DRO review timeline at the Montgomery,Al office

[Chopper Guy]

I was hoping some of you could share NOD timelines you've submitted for DRO review particularly (but not limited to) those submitted to the Montgomery,Al office. My NOD requesting a DRO review was filed on August 17, 2017 which is slightly over 500 days. I called the VA helpline and was told appeals on average are 314 days till completion. 

Edited January 12, 2019 by Chopper Guy

[vetquest]

Unfortunately we cannot assist with this.  The VA works not on the veterans' time but on their own time.  They will draw out an appeal until the veteran is going insane.

Sorry I cannot be of more help, I have a DRO appeal going on right now too.  I have experienced better times at BVA than at RO levels.

[toddt]

Mine has been since Sept 2017 so you have been waiting longer.  No end in sight.  Good luck.

[Chopper Guy]

On 1/12/2019 at 10:18 AM, toddt said:

Mine has been since Sept 2017 so you have been waiting longer.  No end in sight.  Good luck.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. The wait is equivalent to mental water boarding. Its hard to be patient especially when your disabilities have deteriorated to the point in which you had to give up a job you loved.

[Chopper Guy]

On 1/12/2019 at 9:31 AM, vetquest said:

Unfortunately we cannot assist with this.  The VA works not on the veterans' time but on their own time.  They will draw out an appeal until the veteran is going insane.

Sorry I cannot be of more help, I have a DRO appeal going on right now too.  I have experienced better times at BVA than at RO levels.

Thanks for the reply. I guess hurry up and wait didn't end the day we departed service but rather intensified. It seems odd you have had better luck on appeals as a BVA rather than a DRO. I say this because my lawyer (Hill and Ponton) is so bent on the DRO route. I'm already insane though,there aren't to many more screws I can lose.

[vetquest]

I believe we have so much better luck at the BVA because they really do read your whole file and consider all evidence in your favor.  It seems that the RO's are just trying to get the case finished and they overlook key evidence.  I know about not having more screws to lose.  After my decision by the BVA my daily stress went down, a good decision can be validating.