Under the new Appeals Modernization Act, has the VA changed the NOD form ?

[63Charlie]

Are we required to use the old NOD form if we want to take our appeals directly to the BVA, or have the NOD forms been changed?

[vetquest]

Check out asknod's post "RAMP-Screw me twice, shame on me."

[broncovet]

Yes.  You need to read up on it, when appealing.  It would appear that there is no room for error..even on the form number.  You have choices to make, too.  Even if you are familiar with RAMP and the choices..there is a problem.  You see, most of us dont get to see our RBA before we make that choice..so, do we need new evidence or not?  How are we supposed to know what evidence VA has (had) in their possession, when we normally dont get to see the RBA until after the board decision?  

Sure, we can order a copy of our cfile, but, by the time we get it, its certainly out of date, and VA may well have hit "delete" a few times.  The answer, of course, is to grant Veterans the right to see their own VBMS electronic record...and why not?  They dont have to give us permission to alter the file..there is a permissions called "read only", so why can we not read our own file, just as a VSO or attorney does?    Of course, there is a problem with both attorney's and VSO's.

1.  Attorneys.  There are 3 problems here.  First, of course, is the cost.  Second is often we wait because of the cost until we are so frustrated with VA that we give up and pay the attorney fees.   Lastly, even if we were okay with paying the 20 percent, the attorney can not enter our claim stream until AFTER the denial, so there already had to be something gone amuck.  

2.  VSO's.    There are at least 3 problems here, too.  V....S....O.  

Veteran.  Because we are a Veteran, we are not beleived.  A doctor is beleived.  A VSO is beleived.  A VA employee is beleived.  But, not a Veteran when he is a claimant.  Everything we say is considered false until the VA knows otherwise. 

Service.  What part of "Service" is there that VSO's dont return phone calls?  They dont respond to our letters either.  Mostly, they rarely keep copies of documents submitted, and, mostly, there is no liablility when the VSO offers bad advice..no matter how bad.  "Aw heck, dont appeal that rating..you will get reduced instead."  

Officer.  The VSO pretty much has zero authority to do anything..but maybe fill in some forms..and the Veteran can do that.  If an "officer" could arrest corrupt VA employees, it may mean something.  Unfortunately, the VSO does have the authority to see our VBMS, but why would he want to look at that?  It could just create more work for himself, if he identifies an unclaimed issue, a cue, or a nod that needed filing.