My Successful VA Claim Story

[OSC(SW) Retired]

My Successful VA Claims Story

Thanks to all on this site who have shared information, web site links, successes, failures, delays, processes, procedures, and advice. Your advice helped my complete my claim on-line with zero issues. I didn’t post or comment on any threads while I was in the process, but waited till all was done; now I have time to comment and return the favor and answer any questions.

At the time of my retirement in 2001 after 20 years of service, filling a claim was the farthest thing from my mind. Sure I had aches, pains and scars but I was 39, didn’t feel disabled and honestly didn’t want anything to delay me from getting out on time and honestly felt there were more deserving of compensation. It took me several years to understand I did have injuries that affected me and I should file a claim.

 I was also going thru a divorce, custody battle, relocating from overseas, looking for a house and a job to pay for it all at the same time. Luckily I was successful on all accounts.

Fast forward to 2015 I finally decided to start my claim after close to 15 years.

After reading numerous postings and threads on this site and reading the length of time people have waited and hearing the horror stories associated with so many claims, I decided that while there are some very knowledgeable, dedicated and helpful people and agencies out there to help with claims that no one probably cared about my claim as much as I did.

I went to work learning the process and reading the CFR cover to cover and read it again and read it again (did I mention I read it again).

Obtained my records, civilian and military and made a list of each condition no matter how small that I believed I had solid enough documentation on. I then got busy making medical appointments for each the conditions I claimed. I did these one at a time to ensure everything was correct before moving on to the next.

After each Dr. Visit I scheduled another appointment with the sole purpose of having the Dr. Complete VSARD. (This process took me approx. 8 months)

After submitting claim on e-benefits I started preparing for my C&P Exam. Simply made an outline for each item I wanted to address and had copies of everything I submitted (which I was glad I brought with me, three items had not been uploaded to my file). The C&P exam was painless and professional the Dr. simply asked questions on each issue and did the exam to confirm what had previously been submitted.

My appointment lasted 3.5 hours. I recommend you be patient and quiet while the Dr. reads your C-File and types notes for each condition and completes a VSARD for each. Don’t distract them let them work. I know I make errors typing if someone is talking at the same time and my claim was too important to have something missed by me talking and asking questions while they are typing their medical opinion. They take the issues one at a time and complete each before moving onto the next.

You will be afforded a time at the end for questions, take notes of questions that pop into your head and save them to the end of your appointment. My Dr. was very thorough and took her time for each issue. Honestly I was blown away by the way I was treated at the Houston, VA after some of the horror stories I have read about C&P exams.

I simply followed advice I came across from those that were successful with their claims and treated the C&P Exam like a business meeting. After the Doctor introduced herself the conversation basically went like this.

I simply said...”Thank you for making time to speak with me today, Have you been given time to review my file for the following conditions”? Gave her a list of my claimed conditions (I listed all 10 on one piece of paper). She said all but these three. I then showed her the screen shot where they had been submitted and gave her paper copies which she appreciated. (Later in the exam she was able to retrieve them from the system as it was uploading slowly that day)

At the end she asked what questions if any I had, I had two or three that I wrote down for clarification which she answered. I simply thanked her for her time and left the appointment.

Recommend getting an account on the VA Blue Button, my exam notes were online in two days and after reading the Doctors notes I knew my claim would be just fine. My time line is below.

Dec 1 2016 Claim submitted                                                         

Dec 4 2016 Under Review/Gathering of Evidence

Jan 25 2017 C&P Exam

Mar 08 2017 Initial Review Complete/Preparation for Decision

March 20 2017 Moved back to Gathering Evidence

March 27 2017 Moved to Pending Decision Approval

March 28 2017 Preparation for Notification

March 28 2017 Complete awarded 90%

 Thanks again to all those that posted info and advice! Best wishes....OSC (SW) Retired

[toddt]

Well done, Chief.

 

[OSC(SW) Retired]

Thanks for the info you posted! It really helped me navigate the system!

[eagle1012004]

Congratulations!!

You did the proper leg work and gave them everything they needed to make a decision.

That's the way to do it!!

Thank you for your service!!

All the best to you!!

[Berta]

Excellent!!!!!!! Congratulations!

I am sure you know that CRDP is automatic but CRSC has to be applied for.

I assume you would fall into either CRDP or CRSC catergory....???

"I went to work learning the process and reading the CFR cover to cover and read it again and read it again (did I mention I read it again)."

 

Yippee and that puts any vet onto the path to success ,among the other steps you took.

The CFRs and VASRDs are templates to what evidence we need.

The time it takes to read and re read the regs and all of the medical evidence you have is well worth that effort (as you know!)

This is superb:

"After submitting claim on e-benefits I started preparing for my C&P Exam. Simply made an outline for each item I wanted to address and had copies of everything I submitted (which I was glad I brought with me, three items had not been uploaded to my file). "

I always prepared what I called "War Plans" for my claims....an outline that included every avenue of attack possible, and what I needed to prove the claim.

When we get organized and narrow our focus to what we need, it all can get easy (and no one else such as a vet rep, will be willing or able  to do that for us).

 

 

[jefmil50]

Congratulations, you did all the leg work and it payed off, I read the CFR pretty thoroughly too and it payed off for me to get what I was looking for. You have to be your own advocate. And I have to give a lot of credit to the people on this site for all the advice. Good luck in your future battles!