot imagine any accredited vet rep or NSO not using this excellent tool in claims work.

NVLSP got AO vets the Nehmer class action court order- they will push for the new AO regs-

They have helped all vets in many many ways.

I took their NVLSP course in 1997 -many of these vet reps took it years ago too- everything has changed- what they knew then -to pass the course has all changed--

I bet I was first to tell my vet org about the new AO situation- they dont have the internet and went home and might not have seen it on the news.