A sudden Change to the BVA web site

[Berta]

I am mad as Hell!- For decades since the BVA has been on line, I have gone there weekly and often daily to research cases ,enied, remanded or awarded, to post links from those deciion here- as they hold a wealthof information that can help veterans and their surviviors.

Yesterday I did resear ther to hlp someonehere at this page:

The Board of Veterans’ Appeals has learned that a limited number of Veterans may have had their Board Appeal forms (VA Form 10182, Decision Review Request: Board Appeal (Notice of Disagreement)) mistakenly rejected for being untimely.  Out of an abundance of caution, the Board is sending out a wide notice to help ensure no other Veterans were impacted by this.  If you filed a VA Form 10182 with the Board between February 19, 2019, and March 23, 2021, and believe it may have been improperly rejected as untimely, please send a letter to the “Clerk of the Board” at P.O. Box 27063, Washington, DC 20038 or via fax to 1-844-678-8979 no later than March 1, 2022.  In your letter, state you are asking the Board to “RECALCULATE TIMELINESS” and be careful to include the Veteran’s full name, claim number or SSN, the date of the rating decision you appealed to the Board, and the date of your original VA Form 10182 appeal form that the Board told you was untimely.


Click here for information on delayed notifications

Click here for the Board’s response to COVID-19

Interested in a Virtual tele-hearing? Click here

What does the Board do?

The Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) is a part of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), located in Washington, D.C.  The Board’s mission is to conduct hearings and decide appeals properly before the Board.
 

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The Board Appeals Metrics page is now available with additional details. The link is also available in the Resources links to the right.

What is new at the Board?

Veterans can now choose where to have their Board hearing! The Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) has launched a new virtual tele- hearing option, providing Veterans with the flexibility and convenience of attending Board hearings with Veterans Law Judges (VLJs) and Veteran representatives from a personal computer or mobile device. Virtual tele-hearings are just like video hearings, except the Veteran can participate from their cell phone, tablet, or computer. NO TRAVEL NEEDED! Click here to find out more information and to learn how to sign up for a virtual telehearing!

How do I file an appeal?

Anyone who is not satisfied with the results of a claim for Veterans, benefits (determined by a VA RO, VHA medical center, or other local VA office) can file an appeal.
Click here for instruction on filing an appeal.

Why would I file an appeal?

If you are not satisfied with your initial claim decision, you have the right to file an appeal. The Board of Veterans’ Appeals will review the evidence presented and issue a decision.

Who is my Hearing Coordinator?

Here is a list of Hearing Team coordinator points of contact by region. If Veterans, Veteran Service Organizations or Regional Offices have questions about their hearings these are the appropriate people to contact.  For general inquiries, please access Appeals Status on VA.gov (information below) or phone 1-800-827-1000.
Hearing Coordinators 

How do I find out the status of my appeal?

You can find the status of your appeal by going to va.gov and clicking the sign in box.

What is AMA?

In 2017 the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) was passed taking effect in February 2019, it is now fully implemented at the Board. AMA created a new decision review process. Under AMA Veterans can choose from three lanes to determine the path their appeal will follow. The three lanes to choose from are; supplemental claim, higher-level review, and appealing to the Board of Veterans Appeals. The below graphic can help you decide which is the best lane for you.

[Click here for Details]
 

What happens during your Board Hearing?

[Click here for hearing video]

"Board of Veterans’ Appeals Organizational Chart

Additional information about the VA Appeals Status Tool

New VA Appeals Status Tool Provides Tracking and Transparency for Veterans
 

VA Appeals Status Tool Video
 

VA Appeals Status Tool Press Release
 

Appeals Status on VA.gov
 

Veteran’s Rights
 

Your Rights to Appeal our Decision
 

RESOURCES

• Board of Veterans' Appeals Home Page
• Appeals Metrics
• Customer Service
• Chairman's Annual Reports to Congress
• Quarterly Reports
• Military Spouse Employment
• Frequently Asked Questions
• VA Forms
• Board Hearings
• Search Decisions:
• https://www.bva.va.gov/

to do research I have done there THOUSANDS of Times!

The page has changed to this!

https://search.usa.gov/search?affiliate=bvadecisions

"Search All Years
Search 2021
Search 2020
More 
Filters and Result Count
Enter your search term
Search results
Please enter a search term in the box above."

The Search All years button does not seem to work and this change is the most detrimental change to veteran's advocacy I have seen in years!

