haims HAIMS request and status question Oct 2018

[GeekySquid]

So here is yet another question about Ebenefits statuses and trying to figure out what is actually happening.

Ebenefits now has this status

• Requested Documents are Past Due (this appeared the 22nd/23rd of October 2018)
• Attention: Development Letter Sent Development Letter Sent (this has been there since it was opened in Aug 2018)

The Dev Letter has been there since the start of the claim.

In the documents required section it says a document requested is no longer needed and has been that way since they consolidated the claims. The documents were requested from Sigonella Sicily. I have not been there since 1984 and the base had no hospital then, only a small med clinic.

The VA at this moment has not been told by me that there are hearing test results missing from my C-File. They would have no other way to know that there are tests not in the file. Those missing tests are from multiple bases, including Sigonella so why they would be requesting files only from Sig is beyond me.

I contacted IRIS two weeks before the Past Due Notice showed up and they responded the claim was waiting on a HAIMS request for military STR's from Sig

So does anyone have any idea what that Past Due Notice actually means? What actions the VA will take? am I just stuck in limbo or is there some action I can take to at least get them to issue a partial decision on the "easy" portions of the claims like the ED?

The estimated completion date is in Jan 2019. We know that is a joke.

Trapped in this mess are my SMC-K claim, which  I am fairly sure will be approved, as well reopening the Bilateral Hearing loss Claim, which the tests in the C-File definitively show the Hearing Loss was documented in-service. The other claim is for TD/IU but since my PTSD Review C&P bumped me to 100% P&T that should be moot.

thanks for any input
 

Update 10/26/2018 11 A.M PST

Being incapable and unwilling to be patient (character flaw, I know),  I have been checking Ebenefits daily (1 morning, 1 night) to see if any changes occurred. Excessive maybe but it works for me.

Today at 6 a.m. PST I looked at the claim and it had moved to Preparation for decision from the Requested Docs Past Due status. Makes me wonder if that status does not trigger a rater to actually look at the claim again?

at 11 A.M. I decided to see if Vets.gov had the same status. I believe someone told me that they were supposed to be in sync. They aren't. Vets says they are gathering evidence still.

The new Ebenefits Estimated Completion date is 12 Dec 2018, a whole month earlier than before. woohoo I might get a nice holiday gift from the VA. lol NOT!

Update 10/27/2018 5:45 PM PST

So as usual I checked this morning at approximately 8 AM CST, figuring since the claim is at site 320 and that is either Ky or TN, that is a good time to see if anyone was around or had been overnight. No joy. No change.

Now at 5:45 PM PST (my local) which should be like 7:45 CST, the status has updated again. It now says

• Pending decision approval

Which is very interesting and if it does not start bouncing back and forth between statuses, I might actually see it change to finalized in a week or two.

Right now, despite my impatience, this claim has moved fairly fast for the VA and other horror stories I have heard. This was opened Aug 20, 2018 it is now Oct 27, 2018, so if it keeps on track and closes by Nov 20, 2018 that is only 90 days. That is much faster than the 125 day average the VA says it takes for initial claims, and this one is kind of complicated to wade through. '

We will see. I will keep updating here just so there is a record of the time line and maybe help create some data points for other vets to gauge things by,

special note. I have no idea how that screen cap of this screen got attached and it wont let me delete it. sorry.

 

 

 

Edited October 28, 2018 by GeekySquid
update with new info

[paulstrgn]

I have found in the past the "Requested Documents are Past Due" that the system has just not been updated yet. I always call the 800 number and they tell me that the documents are actually there (I want to make sure it is not me missing something). The dates like you mention are never real or reliable for I find it changes constantly. I like eBenefits but at the same time I hate it, it just doesn't tell you enough. I need to file for an SMC-K claim myself.

I have only once had the VA approved part of my claim while the rest was pending (I don't know why more can't do that if it can be partially approved).

I was stationed at Comiso Sicily 86-87 and visited Sigonella (the first time because they had opened a McDonald's) a few times. 

Good luck and hopefully it is approved soon.

[GeekySquid]

14 minutes ago, paulstrgn said:

I was stationed at Comiso Sicily 86-87 a

@paulstrgn

thanks for the response. When I was there Comiso was not one line or even near it, Sig was barely an NAF much less an NAS, and had open sewage on both bases. McDonalds was not even remotely possible because the Italians refused to let processed hormone filled grey-stuff-passing-for-meat into the country LOL.

 I keep getting busy signal at Peggy and w/ the online chat. will give it a couple more days. The situation is just annoying as all get out. The SMC-K should be a no brainer considering the C&P, my PTSD and the VA records alone. AT least process that and if they want figure out retro later as an inferred claim then great.

Same with reopening the Hearing Loss claim. The record is clear. They have the tests, what the C&P says and the Rater repeating what the C&P said. You don't need to be an audiologist to look and see that 1) they did not consider all the tests (and admit they didn't) and 2) my final discharge hearing test showed 70 and 75 db losses, and 3) there is an OSHA statement in the file saying I had work caused hearing loss. Granting the SC even if they don't grant a rating is all I am asking.

The same with the TD/IU, at this moment with zero extra work the could say "oops this is moot because you are 100% schedular". That would be a valid response and they can (ostensibly) sidestep any question of inferred claim at the original rating decision.

I have a Sleep Apnea claim I want to file, and have posted an Intent to File, but I don't want it rolled into this mess.

