To "RAMP" or not to "RAMP"

[broncovet]

As many may know, Congress has passed new legislation which essentially requires VA to cut down on appeal backlog.  This plan is known as "RAMP".  

Currently, only Veterans who ARE INVITED by VA can elect to go with RAMP.  Im not sure it will do much good to write to VA and tell them you want RAMP, tho its POSSIBLE that VA may grant this request.  

A well known law firm has published some credible, and valuable information on RAMP.  If offered a chance to "RAMP" through a VA letter, its probably a good idea to:

1.  Just do it and go for RAMP.

2.  At least read the following before declining ramp, and discuss this with your representative.  

https://cck-law.com/news/news-cck-live-revisiting-ramp/

MY summary:

    UNLESS you have a compelling reason, opt "in" for RAMP.  

    CCK says you should not do RAMP if any of these would harm your claim:

However, veterans should fully consider that participating in RAMP means:

• not being able to appeal to the Board until at least February 2019.
• not being able to take their claim directly to the Board of Veterans Appeals.
• never going back to the legacy appeals process.

 

 

[HorizontalMike]

Boy, I sure don't know/understand what the BVA is trying to do to me regarding RAMP.  Three of my appeals are already at the board, dated May 2016.  I am going to try and put these attachments in order, and make sense of them at bottom of page... I hope...

A-XXX,

What Happened?  Last month you had assured me that “…Since your appeal for the effective date of your IU is a newer appeal (Form 9 filed in Oct 2017 vs. May 2016 like the other 3 appeals), we opted that issue into the RAMP program (the other 3 appeals don’t qualify since they are already activated at the Board…”  HUH?

And the attached “decision” says that we opted for the “higher level Review”, and the way I understand HLR, is that we can no longer add information to our appeal?!  What about IMOs and such?

PLEASE ADVISE!  Michael

------------------------------

Michael

I recall what I said last month and it remains true. The only issue in RAMP is the earlier effective date for IU. The letter below is in error. In fact, I just checked the Board’s database and confirmed that TBI, depression, and sleep apnea are all still active at the Board and no in RAMP. I will contact the RO and have them send out a corrected notice letter regarding the RAMP issue on appeal.

A L, Attorney at Law

_______________________

V...NOTE BELOW...V   That the decision date is Aug 30, 2018, AFTER my earlier appeals were locked in.

 

Well... it looks like the BVA is, or did, try to WITHDRAW all my earlier Legacy Appeals.  Note that they are ALREADY being distributed to the BVA Judges!  IMO, the VA/VBA is still not following their own rules!

Are they going to argue semantics be tween "to" and "thru"...?      

Edited September 8, 2018 by HorizontalMike

[HorizontalMike]

BTW, this is NOT the first time that the Houston Regional Office (RO) has tried to "rule" on appeals that they, the RO, had already forwarded to the BVA.  And this RO does this WITHOUT even going to/through a VA Law Judge! 

Anyway, I sure hate it when these RO antics are entered into my records, and later referred to as "fact" after the fact.

At this point IMO, Ramp is just another avenue to RO misbehavior and appeal denial.  Your opinion may vary... 

[Oceanbound]

My RAMP has one issue and is in the fast lane, the rest of my claims is in old legacy way. 

Also know my attorney isn't there to hold my hand therefore I don't bother her unless I have new evidence or IMO/IME because I know what she is doing. I'm not the only one she represents, has to write a brief for, and obtain new clients.

If I want to know things Hadit is for that, and her role is win my case. 

 

[HorizontalMike]

6 hours ago, Oceanbound said:

My RAMP has one issue and is in the fast lane, the rest of my claims is in old legacy way. 

Also know my attorney isn't there to hold my hand therefore I don't bother her unless I have new evidence or IMO/IME because I know what she is doing. I'm not the only one she represents, has to write a brief for, and obtain new clients.

If I want to know things Hadit is for that, and her role is win my case. 

 

Please don't be TOO complacent with your attorney.  The OP received some compensation from that very same attorney, but dropped him on further appeals going forward.  And I TOO have been with the same law firm as you for over +4yr so far, on my multiple issue appeal(claim is +6yr old now). 

That said, while we all know attorneys are busy, they don't always catch all/everything on their own.  Hadit helps, but even that/this is no end-all.  Pay attention to what ever details are available to you, and monitor those details.  If something is not right/correct, then point it out to your attorney.  After all, this same law firm is, or will be, getting/earning over +5-figure$ from my appeals and maybe more if they stick with it for/through SMCs.  PM the OP if you want more details of the OP's journey with same(that is why I am now somewhat skeptical).  Keep your eyes wide open, IMO.