Burial Benefit Claim

[jessejames]

Does a claim for Burial Benefits get tossed in the same pile as all claims? Just wondered since I filed a claim for the $600 I paid on my brother's funeral, the VA signed the Certified Mail with Return Receipt and promptly lost ALL the Documents and Form enclosed, told me they had NO idea where it was. This is the correspondence I have received since they signed for the claim on March 13, 2007.

1. Two identical Letters dated April 2, 2007 (which I received approx April 6) stating "Claim for benefits had been recived ...we have a great number of claims , action on yours may be dalayed."

2. My question to IRIS on April 3rd just to check and see if claim was in the system, " Please let me know approx how long it will take or this claim to be processed. I paid $600 towards the Burial plot and Burial expenses of my btother who was a qualified veteran, he was activated into the Regular army from the National Guard and spent 1 year 3 1/2 months in Korea and was in receipt of a VA Pension at death. It was sent Certified Mail with Return Receipt showing it was received as you signed for it on March 13th. Thanks very much, ........

3. IRIS answer on 4-4 "The only claim you have pending is privacy act. We will have this done in about 30 to 45 days. If we see that it will be longer than that we will write you in 10 days and noitfy you.

JLM I had also written for copy of Pension rating Decison from 1998 (for a small Life Insurance purpose), so I assumed this was what they were referring to here, JJ

4. My Answer to IRIS on 4-4 "I assume the "Privacy Act" claim is one I sent for a copy of the Rating Decision of the Pension on my deceased brother who died in a fire on Feb 15, 2007. He was eligible for $300 towards the Burial Plot $300 and $300 towards the Funeral expense. I filed this claim because I paid as the next of kin. This Claim was filed with the Jackson, MS VARO on March 14, 2007. Should I refile it?? It was sent Certified Mail with Return Receipt so I know they received it on March 13th." ............

5. IRIS answer to me on 4-5 "Department of Veteran Affairs

Regional Office

1600 E. Woodrow Wilson Avenue

Jackson, Ms 39216

"We have not received a Burial Benefits claim on the veteran. I am going to send you a VA Form 21-530 this is a burial application form. Please send us a copy of the veteran death certificate and copy of the burial receipt. Also I am going to send you the copies that you requested for copy of the veteran last rating decision for pension. Thank You" Notice under Number 1, they said Claim HAD BEEN received! JJJLM

6. My answer to IRIS on 4-6 "The completed Form 21-530 along with original Certified Death Certificate and all required Funeral Home Statements and Receipts were received by the Jackson VARO on March 13, 2007. You may verify this through the US Postal Service site with Delivery Confirmation Number 0306 2400 0000 6815 1639 at http://www.usps.com/ I only had 3 original Certified Death Certificates and would appreciate your finding the Claim that I have already sent with all verifiable and needed documents received by your Ofiice on March 13, 2007."

7. Answer from IRIS on 4-6 "Department Of Veterans Affairs

Regional Office

1600 E. Woodrow Wilson Avenue

Jackson, Ms 39216

Dear Mr. ...........:

We have search everywhere for that claim and we do not have it. That why I sent you another claim. Please sent it back to my attention: Jimmy Manning and I will take care it for you. Thank you.

Laraine Borden

Veteran Service Center Manger

211/jlm

8. My answer back to IRIS on 4-6 "I HAVE plenty of Forms 21-530. I just don't know how it could be lost after I sent it with Delivery Confirmation and it shows it was delivered to you. Why would it be any different to send it again? I only have 2 more Death Certificates and they are both needed. Congressman Roger Wicker's office has contacted the Liason there to see what I need to do. It's over 300 miles roundtrip for me to hand deliver, so I will wait and see what he found out and if I should send the paperwork to him."

9. IRIS answer to me on 4-9 Department of Veterans Affairs

1600 E Woodrow Wilson Avenue

Jackson MS 39216

Dear Mr. ...........:

We are sorry for the inconvenience this has caused you. We receive several thousand pieces of mail daily, and occasionally one will be misplaced.

If you decide not to wait to hear from your congressman, you can fax an application and a photocopy of the death certificate and bill to Mr. Manning. The fax number is:

601-368-4936.

