Is this the end?

[lamujerortiz]

Hello all,

If you couldn't tell, I am a new member. I never knew hadit existed until recently but my battle with the VA has been just over 11 years now. A little backstory for me, I originally filed my claims out of the Phoenix, AZ VA in May of 2009. The first time, they lost all of my paperwork and I was immediately denied. I was naïve and attempting to do everything myself, so I did not appeal the decision. I applied again and was again denied service connection. I ended up moving to GA after reapplying for the third time, this time I utilized a VSO and after the 3rd denial chose to appeal. I have since moved up to VA after being denied following the request for a DRO in 2014. My appeal officially became active in 2014 and this year it was remanded following new evidence that I found with the help of my rep through the DAV. They had denied me based off of information that was retrieved more than 2 years after I had exited service. This past May I had a new C&P exam considering my last ones were done in 2014, then I had another for my second claim last month. My status officially updated on VA.gov last Thursday as both of my claims being completed at the RO level and they were both granted as service connected, which that in itself is a miracle to me. I have not seen any updates on ebenefits, which I have read is unreliable with the updates. I have called and asked about what to expect as I had never had a successful claim and they told me that my letter had been sent out on the 21st of this month. I realize it has only been 5 days, but I lived 30 minutes from DC and expected to have had it in hand already. This makes me nervous that it is going to stay sitting and the VA is jerking my chain with whether it was truly sent. I am trying to remain hopeful but I am also pessimistic as well. All of that said, has anyone had any experience with it showing as granted with no further remands and actually receiving their letter in a timely manner? I know this is a long waiting game and I am happy to see that the two that affect me the most have been shown as SC, but I also can't help but be slightly impatient when the screen tells me one thing and I have nothing in hand to show. I have never received service connection, so my awful assumption was that if my letter was truly sent out that it would have updated somewhere, but I am still seeing that large "N/A" in the disabilities section. 

 

Thank you for reading.

[deedub75]

I know many will say the eBenefits isn't reliable but I have never had that issue. When I have had things granted, I was able to see them the same day.  How do you know your claims were granted?  Were you able to look at you disabilities list on eBenefits? You could also look at the letter generator on va.gov now to see if your overall percentage has changed.  Each time I've had thing granted and there was retro pay involved, I got the money in my bank account way before I got the letter in the mail.  

I know it's painful waiting for that letter but I've always known well before getting the letters if I was granted or denied.  

[GBArmy]

Lamujerortiz Very good advice by deedub75 Go to the letters section on va.gov and print out your current benefits. Also go to ebenefits and see if you have any new payments made to your account.; there could be something there before you get your letter. But you must be patient and fully understand that there is this flu thing going on and many of the clerical things at the VA are slow to being carried out, such as generating and mailing correspondence. If after 10 days, you don't get it then you can call Peggy and ask for it again. You just have to wait to see what's under the "xmas tree" (in the decision letter). Nothing else matters if it isn't in writing. Hopefully your wait may be finally over. Or, there is "more to be done.

[lamujerortiz]

Thank you both so much for the responses. I know covid has certainly thrown a wrench in some things and I am probably just being impatient realistically. I was never given the opportunity to seek any help or officially report what happened, the situation was entirely swept under the rug and it has been so defeating to say the least. When I look at the letter is says that I have "no" after the question for if I have one or more disabilities and in the rating section it just shows "N/A" because I did not have a past rating to update.  It is just conflicting information, but I guess I will just continue waiting. I was going to upload a picture but I can't figure out how to. 

 

[broncovet]

You might be in the wrong "letters" section, since it sounds like you had a disability percentage BEFORE your recent application.  There are several letters, at least one of which gives "not only" whether or not you are P and T, but also your income from VA.  This is useful if you wanted to buy a home and verify your income, for example.  

You can either wait for the envelope, or, try "nosing around" different letters, in that section of ebenefits.  

[lamujerortiz]

Thank you for the response! I have tried looking through some letters and all have yielded the same response. Is it possible that while the BVA granted my appeal I could have still been denied? This is what I am seeing on my end.

Edited October 27, 2020 by lamujerortiz
Incorrect image links

[deedub75]

Ok. If BVA granted your claims they usually then send them back to the RO to be rated.