ptsd Does Your Va Claim Transfer Out Of State?

[mountain tyme]

Good Afternoon,

I have been reading post here for a few months...trying to learn how to handle my VA claim and I have made some mistakes along the way and I am trying to keep any further mistakes at a minumum. At the present time I am a resident of Mo. have been for about 15 years due to my Husbands job it brought me back to the base where I was attacked while in the military. I have come to a point in my life that I can no longer stay in this area and thinking if I moved back home to Maine that the nightmare's will stop...

Now the question I have is...I filed my VA claim here in Missouri...and when I move back to Maine I will be living within the Togus VA hospital...do VA claims transfer? right now my Claim is "supposely" up at the review board it was sent there after the Dr. fininshed his report after my C and P exam for PTSD, prior to going for the C and P for PTSD I was already diagonised by a private physican as having PTSD...but to make a long story short...when I called again to the 800 number the VA rep. on the other end said the same thing as the guy told me last week when I called that my file is up at the review board and that there has been no decision...I asked him for a ball park figure on how long it may be before I hear of there decision he told me it could take up to 2 years...I know I can not last 2 more years here....due to the stress.

So if I do get denied can I send a NOD and have my case tranfered to Maine?

thank you

MT

[mountain tyme]

Good Morning Jangrin',

My Huband told me the same thing not to put too much stock in what the person tells me when I call the VA 800 number....at the present time I don't think I have a SO to call I don't really know who is helping me...the guy in at the Mo. comm. of Vet. who was working in the office here in my town is temp. and is covering quite a few towns besides this one...and I feel he is overwhelmed...

He told me that all he can do for me is to send in forms that is his function...and he is a supervisor...he said he wished he could help more but he is so backlogged...so all he has ever done was send in evidence that I come across (I also send in the evidence I find just in case...I don't trust anyone when it comes to this...because after the 3rd Mo. comm. vet. officer left I thought hell I don't have any proof that those papers were sent...so when I received a letter from the VA sending me back papers because they said they were already received...I sent them back a memo saying good at least I know someone received it and you can't tell me down the road you lost it or didn't receive it... at this point I still have not sent in a request for my c-file they have ...the only information I know that is in the file is what I sent them which is way more then they could have gotten out of that measly 12 page file that I recieved from St. Louis which were the only Military records I had on file...now I never seen my military medical records because when I received my military file from st. louis there was a letter attached stating if I wanted to see my medical records (service) that I needed to contact the VA because they had them...I never told anyone from the VA that they could have my Military Medical REcords...and I can't belive that st. louis sent them to the VA...I would have thought they would have sent them copies of my Military Medical records...and not MY MEDICAL RECORDS...now I will never know if someone at the VA tampered with my records I mean how easy would it be to say oops...now how did that find it way to the trash can!!!...as always I got off the beaten path...

who should I call at the VA to talk to about my case...is there someone or some office that I should contact to find out what is really going on with my case..

thank you in advance

MT

[Guest jangrin]

MT, good morning also,

When you filed your claim did you sign a POA? WIth the AL,DAV or anyone? If you did then when you move you can contact them in your new area and they can handle it for you. If not then you can sign up with one of the service agenciews when you get moved if you need to. Right now six months is a while before you move, I'd let the claim alone and see what happens.

Like you, we didn't know until after the fact, that when you file a comp. claim with the VA, the first thing that happens is the VARO is sent all your military records including medical. They are sent the originals not copies. I find this to be incredible, because like you said, oops that went in the trash. hmmm, maybe they won't notice.

Also, at the same time the VARO is getting the originals they are sending you a letter to send in any records you have in your posession. Now, let me see, then they can see what you had and what they need to keep in the file, and gee maybe they will be able to ignore or get rid of whatever they want.

When we requested records we got 3 pieces of paper also, and were told the rest of the records are at the VARO. Like you we still have not gotton my husbands service and medical records.

If there are any newbies out there, get your records and copies of your records BEFORE you file your claim.

MT, if your claim is in the rating board, IF, then I would leave it for now. But if it is not then I would transfer it with you. Someone posted the stats for the different ROs across the country. If the new RO is way less busy an area, if your claim hasn't been rated by the time you move I would move it to the less busy RO.

Before we moved, the file was at the Oakland RO, we went ahead and moved it, because the WACO RO was just as busy. These are the two ROs in the country that are soooo far behind. It didn't matter which one we used they are both swamped. We also like the SO here where we now live. So it probably costs us 6-8 weeks longer by switching, but at least now everyhting is in one area.

