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S. Brown

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Is the VA still sending out the Big Brown envelopes via the mail with Award Letters?

Today is 29 OCT 2021 and I just happened to go onto eBenefits to discover to my complete shock that I was awarded 💯 P&T on 1 SEP 2021?

I’m extremely confused because I haven’t received notification nor has my monthly service connection changed or retropaid.

To add to my confusion, I initiated the claim that placed me over the top on 16 AUG 2021.  

Would that not mean a 1 AUG 2021 effective date rather than 1 SEP?

 

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  • HadIt.com Elder

S Brown Welcome to Hadit. Yes, they still mail the BBE (actually, they're white now days). But the mail is terrible. My last award letter came 6 weeks after the decision. Call "Peggy" at 800-827-1000 and tell them you haven't received your decision package yet. They can send you a duplicate as a digital copy to your email; you can usually get it right away. I would also ask them to re-mail the package also. Retro can take a little while but check your direct deposit with your bank; often it is there before anything else happens. Go to ebenefits and check the "letters" section and print out your current disability letter; that can have you new status also. And from  what you said, the Sept. 1 date would be the correct date to start seeing your increase. They may take the date of facts found rather than your intent to file. If it confirms your new 100% rating, who cares, right? Good luck and we hope ebenefits is accurate for you.

 

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9 hours ago, S. Brown said:

Is the VA still sending out the Big Brown envelopes via the mail with Award Letters?

Today is 29 OCT 2021 and I just happened to go onto eBenefits to discover to my complete shock that I was awarded 💯 P&T on 1 SEP 2021?

I’m extremely confused because I haven’t received notification nor has my monthly service connection changed or retropaid.

To add to my confusion, I initiated the claim that placed me over the top on 16 AUG 2021.  

Would that not mean a 1 AUG 2021 effective date rather than 1 SEP?

 

Congratulations! 

The VA is still sending out letters but for some strange reason my last few letters have been coming from the Intake Center, even my retro payment for an EED. It really doesn't matter as long as you get your letter.  Depending on when the VA made their decision it may take a while for you to get your letter. If the decision was made this week, you will have to wait at least 10 (ten) business days before the VA will send you a copy or email you a copy of your award letter, but you can still call the VA and ask them when was the decision made and they will most likely tell you but that is about it. I agree that sometimes the money will hit your bank account before you get your letter, but it still may take a week or two. As for the effective date, all compensation pay is paid in arrears, that means when you filed your claim in August 2021 the correct pay date would be 1 September 2021. 

 

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Disability payment benefits for a particular month are paid the first business day of the following month. When the first business day of the month falls on a non-business day or a holiday, VA benefits will be paid on the last business day of the month.

2020 VA Disability Pay Chart (hadit.com)

 

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Your effective date is the date the VA letter SAYS it is.  The official letter, not ebenefits.  

There ARE some circumstances when your compensation's effective date is BEFORE you applied for INCREASE.  

Here are 2 important regulations which apply:

Quote

 

(b)

(1)
The effective date of an award of disability compensation to a veteran shall be the day following the date of the veteran’s discharge or release if application therefor is received within one year from such date of discharge or release.
Quote

(3)

The effective date of an award of increased compensation shall be the earliest date as of which it is ascertainable that an increase in disability had occurred, if application is received within one year from such date.

The above regulations mean that you can get paid BEFORE your application date "in the event" you are applying for an increase OR you just got out of the service within a year.  

Veterans, VSO's, and VA employees often over look these.  I even overlooked mine, but the BVA, when I appealed, did not overlook it.  It means up to a year more retro.  That's around $$35,000 if you are at 100 percent and get the full year.  

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On 10/30/2021 at 7:53 AM, broncovet said:

Your effective date is the date the VA letter SAYS it is.  The official letter, not ebenefits.  

There ARE some circumstances when your compensation's effective date is BEFORE you applied for INCREASE.  

Here are 2 important regulations which apply:

The above regulations mean that you can get paid BEFORE your application date "in the event" you are applying for an increase OR you just got out of the service within a year.  

Veterans, VSO's, and VA employees often over look these.  I even overlooked mine, but the BVA, when I appealed, did not overlook it.  It means up to a year more retro.  That's around $$35,000 if you are at 100 percent and get the full year.  

 

On 10/30/2021 at 3:46 AM, GBArmy said:

S Brown Welcome to Hadit. Yes, they still mail the BBE (actually, they're white now days). But the mail is terrible. My last award letter came 6 weeks after the decision. Call "Peggy" at 800-827-1000 and tell them you haven't received your decision package yet. They can send you a duplicate as a digital copy to your email; you can usually get it right away. I would also ask them to re-mail the package also. Retro can take a little while but check your direct deposit with your bank; often it is there before anything else happens. Go to ebenefits and check the "letters" section and print out your current disability letter; that can have you new status also. And from  what you said, the Sept. 1 date would be the correct date to start seeing your increase. They may take the date of facts found rather than your intent to file. If it confirms your new 100% rating, who cares, right? Good luck and we hope ebenefits is accurate for you.

 

One more question for you, if you have the time...

This past August 2021, sinusitis was added to the presumptive list for burn pits in OIF/OEF veterans.

That is the rating that moved me to 💯.

I originally filed for a sinusitis rating in 2007 upon discharge from the Army and  given a 0% rating at the time and on the enebefits site it is listed as brick factory black smoke exposer.

Given the fact that I had a 0% rating given in 2007 and now in 2021 it has been added to the presumptive list...  will they back date or retro grade to 2007 and the original claim?

 

 

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If I understand your position, you were 0% in 2007. I would think your new rating, say it is 10%, an increase from 0%, but it was RATED before at 0%. It wasn't denied; a 0% rating is a valid rating. Now, your symptoms have become more severe. So it wouldn't be a retro situation. You were rated not for presumptives but it was rated. Not knowing what your ratings were from 2007 on, if you could get it it would be a big piece of change. Others might disagree, but I think I'd get a good law firm to argue your case IMHO.. If they take it, you have a good chance. I just don't know enough about the details.

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