Back 2 Steps in Claims Process

[Super Sport]

Hey brother & sisters, 

I am grateful for these types of forums. I have been monitoring my ebennes claim status, and have read a few forum posts here. My claim status we from Preparation of Notification backward 2 steps to Preparation for Decision. I NEVER did see a step labeled Pending Decision Approval. Is it common to see Preparation for Notification and not to see the Pending approval part?  VA claims seem to have increased in speed over the last 5 or so years, but I have not seen the crazy movement as I have on this claim. 

Could this be any sort of sign....I am currently at 90% and am making the push for 100% for the first time. Could there be any correlation there. Are there extra approvals or anything else that I may not have witnessed in the past?

Thanks,

Mike SS

[paulstrgn]

Its not always speaking VA...it also depends on the VA person who does the rating...do they even understand VA speak. do they know how to properly rate the veteran. I believe that the reason for the bad/low ratings is partly because the VA rater has not been properly trained. As a veteran we should not be expected to write VA and the VA should not expect it. 

6 hours ago, GeekySquid said:

we each have to learn how to speak VA, how to read VA, and how to make VA process work for us.

With that said Geeky is correct, it really does behoove us to learn VA speak, read VA and learn how the VA thinks. I have found that when my case goes slow it is because I did not clearly read the decision I am trying to get over turned.  

[Buck52]

Its always beneficial to know how the claims process works and how the VA likes us to word it

The more we know about the claims process the Better off we will be better prepared  ect,,ect,,

Knowledge is Power.

quote from Kihr

''it may never help, but the current process requires something like 62 decision points, which is an absolutely crazy amount of decision points which increases the length.  They seem to have been getting better time for claim completion appears to be reduced (not in my case I put in my claim for increase 9/24/18 and it is still unresolved) but in general this is the vibe I get.''

Not all veterans claims are alike all are different, and how we prepare for our claims makes a big big difference .

a well prepared claim will usually take a lot less time for a decision vs a sloppy unprepared claim.

With this new AMA in place the claims are promised not to take so damn long as they use to, (That's beginning to go out the window) So unless your in the Legacy Claims  it will take longer for a decision  usually no matter what you do.

Most important part about either choice you make using the new AMA System or stay in the Legacy system  you need to have a well prepared claim with all your evidence in tact and laid out for the rater to read easy and all medical records to help substantiate your claim.

This goes for first time clams or claims for increase! also if your trying to get your EED.

If your in the Legacy claims  you may want to opt into this New AMA  System , its suppose to be a lot faster .

After Fed 19th 2019 all claims submitted will be in the New AMA System   so if you submitted your claim for increase back in 9/24/18 Your claim for increase is in the old Legacy system.

JMO but  I'd say the new system is some what faster from what I heard from other veterans that went that rout . but some are stalled just like your claim..so there's not really any guarantees that our claims will be adjudicated any faster in this new AMA System.

[Buck52]

8 hours ago, vetquest said:

My lawyer asked me to drop my claim after I won TDIU because it took up time and resources other veterans needed to fight their case.  I won 100% without his help. 

It took me ten years to get TDIU.  I do not believe you are taking up time and resources other veterans need.  What other veterans need is a well thought out and fair decision on the first iteration of their claim at the RO level.  Otherwise they get caught up in the hamster wheel I was caught up in when I needed two remands from the BVA before I received the benefits I should have received ten years earlier, as the BVA noted.  

Had my case been decided sooner my children would have had help going to college and my wife would have not had to be the main breadwinner in my family.  My case is not so unique.

I have a real problem with VSO's and others that perpetrate this fallacy.  The RO's do shoddy work and no one there is willing to call them out on this.  As I have said before the RO's should be graded on the number of cases that are overturned due to shoddy work, and misapplied CFR's and not the number of cases they clear. 

Sorry about this rant but I would still be at 80% if I followed my lawyer's advice.

I can relate Vetquest  took me about 6 years  to get the TDIU P&T and my spouse carried the load those 6 years.

  I did what I could I mowed yards mostly  luckly for me I had a Riding mower  so the work was not all that hard but the jobs were far and in between. the ones that did let me mow their yards felt sorry for me and that bothered me.

..I remember my spouse coming home from a hard days work and very tired  I felt like crap seeing her like that and waiting and waiting on the VA

Thanks to Hadit and Ms Berta and some of the other hadit members that are not with us today   help me work my claim all the way. and for that Me and my spouse will be for ever greatful

One of my reasons I stay on hadit  if I can help just one veteran win his claim  that helps make up for all the bad times I had fighting the VA.