Disappearing Claim

[MarkInTexas]

Anybody ever have a new claim disappear off of eBenefits completely? I filed a new one based on information received from my SMR's when I received them from the National Personnel Records Center. The VA was supposed to have retrieved them under the VCAA, but they were never in my C-FILE, so I obtained them myself and filed them with the VA.

I filed the new compensation claim in August, 2014, and it has been sitting on idle in Under Review for several months until a couple of days ago, when it disappeared completely. All other claims and information is still there.

Anybody have this happen?

Mark

[MarkInTexas]

Thanks msattler! I did a "blind" NOD, while waiting on my C-File to arrive. I ended up waiting almost a year to file my NOD hoping the C-File would arrive, so that I could review my C&P results and comments, and verify what the VA had in their possession. However, it didn't arrive in time, so I filed a month or so prior to the NOD expiration date. After waiting a few more months with no response, I did a Presidential inquiry and my C-File showed up in the mail in a big box with hard copy documents. (I think they send CD's out now.)

Within the C-File, I found about 89 pages of other medical and psych records from other veterans, and nearly all of my SMR's were missing, along with some of the documentation that I had personally forwarded.

I regrouped, did multiple requests to the National Personnel Records Center and dug around in my military boxes for old SMR's and personnel records. (I should have done ALL of that prior to even filing my original claims. My fault.)

After obtaining as much of my SMR's and personnel records that I could from my private stash and the NPRC, I forwarded it all to the VA via eBenefits, certified mail and fax. When they started the Janesville intake, I added them to my list of faxes and certified mails. So each time I send a document or record, I send it six ways to Sunday. I filed an amended NOD, citing all of the above, plus other errors I felt the rater had made, as well as filing for new claims on inferred conditions that the VA-contracted VES doctor had diagnosed during my C&P examination.

I also obtained an IMO letter from my oncologist of the past seventeen years, and went to the Ellis Clinic up in Oklahoma City for an independent medical examination and opinion report, and once again sent it out six ways to Sunday as well.

This must have shaken things up a bit, because now I am in a de novo review, with additional C&P's scheduled for this month. I've been at this over five years now, which is a drop in the bucket compared to others out there fighting the good fight, but in my own eyes, I am nowhere near the fast lane.

In hindsight, it's probably best though. It has given me to time research, learn from serious mistakes I made at the onset when filing my original claim via the old VONAPP system back in 2010, and allowed me to learn from folks on here, as well as Asknod's book, which really provided good information, but also kind of amped me a up a bit back into fighting. When I first got rated with a flying 10% and a 0%for good measure, I was pretty depressed and was about to cave in and just let the VA pat me on the back and give me a flag.

After reading the book, I jumped back in and regrouped.

The short answer to your question is that I filed NOD within the one year deadline to get the brakes put on, disagreeing with nearly every rating decision made in my case. I still have a long way to go I think.

Have a great weekend!

Mark

[bbirder2]

Realize this is old post but, wanted to add this note. About 3 yrs ago I filed for tinnitus and other hearing problems. These cases never showed up in Ebenefits. Spoke with them and they blamed tech support. Tech support in turn blamed ebenifits. Long story short. Tinnitus approved and I get check and to this day still doesn't show up in ebenefits.