10. My answer back to IRIS on 4-10 "Mr. Jimmy Manning; I faxed the form 21-530, the death certificate, and all supporting receipts to you yesterday, april 9th as requested. Just wanted to check and see if you had received them? Thanks," ..................

11. IRIS answer answer to me on 4-10 Department Of Veterans Affairs

Regional Office

1600 E. Woodrow Wilson Avenue

Jackson, Ms 39216

Dear Sir:

I was not hear on yesterday, but I am sure someone got and took care of it. I will check in a few days to see if it is the computer.

Thank you

Laraine L. Borden

Veterans Service Center Manager

211/JM

12. My answer back to IRIS on 4-10 "All the documents were faxed to the attention of Jimmy Manning at 601-368-4936 as I was instructed to do by him. They were alo faxed to Bubba Lollar in Congressman Roger Wicker's office in Tupelo and he faxed all the documents to the Congressional Liason there. So along with the originals which were received there on March 16th, 2 other sets of documents have now been sent. Will I be notified by IRIS when the claim is in the system, or will I need to contact the VA through IRIS again?" ..............

13. IRIS answer back to me on 4-12 Department Of Veterans Affairs

Regional Office

1600 E. Woodrow Wilson Avenue

Jackson, MS 39216

Dear Sir,

We have received a faxed copy of your claim for burial benefits. When the claim is completed or we need additional information you will be notified by mail. You may check the claims status, by calling 1-800-827-1000.

Thank you,

Laraine Borden

Veterans Service Center Manager

On 4-17th, I called the 800 number to see if the Claim was in the system, Counselor told me it was NOT and that it would NOT be accepted anyway because if I had faxed it in, it would be returned to me for an ORIGINAL signature and original Death Certificate, AND it was NOT their fault the Claim had been lost AFTER they had signed for it via Certified Mail!!! . At this point, I called my Congressman and he faxed all the Claim Documents to his Liason again at the VARO. Received letter today April 18 from VARO dated April 16th...it was an IDENTICAL word for word letter to the two letters dated April 2nd JJ----------------------------

If I'm having this much run-around problems with a set in stone claim for $600 Burial Benefit claim, you can just imagine the guys coming home from Iraq. This is the shape the VA system is in today and NOBODY in our Government cares!!!!!!!!!

[sixthscents]

Jesse,

I think you are running into 2 problems at once.

1st they actually do get thousands of pieces of mail, and they promptly lose about half of it. If you have never been in the back offices of a VARO... it defines "controlled chaos" So your paperwork did get lost, and yes you had to resubit it, and may again... to be honest I have sent stuff 4 and 5 times before they send it back saying they already had it. That would be my tactic in your case send photocopies (more about that in a bit) again, and again 3 or 4 of the seperate... and wait, they will eventually send you some of them since they are "duplicates"

2nd the 1-800 system really wasnt designed or intended for the use it is being put to today. The poeple on the other end have very BROAD training, and are far less knowlegable on specific VA claims that most people here. Yet they are having or trying to answer things that they simply do not even know how to properly look up. For example pending claims and pending appeals are on seperate pages, but if the operator doesnt know or doesnt think to look they may tell you that you only have one claim pending etc. when in fact you have several. These people get 2 weeks of training and then an in-house training program. As they are there they get better and some of the old ones really do know their stuff, but its a matter of luck who you get and who is working phones that day....

As far as sending photocopies CFR 38 Section 3.204 states:

© Acceptability of photocopies. Photocopies of documents necessary to establish birth, death, marriage or relationship under the provisions of §§3.205 through 3.215 of this part are acceptable as evidence if the Department of Veterans Affairs is satisfied that the copies are genuine and free from alteration. Otherwise, VA may request a copy of the document certified over the signature and official seal of the person having custody of such record.

So, in this instance whoever told you they couldnt use a photocopy was incorrrect. They can and do all the time.

Bob Smith

[Berta]

This might cut through the crap:

Director Joe Adair (info from 2006)

VARO ( 323/00)

Jackson, Miss.

1-601-364-7010 (I believe this is his secretary's desk phone)

Fax 1-601 364-7007-Director's office Jackson RO