RAMP HLR time fielding feedback

[YuukiMoon83]

Hi there! My first time posting so I apologize if I ask an answered question. 

I received a decision on my appeal and was granted 30% for ptsd. We (my attorney and myself) it was a rather extreme lowball. (I'll spare everyone the details). Anyway, we decided to do a Higher Level Review. To my astonishment, an informal conference was scheduled yesterday after only 10 days. Which brings me to my question. 

 

After the interview process is completed, how long did the process take to wrap up from there? Obviously I don't expect exact quotes,  I'm just curious to see how long it took for others to move along after this step. 

 

(I got on ramp Jan 10, was about 100 days for the first appeal to complete)

Edited April 27, 2019 by YuukiMoon83

[ShrekTheTank]

Well first off that is very fast!  I have been in the old appeal for 5+ years now so consider yourself very lucky!

I have seen people post about faster times here, but I have also seen them got bogged down.  So it could happen quickly, but It also could take a long time.  So no real way to tell, but just hang in there and keep fighting!

[Buck52]

We can't say how long appeals will take using the HLR its to new of a process.

  As shrekthetank1 mention consider your self lucky it only took 100 days for you,,,this other appeal on your low ball is still out as for as how long it will take?

we simply can't answer that...unless of course threes a been a veteran in that type situation? can come forward and tell his story? using the HLR.

[YuukiMoon83]

1 hour ago, Buck52 said:

We can't say how long appeals will take using the HLR its to new of a process.

  As shrekthetank1 mention consider your self lucky it only took 100 days for you,,,this other appeal on your low ball is still out as for as how long it will take?

we simply can't answer that...unless of course threes a been a veteran in that type situation? can come forward and tell his story? using the HLR.

Yeah, I was hoping for someone who went that route to jist konda share their experience on it. It's silly to try to get specific with expectations, especially with the VA. 

My intial claim took 4 months.

My first appeal... i was right at 2 years in the que then got on RAMP. 

That decision was done in 100 days. Now im on the appeal from that decision and I was rather shocked to see the interview/conference was scheduled so quickly. Which is what prompted my question. Don't get me wrong, I 100% know I got lucky with this part, no complaints here. I'm just trying to hear from others experience on the HLR route who have been through it already, ya know? No expectations, just curiosity.

[Phury & Rhage]

Some things to know about RAMP - it's over. 

You had to opt-in by February 15, 2019 - there are some exceptions to that rule, but not many.

There was a great big backlog on processing those claims as huge numbers of folks were hired to deal with RAMP and  the new AMA review claims.

There were software and human glitches; there still are.

RAMP HLRs are almost finished.  The folks who opt-in toward the end of the program are moving much faster than those who opted in early.

RAMP Supplementals are still going strong.  Because work/development has to be done on many of them, they take much longer to process.

Speaking of which, in RAMP and the new AMA process both - you will virtually always get a faster processing time with the HLR rather than the Supplemental.  That's because the HLR is a closed record - no new medical records, buddy statements, etc.  It's just another (but independent) re-weighing of the evidence and issuing a new decision.  The DROs are looking for any Duty to Assist errors or other mistakes.  If they find them, your claim is going to take longer.  It basically becomes a Supplemental claim because it's going to need new evidence.

The seriously good news on Supplemental claims is this:  you can submit it at any time after a decision as long as you submit "new and relevant" evidence.  The timeline only matters for preserving/establishing the effective date of any award. The best thing about new and relevant evidence?  It can be as simple as a statement saying you want the VA to consider a different theory of entitlement.  For instance, you get denied for a direct service connection for sleep apnea.  You can file a Supplemental claim and say you believe the sleep apnea is secondary to PTSD.  That's new and relevant evidence!

• M21-1 III.ii.2.D.1.b.   Important:  In claims for compensation, a claim based on a new theory of SC is a supplemental claim.  A new theory of SC (for example, when direct SC was previously denied, and secondary SC is now claimed) is sufficient new and relevant evidence to satisfy the evidentiary threshold discussed in M21-1, Part III, Subpart ii, 2.D.1.e.