Claim medical opinion wait time

[MMTOTZ]

Morning all! 
 

How long is normal time to wait for medical opinion on claim? 
 

When I ask for status of claim, that is answer I’ve gotten. They are waiting on medical opinion from last April.

 

”There is no timeframe as to when this evidence should be received.”

 

[broncovet]

We may be able to give a more precise answer, if we have a more precise question.  

Example:  

    I went to my VAMC in Boston on April 24 and had a c and p exam done.  (I had filed on Feb. 1, 2024).  I checked at my "release of records" at my VAMC and the records were there. 

How long will it take for VA to receive the information?

My Answer:  Since the c and p exam is in the system, you probably have a copy or can go back and get one.  Then, you can send it to Janesville yourself, and, perhaps speed up the process.  

      Since I cant tell "where" your medical opinion is in the process, its impossible to give more than a guess as to when VA will receive it.  Its unclear if the doctor has processed it, or if its a contractor or VAMC exam, or if the exam is available for you to copy and send in yourself.  

      "Many" people work on your claim.  Doctors, contractors, raters, claim processors, administration, medical records, and more.  

      Perhaps, a more relevant question would be "what can you do" to speed it up?"  For an answer to that question, re read the above, as well as below.  

You probably want to get a copy of your file.  One way is to get a VSO with VBMS access.  VBMS access should give you "real time" access to your file, so you would/should know what is going on in real time.  To get this, you can sign up with a VSO (grant him/her your POA (power of attorney), but dont do that, until you get an affirmative answer to "Do you have VBMS access"?

     Not all VSO's have VBMS access.  There is a process and hoops to jump through before VA will grant access.  Not all VSO's are willing/able to do this.  Pick one who will/has already done it.  If they dont have vbms access, ask them to direct you to a vso with VBMS access.  

    Once you have a vso with VBMS access, you can review stuff like c and p exams, especially with a VSO with some experience who knows what is going on with a cfile and vbms access and what you need to get your claim approved. 

     Another great question to ask a potential VSO:  "Can you help me get the Caluza elements?"   If he does not know what the Caluza elements are, go to the next VSO.  Caluza elements are the 3 main requirements for service connection:  1. current diagnosis 2 in service event 3. Nexus.  

     A clueless VSO can do more harm than good.  

[MMTOTZ]

Started an HLR in Dec. 2022. Found duty to assist. Sent me back to C&P doctor in March-ish 2023, in San Antonio. 
 

I have been in checking off and on for  while. At one point was told everything was in. :/. 
 

[Lemuel]

I had a C&P on my wrist last year that never made it to the record.  I think the physician refused to write what he was told to write.  So there are delays that we never find out the reason for.

In the late 1980s I had physicians refuse to do examinations because VAHA health records were not available.  They only had the C&P file and not all of the latest visits because the file was lost and the visits were not available.  They only knew they existed because of the appointment schedule that was provided to them. S**t happens.