 

[paulstrgn]

@GeekySquid

They built the base to trade away as part of the SALT treaties. I enjoyed my time there, I lived in Ragusa. The hamburgers at McDonald's did not taste the same as in the states so i was disappointed needless to say.

I have good luck with the 800 number and always get through, usually less than 5 minutes, I stopped the chat feature because it was too slow. The whole process of going through the VA process is annoying, as you say it's a no brainer. I would love to get a retro date but am happy when I at least get approved. I have a NOD for an effective date which I am sure I will have to appeal in the long run. 

I have an appeal for sleep apnea and hypertension and will need to do a NOD (perhaps a reconsideration) for my knees once I get a copy of my C-File.

As all vets know trying to get a VA claim approved is a never ending battle. 

[Buck52]

GeekySquid  

you can file your documents on e benefits  if you have them?  or make copy's and send them in mail them to the Janesville Wi Claims Intake Center or do both.but make sure you use the correct forms.  if your filing electronically? on e benefits.

  I did this with my PTSD Claim.  and my status said the same thing Requested ''Documents are Past Due'' ..

.I sent in what I had and nothing ever came of the Requested Documents are past Due...

I think this is just a routine thing for them to do after they read your documents(by computer) a computer reads these Documents.....>  its part of the New VBMS System  this is why its crucial we need to use the correct forms  b/c the computer reads these forms now .

if it can't it will get kicked back..probably the reason the Requested Documents are past due.

check with your VSO he should be able to get into the VBSM and see what the problems is?  but I seriously doubt there's a problem.

I accidentally hit the ITF (Intent to file button twice and it said I had 5 ITF's...and only had one ITF..

I just Ignore those for about 6 months and they took them off. I did tell them on e benefits I only had one ITF and One Claim  I just accidentally hit the ITF button or I heald the Button down to long on my mouse.

if you have anymore problems call that 1-800 # and ask them about why it says Request for Documents  Past Due?..its probably just a glitch.

Especially if you sent in all your evidence and proper forms , then your claim should be in FDC (Fully Developed Claim status

[GeekySquid]

3 hours ago, Buck52 said:

then your claim should be in FDC (Fully Developed Claim status

@Buck52

Thanks for the reply.

The submitted docs are the right forms and typed so there is no problem with the OCR reading of them.

The rest they need to look at are already in the VBMS and I know this because they are in my C-file. I would have to go look for it, but the C&P doctor even pointed out that she had reviewed my files but also that she had reviewed the "tabbed" files provided with the C&P request. She is talking about my initial enlistment physical,, the hearing test, and my re-enlistment physical hearing test, which she incorrectly characterizes as being my "discharge physical" as opposed to re-enlistment physical.

That may seem like picking nits, but since she states that she only looked at 1 enlistment it is relevant to the problem of her not doing what she was required to do, which is review my entire file; which she claimed to have done. If she had actually reviewed my file in VBMS she should have seen all of the hearing tests and enlistments.

She listed my NEC/MOS as only having a "moderate" likelihood of causing hearing loss, but I have since found Fast Letter 10-35 which shows my NEC as having a "highly probable" expectation of causing hearing loss.  She offered no proof of her opinion on my job only having moderate likelihood.

If I have to NOD a denial of reopening the Hearing Loss claim, I will refrain from mentioning the Fast Letter and just demand they explain the rationale of "moderate". I wouldn't want them to dismiss that evidence at the current level which I think is still the RO. I say think because there are three distinct parts to the claim and it does not seem to be at the correct office.

`1) an SMC-K which I opened as a new claim for ED being Secondary to my PTSD this august. I had a C&P for this and it is favorable to me. The VA rolled this claim into the others. This claim should be with my current RO, unless they infer that there is a claim for an EDD in my supporting documents and the lay statements I provided. Then it should be at my previous RO, New Orleans, that has a site ID of 321

2) The TD/IU which also should have stayed with my current RO unless they are inferring a claim for EDD on this too, and the it should be at my previous RO, New Orleans, that has a site ID of 321. Since I was bumped to 100% P&T on PTSD by the Review C&P that took place right as that claim was put it, it should be moot; that is unless they are inferring a claim for an EDD back to my original 70% rating in 2012.

3) The reopening of my claim for Bilateral Hearing Loss. It would have to go back to the original RO, New Orleans, that has a site ID of 321.

The site ID seems important since the claim is at site ID 320, which is either Tenn or KY. Each state has a site 320, but Louisiana does not. Since the claims should be either at Seattle or New Orleans their presence at site ID 320 adds a layer of confusion of what is actually happening.

I will wait until the middle of next week to call Peggy. I am swamped tomorrow and Monday and Tuesday so it will be mid week at the earliest before I have time to hang out in hold-hell.

 

 

[GeekySquid]

6 hours ago, paulstrgn said:

Ragusa.

Ragusa was nice. We used to drive over and spend weekends at the Club Med Kamarina and at a beach camp ground at Passo Marinaro.

The first time we went, a van full of us left Sig at midnight after our shift and drank all the way there. We had to stop at the Caribinieri office  right off the main piazza in Comiso. Considering there was a lot of anti-american sentiment and the area was officially a "socialist" district and the early hour, the Caribinieri were not particularly impressed seeing 8 American sailors, 4 female, knocking on their door.

They escorted us back to our van at the point of an Uzi and a 9 mm Sig Sauer and had one of the junior guys follow us out of town towards the resort.  It was an experience to say the least.