The Scoop On Hearings At Ro..

[63SIERRA]

OK heres what goes down.. you show up 1 hour before your scheduled hearing. do not park in the spots that are numbered, there are visitor parking spots.

if you get there early in the am, the employees will be going thru the triple layer of security.. you put your stuff thru a scanner, get question by a few _rent a cops, and are told where to go.. you are basically " handled " from the moment you arrive, until you leave.. There shant be any b/ TOUR DE RO".. You can go to the cafeteria, or the crapper, and nowhere else unless directed.. You are permitted to bring notebooks and laptops, and they record serial numbers in and out, so you dont walk out with the wrong laptop.. mainly one of theirs..

The demeanor of the employees seem very casual, and lackidaisical, towards each other, lots of smoking and joking in the parkinglot, and hobnobbing in the cubicles.. No big sense of urgency was sensed.

As I sat waiting, bored and very sleepy, I spotted the honorable sec Mc Donald pic on a wall in the lobby and thought to myself,, wouldnt it be fun to start a rumor that the SEC was making a visit today.. I was just curious to see if the subject matters being discussed would change from last nights basketball game and LeBrons frustrating night, to the passionate quest to end the backlog and gets some claims done..

My better judgment took over, and sat silent and kept observing the goings on.. Employees seem to trickle in at different times. and everyone was quite friendly to one another..

So finally Im summoned to the hearing room. Just a small room,. very well lit., with microphones and recording devices/

I am administed an oath to tell the truth and then told why I am there. The hearing goes quite smooth and non adversarial, and the RSVR takes short hand notes on a legal pad. I feel like I had ample opportunity to present my facts and reasoning and everything went smooth. I said what I wished to say, and presented evidence that I felt could be beneficial and was asked several questions then the hearing concluded.

I chose to share this experience so that any veterans who may be scheduled for a hearing in the future can get an idea of how things work.. It was not a grilling or cross examination, or a pissing contest.

If you feel you would benefit from a personal hearing,. you can request one at any time.

[Fat]

Good information 63Sierra about the keychain recorder.

[Chuck75]

Detroit VARO 06/2014. Tad bit different experience. Hearing notification letter said Hearing scheduled for 8:30am and to plan on being there possibly all day. Went on to explain that a large number of Hearings are scheduled for the same day and time due to Vets not showing up. So it's kind of 1st come 1st served.

Arrived 7:30am, Federal Bldg doesn't open till 8:00 Sharp. Checked in at VA, then checked in with my new VSO to see if they had a Hearing Specialist on deck. Lucked out, he was a recently (last couple years) retired VA DRO who just so happened to personally know the DRO I was scheduled to see. He only worked on Fridays to handle scheduled Hearings. We discussed the Pros of an Informal Hearing after I told him I had requested an "Informal Evidence Conference" in 01/14. His opinion was, if I felt comfortable with the "Informal," request it.

At the Hearing, after being sworn in and the DRO advising me that the hearing was to address my 2010 NOD and would be Recorded & Transcribed. He stated that I would receive a copy of the Transcription in about 14 months and at some time in the near future (NO Date) I would be informed of his decision. At that point, I brought up my 01/14 request for the "Informal Evidence Conference" and that I had never had it. He looked in my Hearing file and said we could do it now. He advised me that we could do the entire Hearing Informal and if at any time I wanted to go back on the record, he'd start recording. He also agreed that if he recorded, I could record as well, I had already placed my recorder on the table.

After he addressed my 2010 NOD and awarded all major issues, he turned to my 2012 IU NOD. After about 15 min, he Awarded IU. No mention of T & P No Future Exams. Said he would have to review file to determine exact Retro Dates. That afternoon at 3:30, I received a call from my VSO-Rep, he had the DRO IU Award letter on his desk and it included the T&P No Future Exams. Retro check hit around 07/21 and VA Award Letter arrived about 1st of Aug.

All in all, an excellent experience. A couple Vet Appeals Attorneys I spoke with in 03/14 wanted me to cancel the DRO Hearing, sign with them for 20% and go straight to the BVA. That would have added at least another yr or so not to mention the 20% of retro.

Semper Fi

Gastone

Sounds like the Detroit VARO had gotten some previous flack from on high, and took it to heart! Congratulations!

[ArNG11]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271556113244?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Just put it on your keychain . then hang your keys on your belt loop

Dang it man, right behind the belt buckle. That would have been genius. I have to say though, for it to be admissible in court all parties must be made aware that they are being recorded. But I like that. Hmm. Let me reiterate I LOVE that.

[ArNG11]

This is just me and my one experience with the DRO. I say can it. It will add time to an already long process. However, I must state It would be a good idea IF you decided to do the DRO that you go formal and get it on record. That way when they send the denial and later on the SOC there is no wiggle room for the VA, mind you, you we held accountable as to your testimony, but if you're telling the truth all the time then there is no worry, at least for the claimant. How much you want to bet, if that were the case, that the recording equipment in the nice new rooms would suddenly start failing? I bet a Mocca Loca Monster that those stats would rise!

[elcamino_77us]

Was this for a BVA or maybe a DRO? Can I use this technique to set down with my RO and maybe fix the problems with my claims? At my RO, the Left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing! This is obvious by the two letters I got today.

Thanks,

Billy

Edited June 15, 2015 by elcamino_77us