Attorney fee Decision notice???

[Izzy923]

So, I’ve been lurking this forum for the last 9 years and it has been my go to for any information VA related. And I apologise if this is a question that has been asked and answered before but I have searched thoroughly and haven’t found but one mention and it didn’t really explain what it was. 
I noticed today that a claim was opened and closed labeled Attorney fee Decision notice. Now I know from this forum and personal experience that attorney fee eligibility is always a good sign and I’ve always had positive results after seeing it. But I’ve never seen this one. 
I do have an attorney. I’ve been rated at 80% since Oct. 15, 2015, sent NOD on March 22, 2016 for upgrade on ptsd, asthma, and IU. That appeal is still sitting in DRO review. I added my wife as dependant last year and my daughter this year and received retro for both and both had attorney fee eligibility opened and closed (the most recent closed Oct. 30. 2019). I also noticed a foia opened May 29, 2019 that’s still in gathering phase. 
So would the Attorney fee Decision notice be for the DRO appeal and just not updated yet on VA.gov or ebenefits? Or is it something else? Sorry for the long post. 
 

[broncovet]

Thank you for searching to see if the question has already been asked and answered.  I have answered similar questions so many times, that I do get tired of answering them over and over.  However, I know that "not everyone" is good with a search engine so I try to help even tho I have likely answered their questions before.  

Yes, I agree a "attorney fee decision" is a positive sign, since most attorney-fee agreements with Veterans are based upon a percentage of retro payments.  

ebenefits and Va.gov are not reliable, HOWEVER, if you check in the "letters" section under ebenefits, the VA usually has those correct as they dont want Veterans wandering around with "official letters" that state a Veteran is x percent disabled when they are not.  So that part is most often accurate.  

Of course, your attorney may be able to give you better answers than I can.  

Its possible (and happened before), that the "first" notice we get is the attorney fee decison.  

I have heard that sometimes the money is deposited in our account first, sometimes the envelope is first, sometimes we get notice from our representative, and sometimes the first we hear is an attorney fee decision.  

Unless you have special circumstances, it likely means you have won your claim.

"Special circumstances" may mean you didnt pay your attorney in the past, you disputed your attorney payment, etc.  It sounds like, however, you dont have any special circumstances, so Congratulations is in order!!!  You should know more soon, your attorney may call, you could get a deposit, or an envelope, very soon.

[broncovet]

Yes, its "possible" that you have retro on your dependents, and THAT retro may have generated an attorney fee.  You should know soon!  

[broncovet]

Well, what "Peggy" told you makes no sense at all.  If a SOC HAS been sent, like she said, then its not still "under DRO review".  

It gets worse.  There no longer is a SOC.  Its been eliminated with AMA, I think, as of Feb. 19, 2019 BUT there are still legacy appeals out there, so it still makes 0 sense.  

It wont be the first time a VA employee has ever "misguided" a Veteran and/or relayed inaccurate, untimely, or just plain wrong information, tho.  Guiness book of World records no longer is asking for people who have been lied to by the VA as they already have 9 zillion applicants for "the first" person who VA has ever lied to.  

My advice is to wait for the envelope and to take what VA employees say to you with a grain of salt.  

[vetquest]

I do not believe half of what the VA tells me.  My case is classified sensitive and my service rep cannot get access to it.  My congrant and White House hotline calls have given six different answers and still no resolution.  Wait for the envelope and then you will have the information you need as broncovet says.

[Izzy923]

1 hour ago, broncovet said:

Thank you for searching to see if the question has already been asked and answered.  I have answered similar questions so many times, that I do get tired of answering them over and over.  However, I know that "not everyone" is good with a search engine so I try to help even tho I have likely answered their questions before.  

Yes, I agree a "attorney fee decision" is a positive sign, since most attorney-fee agreements with Veterans are based upon a percentage of retro payments.  

ebenefits and Va.gov are not reliable, HOWEVER, if you check in the "letters" section under ebenefits, the VA usually has those correct as they dont want Veterans wandering around with "official letters" that state a Veteran is x percent disabled when they are not.  So that part is most often accurate.  

Of course, your attorney may be able to give you better answers than I can.  

Its possible (and happened before), that the "first" notice we get is the attorney fee decison.  

I have heard that sometimes the money is deposited in our account first, sometimes the envelope is first, sometimes we get notice from our representative, and sometimes the first we hear is an attorney fee decision.  

Unless you have special circumstances, it likely means you have won your claim.

"Special circumstances" may mean you didnt pay your attorney in the past, you disputed your attorney payment, etc.  It sounds like, however, you dont have any special circumstances, so Congratulations is in order!!!  You should know more soon, your attorney may call, you could get a deposit, or an envelope, very soon.

Thanks for the reply. I checked my letter generator and still nothing there, so maybe it’s just a delay on their end. Not surprising. The only other thing I could think is maybe an explanation of attorney fees paid already for the dependant claims, but I never received a claim labeled attorney fee decision before (always attorney fee eligibility) ....hopefully it is my DRO results.

Edited December 18, 2019 by Izzy923
Specification

[Izzy923]

On 12/18/2019 at 12:34 AM, broncovet said:

Yes, its "possible" that you have retro on your dependents, and THAT retro may have generated an attorney fee.  You should know soon!  

So I called Peggy today and she said that a statement of case had been sent out on my appeal for IU, upgrad of asthma, and upgrade of PTSD, but that the case was still under DRO review. In your opinion, do you think that means maybe one of those was granted and some of it not, and retro was sent, considering the opening of attorney fee and SOC sent. Still no update on letters in ebennies, though.

Edited December 19, 2019 by Izzy923