Training on how to navigate VA system

[drago]

Hi All,

Is anyone aware of any free or reasonable cost training on how to navigate the VA system (file claims, higher level reviews, new evidence, etc)? My VSO who is/was excellent has moved on, and I'm sort of floundering without him and his system access. The folks in the county office are both new, and well intentioned, but I'm not sure they have the level of access to my file that he had. The one guy says he doesn't yet have the ability "to see behind the curtain", and the other fellow is newer than him, so I'm guessing he can't either.

Called a couple places (DAV and state office) but waiting on return calls, and realized as has been said in the forum before, no one will care about my claim like I will (and my previous VSO did). More knowledge can't hurt anyway.  I also just submitted online for my c file, but I don't think that will give me "live" access. I think I just get a pdf or pack of copies.

Anyway, looking for something that will help me manage my claim better if I do end up alone or working with a rookie VSO. Probably a bit above "VA for Dummies", but not much above that...

Thanks for any help or suggestions, and my apologies as this is probably on the forum already, I just cant seem to locate it,

D

[broncovet]

Reading the CFRs (all of them) is like reading EULA's.  If you have trouble sleeping, read EULA's and CFR's you will be asleep, soon.  

    Now, if you read one or 2 CFR's, WHICH APPLY TO YOU, then, you have a motivation and can get them.  But not all of them.  

    It reminds me that you have to know the "why" before you know the "how".  

    Example:  Lets say I posted, "How to change a tire", and (assuming you did not already know)..you go..well, why do I care how to change a tire?

    Now, the "why" first.  Your wife is sick, and you need to take her to the hospital NOW.  Ambulance is not available in your area, and you have a flat.  All of the sudden "you have the whY" so you are eagerly waiting instrutions on "how" to change that tire.  You listen to every word, and follow each step exactly..you have the why, now you need the how.  

    You are in the best place:  hadit.  Just ask your questions here, and w can usually help.  You have the why, you just need to know the how.  

    

     

[brokensoldier244th]

CTRL F is your friend, too. Look up CFRs, Appeals, etc and CTRL-F through them for variations of your condition. It helps to at least narrow down if the one you are reading applies to you, and then you can back up and read the legal jargon if its necessary. 

 

[El Train]

Your best advocate is you.  A VSO is a good start, and good to answer some questions.  Most are too busy to give your case the attention needed.  It took a few denied claims for me to figure out what the VA is looking for.  After that, I got all my ducks in a row.  Got outside IME's to back up my medical evidence and then hammered the VA with that.  When all the dust settled and I got to 100% P&T/SMC-S, my VSO was asking me for some advice.  He was good for getting my C&P exams for me to study and file NOD's.  Bout it.

This forum was a tremendous help, and I couldn't have did it without it.  There are other forums out there that discourage vets from applying or shoot you down when asking questions.  Just be leery of those.  You are in the right spot here.

[pwrslm]

No-not all of it. I got that link from here on Hadit, but they did eliminate the VA's duty to give notice and opportunity for a VSO to identify any ERRORS before final decisions are made.

 

this is still there:

 

I.i.2.A.4.a.  General Scope of a Representative’s Authority

A representative is appointed, in the wording of the VA Form 21-22 and VA Form 21-22a, to “prepare, present, and prosecute” a claim. To discharge those duties, an appointed representative explicitly or implicitly has the authority to review the claimant’s records, subject to limitations specified in the VA Form 21-22 or VA Form 21-22a, and/or by law submit information, evidence, and argument on behalf of the claimant, to include eliciting witness testimony at a hearing authorize administrative changes on behalf of the claimant related to a claim such as changing a claimant’s address in VA records, establishing a direct deposit account, or changing a direct deposit account, subject to existing VA procedures  coordinate with VA on development matters such as the scheduling of a hearing or an examination prepare and submit forms and other procedural documents on behalf of the claimant, and withdraw a claim at any stage of adjudication.  Important:  This list is illustrative and not exclusive and a duly appointed representative also has the rights or authority to perform any other functions specified elsewhere in the M21-1.

Edited December 25, 2021 by pwrslm

[pwrslm]

On 12/23/2021 at 1:11 PM, El Train said:

  A VSO is a good start, and good to answer some questions.

Valid point. In the past, the only thing that I found VSO's were good for is if I needed to find out what was hanging up in a decision because the VA will not allow the Veteran access to his own EFile like they do VSO's.

Vet acting pro se----------> no contact, no communication either way

VSO acting for the Vet----------> full contact with RO, two way communication exist

 

So the Vet is at a substantial disadvantage, yet the VA is prohibited from requiring the use of a VSO because it is a "friendly" and non-adversarial process...go figure. IMO RO's should be embedded into the VHA PACT. EVERY PACT should have a VBA rep, and all C&P exams should be conducted at the PACT instead of with medical "professionals" that never met the vet before the exam. With the RO, the PCP, and the vet sitting down face to face to come to agreements on claim issues would likely reduce appeals dramatically. 

Edited December 25, 2021 by pwrslm

[brokensoldier244th]

That’s why I posted the updated link. Anyone that wants to read it has the whole thing directly and not just a cut and paste. I see too many things on claims referenced as evidence that I can literally google word for word when I’m off the clock and find it in a 4 yr old forum post somewhere from 3 M21 updates ago, or points to a dead or historical hosted link on someone else’s webpage.