I am unwilling to try to access the new search feature because it is by year and the search area does not seem to be as effective as the older one was.And it ill be for more time consuming then it used to be.

I am going to complain to the BVA ( if I can even contact them) and if not I will call the WH Hot Line.

This might not matter to many here but in addition to the VBM from NVLSP evereything else I have learned about claims is from the BVA decisions.

Unlike many RO decisions we get, the BVA CAN READ and are usually always correct on their decisions.

I have carpal tunnel synrome as well-and that makes research more difficult for me these days - and maybe others here will be willing to research BVA decisions that can help veterans here or their survivors.

There site was perfect as it was, but like everything else, it seems someone decided it was not good enough and made it worse.

I hope they dont screw around with US CAVC site.

 

 

 

 

[broncovet]

Let me interpret the VA'sec's response in English:

"I have passed the buck". 

 

Buck should be proud.  "Passing the buck" has been an excuse for decades.  

[pwrslm]

Thank you Berta. I think this site has been good for me. If I can help people it keeps me from stewing in my own mess~!! I am gifted with a memory close to photographic (I have an Uncle with photographic memory). It helps a lot! I also do a lot on some ALS forums. 

The dumbing down of our access is detrimental because Vets can access the data and find out errors other Vets may have made in submissions. The less we can access this data, the more errors the VA will find, so it is to the VBA's benefit that this info is accessible. 

I also keep coming back to access. Vets access to the E-file and two way communication to and from the Vet and the RO also would be a huge step in getting claims right. We always confirm that a Vet is his/her own best advocate! But instead, the only way to communicate with a RO in reference to a claim is to go to a 3rd party who is literally swamped with so many claims that they cannot pay attention to them all effectively.

And thank you for all the work you have done over the years. Without your help a lot of Vets would be doing without. The US Government should have some kind of medal to give to people like you! The hundreds of hours you spend every year helping Vets should be recognized.

[pwrslm]

18 hours ago, Berta said:

"Ms. Simmons

The Secretary has received your email dated December 28, 2021.  He has forwarded your inquiry to VBA leadership for review.  Thank you for your communication

Baby steps. The wheel only begins turning because someone spent the energy to move it.

[Berta]

Is anyone here willing to contact the Secretary about the change to the BVA decisions site?

Denis.McDonough@va.gov.

You can also contact data.gov and complain as well. I sure did.

https://catalog.data.gov/dataset/board-of-veterans-appeals-decisions

In my email to the Sec I said I would contact the WH Hot Line,if no reply but they did reply that my concerns went to the VBA. (?)

I guess I should file an IRIS complaint too- 

I attribute most of my expertise on VA claims to the years of reading BVA decisions, often every day of the week. It can become very time consuming but then again, sometimes it is the best way to find diagnostic codes used years ago in older decisions, that help many who feel they have a valid CUE on a past VA decision, and the BVA also incorporates, in each decision, the specific precedent USCAVC cases and regulations that were significant to the claim they decided. Their denials and remands are as important as claims they have granted.

Also disability criteriae has changed over the years and the older decisions can reflect that, which is an importantt factor too.

The other day I put PTSD into  the 2021 feature that didnt work this AM.

Five PTSD claims popped up for 2021- FIVE ? ridiculous!

I feel my ability to be effective here has been severely diminished by the loss of the past BVA decision site.

I would appreciate some support here to get the site back to where it was---- perfect ,as it was.....for decades.

I did a hadit search for 'Berta BVA' and 1,762 pages popped up- maybe not all containing BVA decisions, but still the BVA site has been the foundation of most of my knowledge, and my right to access the public site effectively is now 

gone.

 

 

 

 

I feel the change to the site has totally compromised my ability to be an effective advocate.

I tried to search for adjustment disorder this AM in the 2021 decisions.
I got 6 decisions, all from 2014.

I searched here under Brta BVA and 1762 pages popped up. They probably do not all contain BVA info from decisions, but that does not surprise me, that o many pages popped up

Edited January 3, 2022 by Berta
spelling

[Mr cue]

Berta I feel the va system is change into a adverse system in front of our eyes.

And not any of these change are helping veterans.

It is make it harder on the veteran

comp exams no contact with bva now no bva site to search decision no more.

The mail delay.

I have been fight the va since 2000.

And I am here to tell you things are changing.

[pwrslm]

Working on this.