So...a Waste Or Not?

[Cavman]

I am going to drop my AL SO tomorrow morning because he has done nothing to help me. I`m curious as to how you all feel about service officers. I feel a very good one that has compassion could really help your claim, especially being they are in the same building as the VA RO. I`m sure they become friends with the raters etc.

Is there anyone out there that knows a good SO here in the Detroit area? Please give me their name if so.

Cavman

[Guest jstacy]

Terry, you just hit it on the head. I had a service officer who Knew absolutely nothing about my claim or the schedule for rating disabilities automatically demand 50 percent and filed it. That really hit a nerve with me.

That is the main reason I came to Hadit.

I say dump them and research to find one worth anything, DO not allow them to intervine in your claim, only use them as information sources as to what is actually going on at the VA.

[olenavygoat]

Not to be in defense of many of them, but, some are hit with so many vets that all they have time for is to listen to what you tell them and do the claim on-line with the VA. Unfortunately for us vets, most don't ask for a copy of what the SO puts in. Then as was said, you have some that weither do not know Title 38 or MR manuals well enough or misconstrue what you tell them and code it incorrectly.

All in all, I agree with the other folks. Read the regs yourself so you know what you can claim and what the approx. rating should be. If you need copies I'm certain the board can accomodate you.

[Berta]

Good point olenavygoat-- the good ones -and I do believe there are good SOs- are overwhelmed.

I feel it is better to have someone on the POA than having no one.

And I had a rep in the VARO building too-

but what he called me and said occurred at a DRO meeting, did not occur-per the only documentation I have-from the VA.He was there for them to consider my IMOs which they had failed to address for over a year at that point. The resulting SOC never mentioned them -again-

I still dont get it- I have known him for 20 years and he had a reputation for being a good vet rep.But something went on there that still baffles me.

When I questioned him and his boss- I did not get appropriate answers.They have no documentation that this meeting even occurred.

Regardless- the vet rep I have now always sends them a 21-4138- a statement in support of the evidence-

He has sent three in the last 3 months with my evidence attached

and I am beginning to think that- since my other local vet rep never sent them one in 3 years-but did for other claimants he was POA for-that it appeared that the NYSDVA did not support my claim at all.

You are right- get a vet rep- but do not expect them to work your claim.

Make sure that-if you send them evidence, they send it to the VA with a 21-4138 supporting statement-

(I say send it yourself too just in case they dont)

I have witnessed how my former POA works- he spends most of his time with the veteran talking-and talking---there are only two things he needs to focus on-

what is the claimed disability?

what is the link to their service?

After an hour,primarily of BS, he types the claim quickly on the PC that sends it to the VA.

On my first meeting with this vet rep in 2003 -he talked about Vietnam ,his SC disability, his family, his house, blah blah and only briefly talked about my main claim.A copy of my POA file there which I recently got, shows that-up to late 2005 or early 2006 nothing at all is in that file-none of my claims and none of the standard procedure 21-4138s. He never prepared anything nor took a single step to represent me.

You have a right to see or get a copy of the file that your POA has.

At least if you have a state rep, you do- not sure about the DAV etc.

However the DAV did send me the Blue Rating sheets they received years ago upon my request.

Edited November 3, 2006 by Berta (see edit history)

[evandc]

I had any outstanding SO from DAV. Then they replaced everyone in the office except the office lady. She knew more than all the new SO's combined. I never used them again. I just ignored them & did what I wanted to do. Never fired them, just act like they didn't exist.

Don Evans

[Testvet]

Don, a man after my own heart, I didn't fire the DAV until the PVA requested my POA back in August, I have just ignored the SO for the past 2 years, I go into the service office file what I want get a date stamped copy and let him bitch about the after effects, after 4 years of fighting for my heart problems the first thing he wanted to do as me new SO was to simplify my heart issue and file just for hypertension he called it the KISS method, excuse me after 4 years of fighting why drop a 100% issue and ask for a 10% issue? I called DC and filed my own complaint with Admiral Cooper, I got a new C&P within a month.

The SO's here are a joke...... I tell all vets they are their own best advocates, find your own evidence and don't rely on anyone else, they get paid if your claim is approved or denied, and they are all over worked, if you want it done do it yourself......

[timetowinarace]

I have not 'fired' my SO.

But as stated, I took over my claims. I worked the claims as if I had no SO.

I would still be rated at 20% rather than my current 100% schedular if I had relied on my SO.

It's that simple.

Time