Pending Decision Approval... Again

[ArmySgt2014]

First an foremost, thank you for your time. I know there are a lot of Vets that are in the same boat and are far more worse for wear than me. Below is the time line-

NOV-17 - Filed

DEC-17-APR-18- Gather Evidence/CP Exam

MAY-18- Preparation for Decision

MAY-18- Pending decision approval

June-18 Preparation for Decision

June-18 Gathering Evidence (C&P scheduled for Physician Review)

July-18 Gathering Evidence

August-18 Preparation for Decision

August- Now Pending Decision Approval

 

Some I'm rated at 20% currently and have filed claims for other things that I have been treated for by the VA since 2014 (just never claimed until now). Every time I call the VA, not a single person can repeat the same answer. I could call 10 time tomorrow, and get 10 different responses. Which, is fine with me. If I don't heckle them, who will. My only issues is what would be the reason for kicking it back so many time. I get there may be discrepancies but c'mon. Idk, maybe it will all pan out eventually. 

 

The other thing that confused me was, when I asked to reinstate my 20% benefit after coming off of my T-10 orders, Peggy told me to file a claim for Resumption of Compensation. Well, that was started in Jan-18 and Closed in June-18. When I called an asked because nothing came of it, Peggy told me that they just rolled that one over to my Compensation claim I currently had. #**Y@ SERIOUSLY?  My VSO is worthless. I have done everything thus far on my own. I just wanted to know if there was someone that had similar issues and how long it took. 

V/R 

ArmySgt

[broncovet]

I can answer some of your questions: 

1 The questions on effective dates.  If you applied for benefits within a year of getting out of service, the effective date should be the day you got out of service, if awarded.  

2.  Retro pay timeline.  You should get your retro fairly quickly after a VARO decision..it even comes sometimes BEFORE you get the decision.  However, if you retired from the military, then this usually causes further delays.  

[GeekySquid]

On 9/4/2018 at 1:23 PM, ArmySgt2014 said:

Every time I call the VA, not a single person can repeat the same answer.

@ArmySgt2014

Did you get an update on this? a rating? the job with congress?

The VA system is really hosed up in many ways and their "notification" or "status" indicators are a crock of  %$!&.

I just received a bump from 70% PTSD to 100% P&T, which sounds great. I did get paid the new rate as of 1 Oct check, great, but the retro pay is tied up in a revolving hell because they attached it to a supplemental claim I had initiated to re-open a Bilateral Hearing loss claim and a claim for SMC-K for ED. I had the C&P for the ED and the results are that the examiner wrote

---------------------------snip from Medical Opinion (completed) DBQ--------
5. Medical opinion for secondary service connection
a. [X] The claimed condition is at least as likely as not (50 percent or greater probability) proximately due to or the result of the Veteran's service connected condition

c. Rationale:
1. Veterans with PTSD are more likely to have sexual dysfunctions, including erectile dysfunction than the control population (1). The chronic stress of PTSD, compounded by Depression and anxiety interferes with sexual arousal, libido and erection.
1. Sexual dysfunction in veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Tran JK1, Dunckel G, Teng EJ.J Sex Med. 2015
Apr;12(4):847-55.

----------------------------------------------snip-----------------

So right now, because of the timing of the re-opened claim, this C&P result and the recent bump on PTSD, all the retro-pay and any new SMC-K compensation are tied up in the bouncing ball of VA status indicators.

There are several interesting statements in the full C&P results but I have to maintain patience to respond to them until I get a decision. I also have no choice but to wait to do more than file "intent to file" statements for a couple other issues.

I was able to get my Amer Legion rep, located in the VARO office not at a post, to dig into my VBMS file (and the other database the VA uses) to find out that my claim in actually NOT at my VARO  in Seattle but in region 320 which I don't know where that is. Region 321 is the New Orleans VARO where my claims were originally rated. The rep said that the VARO's farm out "excess" work to other regions with a lower work load and apparently once they are assigned the veteran is SOL on finding out anything until they get done with the file.

I also found in relation to the ED DBQ that the VA was for some reason spending time trying to get records from VAMC Tampa but I was never treated at Tampa. I did apply for help at Jax, Orlando and Miami, but never Tampa. None of those other VAMC's are showing as having information requested from them. I don't understand where Tampa shows up in this equation. My SMR's from Sigonella are in the C-file and show problems even back then while in service.

My whole point in sharing this is to point out that trying to make sense out of VA status codes and times could drive you crazy. I know, because every new question or oddity adds to my neurotic need to find out what it means.

Good luck and let us know the rating results

 

[ArmySgt2014]

Hopefully they sort your stuff out soon.

 

This morning it changed on Ebenefits from pending notification to pending decision approval. I give up trying to understand the VA.

 

I am hopeful that congress offers me the position but still no word. 

[GeekySquid]

2 minutes ago, ArmySgt2014 said:

This morning it changed on Ebenefits from pending notification to pending decision approval.

@ArmySgt2014

That is good news for you,,, at least it is sorta good news :).

There is movement is what I mean, hopefully the approval comes quick.

My stuff is all mucked up so at this point all I can do is wait, and once I left the Navy the concept of "Hurry up and Wait" chafes me.

Good luck with Congress and that position, hopefully it is one that will help regular Americans instead of pandering to the wealthy, corporate,  & partisan groups that keep trying to reduce the individual human rights and liberties we all fought to protect.

[ArmySgt2014]

Another update;

 

So they finally gave me a rating in Ebennies. I'm fine with the rating but there is a problem. 

 

Prior to this claim I had two ratings for 10%. Total was 20% (19%) 

I have yet to get the BBE but ebennies shows 1 rating for 50%. 

My account does not reflect my prior ratings. I should be total overall 60% (50+10+10=59)

I called the VA, they stated that they can't tell me anything but they do not see any previous ratings????? O so I just have digital copies of the first BBE that awarded me 20% but the VA doesn't have any knowledge of it? 

 

This is so frustrating. I'm humble that I got the rating I wanted but pissed that they just deleted my other two ratings. Should I be ready to file another claim to have the other two added back (I have all the CP exam paper work from those claims and I also have the award letter from the VA and the AB-8 form that shows my VA award during that time) or has this ever happened to someone and it was corrected after they received their VA award.

It make me even more made thinking about it in the fact that, I had filed a claim to start my benefits after coming off T10 orders, but they closed that one out during this past May. 

 

Thanks for any information.

[GeekySquid]

39 minutes ago, ArmySgt2014 said:

This is so frustrating

@ArmySgt2014

Yep it is. I see above you have a veterans rep, does this person have access to the VBMS?

The E benefits portal is not reliable except as a source of frustration.

If your rep has access go to them, if not go to your RO and ask to look at your record. You want them to print all your current/previous claims, all C&Ps past and scheduled and any determinations in the file .

If you don't have your c-file, get it. Mine just took less than 2 months to get, not bad for the VA.

Since you have other claims in process those two "missing" ratings could be important as you know.