PTSD Appeal complete no info DAV says its been awarded?!

[Shan3s33]

Hello,

*Original claim dated 04/15/2014

*Claim denied in Feb 2015

*NOD sent  dated 02/15/2015

*Received C&P Evaluation on 04/21/2017

*Benefits makes first update in Historical Appeals 06/26/2017; 06/26/2017, Appeal is complete,  No info, date unavailable

*I called ebenefits on 07/11/2017 asking what the status was since no letter received and no updates to the website

Representative at Ebenefits said the appeal is not complete and it is awaiting authorization. I replied, that's strange because on my end it says complete.

She said that she would make a formal inquiry to Oakland office where it is currently held because of the discrepant information.

Another Rep said that DAV was representing me in this and that I could contact them for more info.

So, I did. And I spoke with Michael at the DAV Oakland office.

Michael in a very calm not to excite and mono tone voice, got on the phone and pulled up my file or award letter that had been sitting at their office for however long I do not know.  To me right away, this just seemed weird because they received this and I still today have not received anything and the website is still not updated, but I got some info.

Here goes.

*He said the PTSD appeal was granted at the 50% rating retro to 2014 and that I now have 100% disability. The silver lining liningthough  is that he said they haven't decided on how to pay me yet though.

So, in the mean time I thought I'd pick your brains and give you a few facts that may help and I understand speculation is the key word here, but maybe we can predict what's about to happen.

Facts:

-First I was already 60% for previous claims not related to PTSD at the time of claim 04/15/2014.

-I increased to 90% from 60% in June of 2016 with only 2 months retro (super fast claim handling).

Questions:

-How do you think this could play with respect to to retro payments?

-When should I get an answer?

Thanks for reading my thread

 

[Guest L]

Hi @Shan3s33 you just answered your own question & congratulations of the win!

You have broken down the (1)  timeline - so....(2)  take the difference in the percentages.... for each....(3)  and add each time period together. ( using the VA rating pay chart 2017) 

This in my estimation, will give you a ballpark figure. 

You will get and answer.... when you get it , Not trying to be funny but it is true. 

[broncovet]

Like the rest of us, you have to wait for the letter to know for sure.  I dont think DAV did you a lot of favors telling you verbally..sometimes DAV sends letters.  

Everyone wants to know ahead of time, but then someone gets blamed if the final result was not what they said.  My advice is to thank the DAV for the heads up, and wait for the letter.  In the meantime, you can use what he said to calculate your own retro.  You will get the difference between your new rating and what you were paid before, times the applicable number of months.  You have to recalculate it every year that there was an increase.  (For 3 years, under Obama, there was no Cola, so it did not change those years)

You can use a spreadsheet to figure it out, use a calculator, you can guestimate, or not bother with the math at all.  Your choice.  When you get the letter, I can help you estimate the retro, but I wont do that on a verbal he said she said.  It takes an hour or so, and will only be as good as the information given you.   

Edited July 14, 2017 by broncovet

[vetquest]

I agree fully about using a spreadsheet for figuring out what your payment will be.  I have one already made out.  I too am waiting for the deposit to come after being declared UI.

[broncovet]

Vetquest...I would humbly suggest you post a "How to figure your retro" using a spreadsheet, such as open office's "Calc".  (Most Vets can not afford Microsoft Office products, they cost about $200, and, if you use the trial version, chance are by the time your claim is approved, your Trial will be over.  

[Shan3s33]

Update:

Saturday night eBenefits updated my letter to reflect 100% disability and under disabilities it states 50% PTSD AS OF 04/15/2014. Other than that no letter in mail and no other info.