Just got my decision, Some ?s on deferrals

[Dkmhockey155]

Good Afternoon! I received my decision yesterday. I see on there that a few of them were deferred. For example my flat feet where never even examined when I had my C & P exam, and yet it says deferred for: VA medical opinion clarification. I'm not sure I understand why this is going on or what it means.  Please advise! You guys are the gurus when it comes to this kind of stuff. Below are the links to the letter I have received edited out so no PII is on it. Please let me know what my next steps should be. I'm thinking go down and meet with the DAV...  Thanks Danny

https://i.imgur.com/BJisAs6.jpg    Page 1
https://i.imgur.com/ON1YQkT.jpg    Page 2
https://i.imgur.com/DF8nNSE.jpg   Page 3
https://i.imgur.com/Ag3s3nd.jpg    Page 4

[DivComms]

Looks to me that they are being instructed to clarify their opinion or see if their opinion changes based on any additional medical evidence found and reviewed. It is not a necessarily a bad thing, just that the VA is poking around for well a clearer picture so you can be rated correctly.

Like say the guy who did the C&P forgot to say examine your flat feet and the DR. left that section in their report blank or incomplete. So the VA might ask that DR. to clarify what they wrote (their medical opinion) or did not write.

[godelocs]

I'm sure other's will chime in, but I just wanted to give you a quick answer so you won't be worrying too much.  The conditions that were deferred were probably deferred due to not enough evidence.  Sometimes even if there is enough evidence they will prefer for an evaluation to be done by your local VA or some other doctor that VA sends you to.  This has probably already been done if you've already had C&P exams.  If you've just received these letters, just give it a little time and see if you hear anything else from them.  If you don't receive anything in 14-30 days, give VA a call and ask if there is anything that you can do to help speed the process along.  You do want to allow them the time to get to your deferments, but you don't want to be forgotten about either.  

Be courteous if you call.  You will get so much more accomplished if you aren't ranting and raving.  Definitely, contact a representative from a veterans organization to get help if you don't feel comfortable doing things yourself.

Putting things in writing is always the best way to go.  You could write a short letter/memo asking if there is anything you can do on your end to expedite the process.

I see that some things were rated 0-10%.  Read the description below the rating to see why it was rated that number and what is necessary for it to be higher.  If you feel that it should be higher and you have the medical evidence to show, you can put in for increases whenever you feel like it within one year.  If you disagree with the current ratings please file a NOD stating why.  There is a form you must use for that.  In the meantime continue with doctors appointments to keep your conditions/disabilities up to date.

I hope this helps until someone else chimes in.  Be blessed.  Good luck.

[armyvet89]

Most deferrals happen for lack of evidence or information. I had this happen to me twice. Dont panic if it is documented well in your STR's. They deferred my right knee claim because the doc did everything he was supposed to but forgot to provide a diagnosis. So i waited 34 more days from the day i got my BBE for the doc to write "the regional office is requesting an addendum to the DBQ referencing a required diagnosis. The diagnosis is as follows: Right knee strain". Then the rater thought that there was something in my records that indicated i had an in-service knee injury that would permit direct service connection instead of secondary like i had claimed it. I waited another month to go to a C&P just for the doctor to say that the evidence the rater seen was a typo. I cant make this stuff up man. But dont worry. If it is documented well then you should be fine. There are 2 things that you need to ask yourself at this point tho. 

1. Of the deferred contentions, did any of them exist prior to entering service? If so, you have to show and have a doc state that your military service aggravated the progression of those disabilities beyond its natural progression otherwise your claim will be denied. 

2. Do you have a VSO? Now may be the time to get one. I have become very knowledgeable from our brothers and sisters here at Hadit and I do my own claims but there is still benefits of using one. For example, once your claim hits the "pending decision approval" stage your VSO can look you up and tell you the tentative decision instead of having to wait until you get the mailed decision, at least AMVETS does. Let me know if you have any other questions. 

[broncovet]

A deferred decision is a good thing...well, at least partly good.  It means there was insufficient evidence to award OR DENY.  It does not take much evidence to deny!   

It probably means there was a C and P exam that was either ambigious, or, frankly, the C and P examiner did NOT answer one or more of the questions he was supposed to answer.  

The Va COULD have denied you, based on "insufficient evidence", but someone chose to defer.  The result here is that instead of an appeal taking 5 or 6 years, you could get a RO decision just a few months after the applicable evidence is submitted by the C and P, or if a new c and p exam is required, you could get a decision within 4 to 10 years of that c and p exam..  (Ok, just kidding.  You could get a decision within a few weeks of the c and p exam.)