Received SOC with partial decision. Waiting for remainder of decision.

[smithmary614]

I recieved an SOC dated 4/10 of this year. Out of seven of my issues it had a decision on five of them. Three were completely denied and two were increased and backdated (which will increase my rating and give me back pay by itself). Then there was a note in the SOC that said in a separate action I was service connected for my other two issues that I was requesting service connection for. And also one other condition that I never even had on my appeal. But these new service connections have no rating (that I can see). The note just says that they are granted service connection and an award letter will be issued under a separate cover. The 1-800 number and my appeals coordinator said that the new SC conditions do have a rating but they cant tell me what they are because they are being authorized and aren't final yet. And I won't get any rating change or back pay until it's all finalized. So my question is how long will it take for those three things to finalize usually? I am on financial hardship. Also I have 60 days to appeal the decisions in the SOC but not everything is done yet. 

[GBArmy]

Wondering is you are a Vietnam Veteran; there are some new presumptive diseases for Agent Orange that are being worked on by the VA and they are supposed to release those at the end of July. But that doesn't mean that they are going to start rating those conditions in July. We are talking about the VA here. Most of this info was handed over to them based on recommendations in 2010. Its over 8 years and still is not final. No one can possibly predict when the VA is going to do anything; especially if it is going to benefit veterans. I know they also are trying to get their arms around the Gulf War Burn Pit diseases; the VA is awarding disabilities based just on symptoms, but I haven't heard anything public about them defining some of those causes/diseases. 

[smithmary614]

@GBArmy no I am not a Vietnam veteran. I served from 2009-2013. My initial claim was for sleep apnea, mild degenerative disc disease, right knee condition, left knee condition, fibromyalgia, depression and a foot condition called metatarsalgia. Here's my timeline:

-Filed initial claim while still in service April 2013

-Got out May 31, 2013 went home to follow up on appeal at local VSO

-Did my exams July 2013 

-Received decision Feb 21, 2014. 50% sleep apnea, 0% back, 0% right knee, no to the other four.

-Appealed with a lawyer, filed NOD Feb 20, 2015 just at the deadline. I did not know anything about the VA or the rules that's why I waited so long. Lawyer appealed for higher rating on back and right knee and service connection for the four that were denied. My lawyer elected to have a DRO hearing.

- Finally 12/2018 they said I was ready to be scheduled for a hearing. Thankfully my appeals coordinator knew my case and told my Dro I needed exams so I was able to forego the hearing and jump to exams.

- Had exams 1/3/2019 and 1/4/2019. I was put on financial hardship 1/23 and I called almost everyday for status updates 

-Had SOC sent 4/10 they increased my back and right knee rating to 20 and 10, respectively, but denied the left knee again and the foot again but they granted service connection for the fibro and mental disorder and added a service connection for lower bilateral radiculopothy, which I never even asked for. But they have no rating that I can see. My appeals coordinator said that he could see a number and it wasn't zero but he couldn't tell me what it was because they aren't final. But how long until it's final and why did they not finalize everything at once? I can't get any back pay until it's all done. I'm supposed to appeal by 6/9/19 but I don't have the ratings for the other things so I'm really confused.  

 

 

[Jimmer]

When you put in a claim for any degenerative disc disease, usually they will look to see if you have radiculopathy as well.  These seem to go together.  I filed for a degenerative disc disease, and they award that , along with the radiculopathy, 10% for left side, 10% for right side.  They also might be looking to see if you have sciatic nerve damage as well.  That will be another 10%-20% for each side.  This is what might be the hold up.  I was given 10% on right side and 10% left side for sciatic nerve damage, along with radiculopathy, even tho I never filed a claim for them.