Can't Track Appeal Status On E-Benefits

[Stickman]

Good morning everyone,

So, can you only track your appeal status on e-benefits, if your appeal is at BVA? I have a three year old appeal still at my local RO [ Atlanta ] - two years since C and P exams btw -, and when I hit on appeal status all I get is, " Our records indicate you do not currently have an appeal at BVA, please contact your local RO for information", or some such. I know it's all just a load of junk anyway, but I was just curious.

Steve

[john999]

I have a claim that I filed via Ebenefits in June 2013. It was a FDC according to my understanding of a FDC. It is stuck at "Gathering Evidence" stage for 8 months. I did something I don't usually do: I filed a complaint with my congressman. I was asking for an increase and the VA has it as a "New" claim. I also can't get a straight answer as to why it has taken 8 months for the VARO to get records from the VA hospital 20 miles away. All my records for the increase are at the VA hospital. The VA is already telling me the claim for an increase could take 18 months so I don't have much to lose at this point. This claim won't make me or break me, but I just can't believe something so straight forward can take so long.

John

[SergeantQ]

Mine is in appeal too. Been there three years. I just don't know what to do.

[john999]

If I file another claim it will be old fashioned way with pen and ink. This way I know they got it and I know via certified mail that they got my evidence. If a DRO Hearing takes more than one year you might as well go directly to the BVA. Right now I am hating all levels of the VA and appeals process since I have been to them all and lost. At least I got my shot as bad as it is now. To have a claim languish in limbo for years is hell. It is hell when you don't win a honest and justified claim, but not knowing is worse.

[jefmil50]

Good news maybe john, my wife and I were going across the Skyway Bridge and I was looking down and I saw your claim floating out to sea! It was just ahead of mine.

[ShortArms]

I sent my NOD appeal to the Oakland RO DRO on 12/3/2009. That's 4 years, 5 months, 7 days (or, 1619 days) but whose counting? About 6 weeks ago I got a response through IRIS that I would receive a letter in a "couple of weeks". Hasn't happened. I have called my county and the California State VSO offices and have been told that both BVA and NOD reviews take 5 years. The RO phone number has told me that my appeal is "ready for decision". My ebenefits shows "appeal pending" (step 1).

I am starting to feel like I will be one lucky veteran to have a decision in the next 6 or so months. Unless it's not good news and I have to wait another 5 years for the BVA to rule.

[fierydomain]

I got tired of the BS, so I just started notifying my congressional reps.  Before Allison Hickey got forced out or whatever, she was a massive help.  Everything had been pending 6 years with no movement just sitting in the regular claims process.  Once I sent that e-mail and she took a look into it, everything was magically adjudicated in less than a week.  I now have all of my claims pending BVA, and some of them were filed back in 2006.  If she hadn't intervened, god only knows how long they would have taken on their own.