Development Letter Not Arrived After 10 Days?

[rootbeer22]

Folks:

10 Days ago Ebenefits alerted me that a Development Letter had been sent to me and after my claim had already sitting in the system with no action for the last 6 months. I started the claim over a year ago and had heard very little from VBA?

Anyway, I'm at the 10 day mark and the letter still has not arrived to my mail box yet?...Is this the usual situation for Development Letters being late or should I contact the VBA about still not officially receiving the letter? I believe it's going to tell me that my claim was taken out of the FDC Program because the claim completion date changed in embennefits from 02/15/2015 to 01/15/2017.

[broncovet]

Root beer:

Yes that's what all of us want...the VA to timely process our claim within the regs. (The other experienced VA hadit members are probably rolling on the floor laughing). VA takes their sweet time, denies about 85% of claimants the first time, and most of us have actually won our benefits at some stage of appealate review and 5 years to get your benefits is actually fast. I have been to BVA twice, CAVC once, one Writ of Mandamus, along with 12 years of waiting and my claim is still not right. The last time the Board made a decision and the RO failed to implement it. So, its probably going to be still another Writ, because the Board decision was in 2011 and the VARO simply refuses to do as required by the Board of Veterans Appeals, or, just as likely did not read the whole decision ("top sheeting it") and simply implemented part of it. Welcome to the VA.

[Prospector]

Broncovet

I certainly agree with you. My original claim began 4/2007. They still only have part of it right. I was only referring to my last encounter as far as the timeline. I still have a CFR 3.156, an 1151 and a form 95 filed, which I know I will still be working on years from now.

[rootbeer22]

Folks:

I went to the Regional Office during the Christmas Holidays and referenced a letter from them that said I could come by and review my C-File. I did have a bit of and issue with the receptionist but got it cleared up and I was able to see a senior official who helped me. I asked why did my claim timeline on December 10, 2014 double from 15 to 37 months for the estimated completion date..when I already did the exams and provided extensive evidence? Anyway, as a result of the RO visit, there is movement of my claim now and I've been scheduled for 4 ACE Exams to supplment the 13 DBQ's that I've already completed. Hopefully, this means that it will not take almost 4 years to get my FDC completed. From what I've seen, once the ACE Exams are done, things should move faster? Now, I'm trying to learn about the ACE Exams and how they work/

Edited January 5, 2015 by rootbeer22

[NavyWife]

http://www.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=2790

Explanation of ace exams...

http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/9048/ace-eliminates-need-for-some-in-person-disability-exams/

[rootbeer22]

NavyWife

Thanks, you are always so helpful and I appreciate the efforts. It does look like I have some real movement now on my claim and my visit to the RO seemed to help to that end. I just explained to a real person, what I had already done and they acutally conveyed that to the right people at the RO. The jury is till out so we'll see if it happens. I have decided to write an article about my experiences with the FDC Program..to try and help other vets.

[NavyWife]

I look forward to reading your article!