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20% - Moved the Football Another 10 Yards

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MarkInTexas

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Well, some weirdness happened on eBenefits the past couple of days.  Two days ago, all of my conditions under appeal on a NOD DRO review disappeared completely on my "Pending Disabilities" list on my eBenefits "Dashboard".  They were replaced by one "new" claim of "back pain condition" with a filed date of 09/09/2015, and it showed "Pending Decision Notification".

It sat like that until today when it also was gone, and eBenefits gave an error message that it was unable to retrieve my information on pending disabilities.  The interesting thing was that it shows that I got a bump up to a total of 20% (was sitting at 10% for tinnitus and 0% for hearing loss, left ear).  The condition awarded at the additional 10% was for degenerative arthritis in my back, with an EED of 06/10/2010, which is good because that is when I filed the initial claim.

I checked my AB8 and yep, shows 20%, then called "Peggy" on the VA's 1-800 lie line just to extra-super-duper-confirm, and after a 30 minute wait, I confirmed the award.  I quizzed the guy about my remaining multiple conditions still under NOD, and he said that it looked to him like they were still pending, then he said something interesting.  He said that it looked to him that the VA decided this one outside the others because it looked easily ratable.

I pressed a little more on things, and he of course became nervous, and then said that he couldn't give me additional information until I received my letter on that rated condition.

What this one was a new claim that I filed in 2014 based on military medical records that I received from the NPRC.  I had filed for back pain in 2010, and had simply assumed that the VA had my military records.  I was wrong.  After they denied me, I did a couple of requests for NPRC records (I know I've mentioned this time and time again.), and after receiving the magic records and noting that they were not in my C-File, I shot them off as part of a new claim, which the VA then "consolidated" into my pending NOD claim.  Crazy, huh?

So I have moved the football another 10 yards, thanks to a couple of free NPRC records requests, and retroed back to June 10, 2010 on that increased rating amount.  I don't have retro yet, but Peggy (before he turned back into a VA phone drone) told me I should be seeing the retro hit my account soon, and that I'll be getting my SOC in the mail soon as well on this condition.

Lord only knows that eBenefits and Peggy may lie, or just not know what is what, so we'll see when I get a paper document or a deposit.

Just an update.  Thanks again for all of you and the help you have provided me.  I could not have gone even this far without your help, knowledge and support....and AskNod's book.  Now the mission continues on the conditions still on appeal.  Just don't forget:  Check the NPRC for records too.....you never know what treasure may be hiding in one of their envelopes.  My gold nugget in one of their envelopes helped greatly on this one particular condition.

Half a league onward!

Mark

 

Edited by MarkInTexas
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Congratulations, Marking Texas, I hope you hear good news on your other pending claims very soon.  I have noticed that a lot of the RO's are rating one "easy" claim in a veterans appeal or NOD to keep production up, while more complex claims in the same file are taking longer, but hopefully you will hear something very soon, once again, congrats!!

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