Was told I should not have been given a copy of my ruling?

[allansc2005]

OK folks, wasn't sure if this is the right Forum for this question/incident, but it is an Entitlement(I think).

 

Back in January of this year I was awarded, on the spot, P&T IU, as well as an CUE via a RO formal hearing.

After months of waiting, waiting...on some kind of paperwork, not to mention a bank deposit, I decided I would go check with the county VA office.

The county VA office printed me out a 'preliminary' copy of the award, I gave them a smile, a "thank you" and proceeded to the local car dealer, bought a new car, used the award to exempt myself from property taxes on that car, and drove home a happy camper.

The next day the county tax assessors office called me and said they couldn't exempt me from the property taxes on the car because the award I gave them wasn't "official", and that I had 90 days to either come up with an official letter stating I was 100% disabled, or I would have to pay the property taxes on the car, which for a BMW 745 is just under 3k!

What the $%^&?!

Anyway, so this morning I go back to the county office and ask them what's the deal with the so-called "award" letter not being "official"? The Super told me that the clerk should not have given me a copy of the award in the first place, and after asking why not, the Super told me that "The award we printed up for you is not a final decision award, because of the large amount of money involved in your case, the award takes 3 signatures before it's actually approved...and my award hasn't reached that level..."

What?!

Has this happened to anyone else? Should local/county VA offices deny you a copy of your award, no matter what "phase" it's in?

 

Allan

2-2-0 HUAH! 

 

 

[Buck52]

 allan,

you need to check with e benefits cheif at your local VAMC  ...its true they are slow & things like that  they tell ever vet that....  but something is not right with your e benefits page.

let him know just what you mean about your e benefits site,   you may need to take your Lap-top or  let him log into your e benefits so he can look at what is happening  or not happening with your e benefits pages.

[broncovet]

The "letter" page on ebenefits is a seperate part called "letters".  You have to have something called an ebenefits "premium" account that my VAMC requires IN PERSON authentication.  That is, I had to go to the VAMC librarian to get a premium (ebenefits) account.  You may not have had to do that, but you may not have the premium version, either, which may not show "letters".  

Does your ebenefits AB8 letter show you have a disability?

[allansc2005]

Bronco, I have a Premium account. My Ebenefits page does show I have a disability, but that disability is not the 100% I was awarded in January.

I've had a Premium account for years.

Allan

2-2-0 HUAH!

[Buck52]

Well e benefits is working ok on my end   some times their down for maintenance, and go back and forth on the claims process status  but thats the Norm with e benefits.

If you have a DOD & Premium Account   and its not showing your benefits  or your new rating  from 1-27-17   it should be showing it.

if you can't get any help from the Dashboard   hovering your cursor on the dashboard  for Help/click on HELP and nothing is happening?  then you need to go see someone at your local VAMC  E BENEFITS OFFICE. 

About the only other information I know would be to  change your pass-word...and re try.

[allansc2005]

Buck, it's my understanding that if your RO is so far behind with claims, as mine is, it causes a ripple effect, meaning Ebenefits pages are not updated, veterans are not getting their claims decided in a timely manner..etc etc...

 

Let me say this again, I have been using Ebenefits for years, and I'm well aware of it's features. The "Help" feature on my page does not mention anything about problems with the page itself. Also, the email feature on my page is not working, so therefore I can't email anyone about the problems.

 

Tomorrow I will call the people who maintain the Ebenefits pages, and let them know what's going on. The last time I called them, it took them a week to call me back, so what does that say about them?

Allan

2-2-0 HUAH!

[broncovet]

You're lucky if you get a call back.  My old VSO's never called back.