Dro Scheduling ?

[wfdyer1]

I had a question for my VSO rep. the other day and seeing as how he never returns my calls ,I decided to go to the office in PHX and see him.Got there and he wasn't in the office this week so I saw another rep.instead.I had filed my NOD with my VSO over 2 years ago and was told that a hearing would be requested with the DRO at the same time.Guess what?No DRO hearing was requested by my VSO just a review.So now they file a request for a hearing so my question is,am I now looking at another 2 years before I even have a hearing and then waiting forever like everyone else in Phoenix to receive an answer from a review???

[carlie]

Welcome.

Unfortunately since a DRO Hearing was not requested at the time, you probably

have quite a wait ahead of you for a Hearing to be scheduled.

JMHO

[manning01]

I had a question for my VSO rep. the other day and seeing as how he never returns my calls ,I decided to go to the office in PHX and see him.Got there and he wasn't in the office this week so I saw another rep.instead.I had filed my NOD with my VSO over 2 years ago and was told that a hearing would be requested with the DRO at the same time.Guess what?No DRO hearing was requested by my VSO just a review.So now they file a request for a hearing so my question is,am I now looking at another 2 years before I even have a hearing and then waiting forever like everyone else in Phoenix to receive an answer from a review???

wfdyer

Welcome also and see your a local PHX Vet also. Yes be prepaired for a long wait when I put in my NOD and I asked for a informal conference not a hearing I was told the same thing it's a long wait. I see the Phoenix RO has over 5,464 apeals in waiting as of Sept 16th on the monday morning report. The appeal backlog just keeps getting bigger and bigger each week especially since these provisional claims are being done with all the denials the appeals are just going to explode in numbers. I swear the VA hopes we either give up or die so they let these DRO's reviews sit for years. They are reduceing the compensation claim numbers but it seams Appeals/DRO reviews are just sitting stagnant since they don't have to answer to congress on those compaired to the compensation claims side. BG (ret) Hickey should be happy the VSR's ect are busting thier butts to make her look good so she doesn't lose her VA SES job.

[john999]

The way I do it these days is I request hearings, submit evidence and arguments, and then if I want company on the day of a hearing I contact a VSO and brief him on hearing date and send him evidence etc. I don't depend on VSO to do anything. If my case is important enough to have representative I go hire a lawyer if I don't feel I can do it myself.

I have a claim that has been under constant appeal somewhere in the system for the last 7 years. 2 trips to the DRO, 2 trips to the BVA and now two trips to the CAVC. I am waiting almost nine months for a Court of Appeals judge to make a decision. I think this claim will end up taking ten years.

[jcolwell]

I had a question for my VSO rep. the other day and seeing as how he never returns my calls ,I decided to go to the office in PHX and see him.Got there and he wasn't in the office this week so I saw another rep.instead.I had filed my NOD with my VSO over 2 years ago and was told that a hearing would be requested with the DRO at the same time.Guess what?No DRO hearing was requested by my VSO just a review.So now they file a request for a hearing so my question is,am I now looking at another 2 years before I even have a hearing and then waiting forever like everyone else in Phoenix to receive an answer from a review???

I had the same exact experience in Phoenix. I lucked out and met Judy at the office on my visit in 102012. She said I had to put in a writing a request for a DRO interview which she completed for me at sent it in I had no clue it had to be a formal request in writing. . I got my interview in 4/2013. It still sucks as I have not gotten an answer from the DRO person. I have a VSO in the DAV office for over a year and have never met him and he is always out sick......everyone is right. Do it yourself, but we did miss this part for 2 years. Good luck. jc

[wfdyer1]

What I'm hearing is just what I was afraid of.When my NOD was filed back on 07/2011,my rep. as usual was out of the office.They had another rep assist me, who is no longer there,and it seems that my usual rep never followed up with anything.I think we have the same rep at the DAV whom I've met once in the past 3 years since originally opening my claim.I too met with Judy who assisted me when I opened the claim and then it was assigned to this guy who is never there.Is it possible to switch reps out of the same office even though your claim is in for DRO?This guy has hurt me more than help me and seems he doesn't have to answer to anybody or they are all out to protect thier own?

[wfdyer1]

One thing I forgot to mention was that my claim had been flagged for hardship and scheduled for review on 09/13/2013 but nothing ever became of that review.I never heard another word about it.

Edited September 23, 2013 by wfdyer1