Evidence gathering, review and decision

[KansasNavy]

Good Morning.  VA site says evidence gathering, review and decision.  Then it says we sent you a development letter.  What is a development letter?  is that the same as a denial letter?  Don't think I ever received something saying we are developing your claim.

[brokensoldier244th]

No. Its a letter saying that your claim is in development. Exactly what it says. Thats what I do all day, I take your claims, dig through all your stuff, annotate whatever is relevant to your claim, along with anything else I see that might be a future claim for you later so that the next person can find it easily. When its all out together and Ive done as much as I can, including ordering exams if needed, then its hurry up and wait until the exams and then the results come in. Then I go back through it, annotate the medical findings, download any new VAMC stuff you might have from them, and then send it to ratings. 

[KansasNavy]

Thank you.  That makes sense.  Very much appreciate of you walking me thru the steps you have to go thru.

[pacmanx1]

The letter may start with:

What Do We Still Need From You?

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How Should You Submit What We Need?

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How Soon Should You Send What We Need?

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[brokensoldier244th]

Yeah, that too.

[Buck52]

pacmanx1

I am not 100% sure if brokensolider244th is the person that sends out these letters. or the letters are Automatically generated and sent out to the veteran, but I think this is what brokensolider 244th does with his Job with the VA.

So It would be safe to say he knows what he is talking about.

[pacmanx1]

9 minutes ago, Buck52 said:

So It would be safe to say he knows what he is talking about.

Buck, not taken anything away from Broken but to me his post really does not answer the OP (Original Posters) question. Yes, it breaks down what he may do but it does not give the OP any information about what a Development Letter may look like. Being a veteran that has filed many, many claims for myself and over the last two decades for other veterans. I can't remember or don't recall the actual Letter calling itself a Development/Developmental Letter. I am quite sure that I am correct, even Broken agreed that my post was correct and that the letter would look something like what I posted. Even though Broken works for the VA, he is just one clog in the VA machine and even though he may state on his letters that they are Development/Developmental Letter that does not mean other VA employees does the same.  Not all veterans are familiar to what or how the VA speaks/writes, so I try to make it as plain as possible. I know my thinking is a little off at times so I try to respond in a way that I may understand. I am not trying to put anyone down but as stated above, to me Broken post did not explain or give a good example of what a Development Letter looked likes, so I tried to give a better example.