Jump to content

Ask Your VA Claims Questions | Read Current Posts 
Read VA Disability Claims Articles
Search | View All Forums | Donate | Blogs | New Users | Rules 

  • tbirds-va-claims-struggle (1).png

  • 01-2024-stay-online-donate-banner.png

     

Dro Hearing 6/27/14 Tdiu Smc K Granted T& P

Rate this topic


Gastone

Recommended Posts

Opted for "informal DRO Hearing." No tape recording or transcription. DRO said we could go on record., record and transcription, at any time that I chose to do so. After approximately 30+ min. of back and forth, the DRO said he was granting my main NOD issue from 2010. And because we were doing an informal hearing, he would also address my TDIU NOD filed in 10/2011, if I was prepared to do so.

I was, we did, I won! The DRO awarded TDIU back to my original PTSD filing date. Hearing was completed by 9:50am. My VSO called at 3:30 same day, to advise me, he already had the DRO Award Letter on his desk.

It took a couple years to get my original NOD Hearing, but the wait was worth it. The work I did preparing, gave me the confidence to represent myself at the hearing. Saved me 20% of retro, for legal representation.

Great news and effective date/s.

Did you happen to discuss P&T with the DRO, perhaps the official decision will

state no future exams, and enclose the commissary, deers, etc paperwork.

Chapter 35 is of most importance to many.

Should be a really nice retro - prepare now to spend wisely

and check out all benefits to include insurance and state.

Carlie passed away in November 2015 she is missed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • In Memoriam

congratulations

Stretch

Just readin the mail

 

Excerpt from the 'Declaration of Independence'

 

We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Carlie: As I recall, I don't think I mentioned P&T during my "Informal Hearing." I think I automatically assumed, which you should never do, that the VA would want to have an open opportunity to reduce the award at a latter date. Much to my surprise, when I got a copy of the DRO's Award the following Monday, he stated under the Eligibility 38 USC Chapter 35, "total service-connected disability, permanent in nature, effective the date Individual Unemployability was established."

I'll have to wait for the Official Notification letter, to confirm regarding "future Exams."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HadIt.com Elder

navy04 - Yup, those greedy lawyers!!! Can you imagine, the nerve of them, wanting to be paid for their work and what it cost for their education, to become as skilled as they are. Or those greedy doctors, charging outrageous rates, for IMO's/IME's, so that vets with minimal probative evidence can receive a proper award!!! Just sayin . . .

pr

Link to comment
Share on other sites

PR: I agree, the 20% of retro plus costs, is a worthwhile investment regarding a knowledgeable VA Lawyer if there is a significant claim with a large retro award. Vets just have to remember, they need to do their homework. I don't know if having an attorney will necessarily get your claim processed faster. I know the VA supposedly cuts the VET more slack if he is "Pro Se" or represented by a VSO. I think the VA Adjudication regs referred to a non-adversarial relationship, when an attorney is not involved.

With that said, I don't think I would dare proceed to the VBA, without a well vetted VA Attorney. Well before the DRO Hearing, I would hope that the Vet would avail himself of a couple free legal consultations.

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Tell a friend

    Love HadIt.com’s VA Disability Community Vets helping Vets since 1997? Tell a friend!
  • Recent Achievements

    • KMac1181 went up a rank
      Rookie
    • Lebro earned a badge
      First Post
    • stuart55 earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • stuart55 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Lebro earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
  • Our picks

    • Caluza Triangle defines what is necessary for service connection
      Caluza Triangle – Caluza vs Brown defined what is necessary for service connection. See COVA– CALUZA V. BROWN–TOTAL RECALL

      This has to be MEDICALLY Documented in your records:

      Current Diagnosis.   (No diagnosis, no Service Connection.)

      In-Service Event or Aggravation.
      Nexus (link- cause and effect- connection) or Doctor’s Statement close to: “The Veteran’s (current diagnosis) is at least as likely due to x Event in military service”
      • 0 replies
    • Do the sct codes help or hurt my disability rating 
    • VA has gotten away with (mis) interpreting their  ambigious, , vague regulations, then enforcing them willy nilly never in Veterans favor.  

      They justify all this to congress by calling themselves a "pro claimant Veteran friendly organization" who grants the benefit of the doubt to Veterans.  

      This is not true, 

      Proof:  

          About 80-90 percent of Veterans are initially denied by VA, pushing us into a massive backlog of appeals, or worse, sending impoverished Veterans "to the homeless streets" because  when they cant work, they can not keep their home.  I was one of those Veterans who they denied for a bogus reason:  "Its been too long since military service".  This is bogus because its not one of the criteria for service connection, but simply made up by VA.  And, I was a homeless Vet, albeit a short time,  mostly due to the kindness of strangers and friends. 

          Hadit would not be necessary if, indeed, VA gave Veterans the benefit of the doubt, and processed our claims efficiently and paid us promptly.  The VA is broken. 

          A huge percentage (nearly 100 percent) of Veterans who do get 100 percent, do so only after lengthy appeals.  I have answered questions for thousands of Veterans, and can only name ONE person who got their benefits correct on the first Regional Office decision.  All of the rest of us pretty much had lengthy frustrating appeals, mostly having to appeal multiple multiple times like I did. 

          I wish I know how VA gets away with lying to congress about how "VA is a claimant friendly system, where the Veteran is given the benefit of the doubt".   Then how come so many Veterans are homeless, and how come 22 Veterans take their life each day?  Va likes to blame the Veterans, not their system.   
    • Welcome to hadit!  

          There are certain rules about community care reimbursement, and I have no idea if you met them or not.  Try reading this:

      https://www.va.gov/resources/getting-emergency-care-at-non-va-facilities/

         However, (and I have no idea of knowing whether or not you would likely succeed) Im unsure of why you seem to be so adamant against getting an increase in disability compensation.  

         When I buy stuff, say at Kroger, or pay bills, I have never had anyone say, "Wait!  Is this money from disability compensation, or did you earn it working at a regular job?"  Not once.  Thus, if you did get an increase, likely you would have no trouble paying this with the increase compensation.  

          However, there are many false rumors out there that suggest if you apply for an increase, the VA will reduce your benefits instead.  

      That rumor is false but I do hear people tell Veterans that a lot.  There are strict rules VA has to reduce you and, NOT ONE of those rules have anything to do with applying for an increase.  

      Yes, the VA can reduce your benefits, but generally only when your condition has "actually improved" under ordinary conditions of life.  

          Unless you contacted the VA within 72 hours of your medical treatment, you may not be eligible for reimbursement, or at least that is how I read the link, I posted above. Here are SOME of the rules the VA must comply with in order to reduce your compensation benefits:

      https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/38/3.344

       
    • Good question.   

          Maybe I can clear it up.  

          The spouse is eligible for DIC if you die of a SC condition OR any condition if you are P and T for 10 years or more.  (my paraphrase).  

      More here:

      Source:

      https://www.va.gov/disability/dependency-indemnity-compensation/

      NOTE:   TO PROVE CAUSE OF DEATH WILL LIKELY REQUIRE AN AUTOPSY.  This means if you die of a SC condtion, your spouse would need to do an autopsy to prove cause of death to be from a SC condtiond.    If you were P and T for 10 full years, then the cause of death may not matter so much. 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Guidelines and Terms of Use