VA.gov says closed claim A&A, quickest way to find out? Or to speculate…?

[msh789]

91-year-old father has been in a nursing home since having toe amputation last month. We called to let the VA 8008271000 number know that he could not make his C&P exam, he was in such bad shape. They said they would work on getting an examiner to go to him at the nursing facility—-That never happened. On VA.gov website today, it says the  claim is closed, and it 15 days I think to receive the letter..? Dad has already been driving me crazy trying to find out if he was approved or denied… When we call the 800 number, they say they cannot discuss it until we actually receive the letter. My guess is he was denied, it probably looks like he missed his exam. Even though they most certainly had it on file that they need to send the examiner to him for his exam. We had called a few days after we initially spoke to the VA phone number, and they certainly had it on file, that an examiner was to go to him, because he was in such bad shape. Also, I seem to recall reading something about if the vet was approved, money would be deposited in the bank long before the approval letter was received. There is no money deposited into his account. So I’m thinking he was denied…?

[asdf]

You can also check his disabilities which are listed in VA.gov/ebenefits.com and see if there is a change to them.

[Mr cue]

There did use to be a way to see if a veteran got smc benfits.

Now it on list the disabilities.

I am in the same boat but mine say granted higher level smc.

With no letter smh.

After 7 days you can have It fax to u

[Rivet62]

On 2/17/2022 at 7:58 PM, msh789 said:

But being it says the claim is closed, I would think that they are not rescheduling a C&P exam…? It sounds like a determination was already made, approved or denied… I would think…? 
Edit: On va.gov, it also says they sent a decision letter.

That's like a one-size-fits-all status.  Here's my experience after seeing that.  I had a BVA hearing. VA.gov showed Claim closed. Separately it said, A decision has been made, we sent you a decision letter.  I thought...sweet.  Here it comes...  My attorney said he was 100% sure I won my TDIU at the BVA hearing, along with an effective date for back pay.  So then, what I'm seeing on VA.gov must mean that I can keep checking my bank account. Surely the money will be there soon.

A deposit did not occur, nor my rating increased. The decision letter, which came 4 months after my BVA hearing, was that the BVA hearing and all its decisions were DISMISSED, because of a docketing error. This occurred because the attorney AND the VA made a mistake by proceeding with my hearing under the new AMA system of appeals when I should have stayed in the legacy system or opting in PROPERLY in the AMA system. Fun huh?

I waited 2.5 years from the date of my NOD to the final decision of a BVA hearing, only to be told it was a waste of time. I ended up filing as though it were the first filing ever, and I'll have to argue back pay at another BVA hearing. I'm sure.

I would be suspicious when it says Claim closed. In my case, the claim was closed and another opened in the right way when VA realized its own errors in docketing my hearing. Still, a lot of time lost, and arguing an effective date adds even more time.

The 800 number couldn't see enough of what was happening with BVA to be able to tell me what Claim closed meant. They told me I would have to wait for the letter.

It used to be that you could call the BVA. Not anymore.

 

Edited February 20, 2022 by Rivet62

[Rivet62]

On 2/17/2022 at 5:50 PM, Buck52 said:

In my opinion  your dad has a good chance of getting approved   if he submiited or his VSO submited the correct evidence to prove his claim,   he will be apporved  but do call the C&P OFFICE TO FIND OUT IF HIS C&P HAS BEEN RESCHDULED they maybe months behind most likly the    reason you have not heard anything from  them.

And do it quickly.  That's exactly what he needs to do. I'll tell you why. I was getting C&P exams scheduled by MSLA ( I think they're out of the business of vets exams, now). For same whacky reason, MSLA had my old address and contact info... like... they had gotten that info from an old database file that was forwarded to them. Every time I tried to update my contact info the changes wouldn't stick. My information was current with VA all across the VBA and VHA and had been for a year.

I first learned of the problem when a local psychologist called me at work at 4:30pm and he said, did you know you had a C&P exam with me at 3:00 today?  I said no sir I did not.  He asked me if I could be there soon. I said yes with traffic I should get there by maybe 5:20 - 30...  HE WAITED. So that's how I learned that I wasn't getting notified of C&P exams.

I called MSLA WEEKLY to find out whether or not I had C&P exams ahead. I had to stop outside during lunch to do so because I had no cell phone signal inside the VAMC where I worked.

That's my advice to anyone wondering why they may not be getting a C&P exam, when the expectations are that they should. Meanwhile, VA will close the claim for a missed C&P (meaning denial), and you're left to argue it later.

Edited February 20, 2022 by Rivet62

[jbasser]

Go to e benefits and look under other disabilities. The SMC's will be listed in order.