Edited December 17, 2006 by jangrin

[mountain tyme]

MT, good morning also,

When you filed your claim did you sign a POA? WIth the AL,DAV or anyone? If you did then when you move you can contact them in your new area and they can handle it for you. If not then you can sign up with them when you get moved if you need to. Right now six months is a while before you move, I'd let the claim alone and see what happens.

Like you, we didn't know until after the fact, that when you file a comp. claim with the VA, the first thing that happens is the VA is send all your military records including medical. They are sent the originals not copies. I find this to be incredible, because like you said, oops that went is the trash. hmmm, maybe they won't notice.

Also, at the same time the VARO is getting the originals they are sending yo a letter to send in any records you have in your posession. Now, let me see, then they can see what you had and what they need to keep in the file, and gee maybe they will be able to ignore or get rid of whatever they want.

When we requested records we got 3 pieces of paper also, and were told the rest of the records are at the VARO. Like you we still have not gotton my husbands service and medical records.

If there are any newbies out there, get your records and copies of your records BEFORE you file your claim.

MT, if your claim is in the rating board, IF, then I would leave it for now. But if it is not then I would transfer it with you. Someone posted the stats for the different ROs across the country. If the new RO is way less busy an area, if it hasn't been rated by the time you move I would move it to the less busy RO.

Before we moved, the file was at the Oakland RO, we went ahead and moved it, because the WACO RO was just as busy. These are the two ROs in the country that are soooo far behind. It didn't matter which one we used they are both swamped. We also like the SO here where we now live. So it probably costs us 6-8 weeks longer by switching, but at least now everyhting is in one area.

I talked to my husband yesterday...and after reading the posts...I feel it would be better just to leave it as it is...I will be going back to maine after my youngest son gradulates from HS...I do remember that when I was in the Military the only reason I went to the base hospital was for routine dental appointments and my yearly physical (not occupational physicals...they didn't do them back in the 70's)...now the twist to my claim when I was being railroaded into a discharge...I was having on going problems which is indicated in my GYN records...and ironically two days before I was brought into the unit commanders office to be processed for there cover-up discharge (is what I call it they had to save there a**...)the GYN doctor gave me my GYN records to take with me...she told me not to lose them...and to give them to my GYN doctor back home...now I never did that...within days after fleeing that base...the problem no longer existed...28 years later I found those records among all the papers I had stored up in a trunk in my Mom's attic...flew back home two years ago after I filed a VA claim for SC disability...to rummage though my past in that trunk...took alot out of me to open that lid...but I did...when I found the medical records my Mom and I read them and she said that she wasn't no doctor but those records indicated that I was under quite a bit of stress...that I needed to take them to my doctor and have him look at them and see what he could read from them...a few months later I did...and even though it didn't stay stress...what was going on did indicate I was under termendous stress) so at this point I am not sure if those records were in my military medical records...but they have copies of them now...my Husband told me...that something I sent to the VA must have opened a door to have them at the last minute decide to do a C and P after sending in papers for 2 years now...

As far as signing a paper "MT, good morning also,

When you filed your claim did you sign a POA? WIth the AL,DAV or anyone?"

I signed a paper saying the Comm. of MO. Vet. are handling my case because they are the only office in the town I live in...I wish there was another service organization that I could have gone to...but my choice was limited...now I am not saying that the service organization that I went to is not good...but they are overwhelmed and understaffed...so the guy in the office is limited to what he can do for the vets in my area...like I said he will only send in papers in file NOD what you write up...

thanks again and sorry if I got off track again...

MT

[Guest jangrin]

MT,

We (my husband and I ) are pretty new at this. I believe you are doing really good. Finding those records sounds KEY to your claim. I hope you sent in copies rather than originals.

Its ok if the service office is busy, I think you get better advise on Hadit.com anyway.

Have you gotton an IMO for your claim yet? And are you service connected for any conditions, or is this your first claim? It sounds like you might have the basis for a PTSD claim is that what you filed for? Maybe some of the Hadit elders or moderators will have imput here about claim specifics.

It's really hard to go back and look at things that are very emotionally troubleing. Please remember, there are many people here and also many women veterans and vet's wives here at hadit, that can relate to you and your situation.

Although, I personally am not a veteran (there have been times lately that I feel as I could be one- dealing with the VA will to that to a person) all the veterans here at Hadit have an extremely generous amount of compassion for one another.Don't be shy, you will find people here that you can talk to rather than get stressed out.

Edited December 17, 2006 by jangrin