Changing Date Possible?

[SueEdel]

My 86 year old father-in-law just received a C&P notice as he applied for an increase in SC and perhaps adding some other issues to the claim. The C&P is scheduled at the usual place 2.5 hours away on a good day. When he applied we planned/hoped to be available to assist in the drive and since it is 2 exams at 2 different locations we thought it might be a bit much for my mother-in-law to handle. FIL no longer drives and has dementia issues.

The letter arrived and we will be out of the country on that date. One day later and we would have been fine. We are unable to change our plans.

What steps can we take to request a change of date? The C&P letter always sounds threatening (I am SC too--so I know). It states you CAN NOT change the date. YOU MUST show up etc.

How do they expect an 86 year old veteran to get to these exams?

In the old days we could request a change of venue and go to Ann Arbor--which is 45 minutes away vs 2.5 hours--but that request is usually denied now.

Any thoughts?

[free_spirit_etc]

Is there a veteran organization / church / kind soul / etc. that might be able to provide transportation?

Sorry. I don't know quite how to change the date in a way that might not come back and bite. So I was just thinking about another way to make it work...

Hopefully, someone will know how to change the date.

Edited November 2, 2013 by free_spirit_etc

[Guest]

The only way to change a C & P exam is to call the C & P Appointment Scheduling Office at the V A M C hospital that made the appointment. This is not the regular Appointment Scheduling Office but a separate office that only Schedule C & P exams.

[Philip Rogers]

You should be able to change it. You can call them but be sure to follow-up with a letter explaining why he needs the appointment changed, so something is in his file about the change request. jmo

pr

[SueEdel]

There is a phone number of the letter. Are you saying this is NOT the number to call? I just hate the tone of these letters although I do understand that they need people to show up. Ultimately it is stated in what seems absurd fashion--that you can not reschedule and when the date and time arrives you will be marked a no-show and yada-yada-yada. Obviously he just received the letter and there are other people who would be pleased to get a C&P scheduled even if it is only 3-4 weeks from now. I had one scheduled only 8 days in advance.

[Guest]

There is a phone number of the letter. Are you saying this is NOT the number to call? I just hate the tone of these letters although I do understand that they need people to show up. Ultimately it is stated in what seems absurd fashion--that you can not reschedule and when the date and time arrives you will be marked a no-show and yada-yada-yada. Obviously he just received the letter and there are other people who would be pleased to get a C&P scheduled even if it is only 3-4 weeks from now. I had one scheduled only 8 days in advance.

I do not understand why they would put a phone number on the letter and then say you can not call to reschedule. Call the number and explain your situation and see what they say.

Edited November 3, 2013 by pete992

[free_spirit_etc]

Good luck!

And remember to get it in writing!