Higher Level Review Timeframe

[bigred5291]

Good morning All!

Looking for some input here.  My lawyer is vague, as he should be because of the VA being so unpredictable.  I am currently rated at 80%, mainly due to back issues, hearing loss and PTSD  (USMC Infantry).  I opened my claim initially in March of 2015, the claim was appealed in January of 2016 and the decisions from my appeal came through in September 2020.  As of October, my lawyer submitted for an HLR due to the VA screwing up my backpay.  They went with the appeal date rather than initial date (go figure).  I know the VA says roughly four months, but I am a skeptic because I haven't even been scheduled for my informal conference yet.  Has anyone had an HLR lately and if so, what was your turnaround time? Figured I'd ask considering I am getting close to the four month timeframe and how substantial of a payout that will be.

 

Thanks!

[brokensoldier244th]

They are taking much longer- VA personnel, at the directive of OPM (office personnel management, D.C.) are all working from home and not in the office. I don't know if the traveling boards are still being done due to Covid, so everyone is having to do hearings via video conferencing. That, coupled with doctors offices and vendor examiner offices, along with VAMCs, being closed or only in partial operation has cause everything to grind to near a halt. Some areas are open and operating more freely but that is entirely dependent on your local conditions. There really isn't a timeline that can be adhered to right now. We are ALL working, but the conditions that we are under to do so limit in some ways how fast we can do things. 

Im sorry I can't be much more help, but your attorney should know this as well, and his vagueness is probably not due to any personal traits, but more because he doesn't know anything either. 

 

[kanewnut]

6 hours ago, bigred5291 said:

Has anyone had an HLR lately

I mailed my HLR on 2020-06-02, got called on 2020-10-24 and the VA made a decision on 2020-10-28. Hope that is helpful.