Is The Va There To Help Vets With Their Claims?

[Pete53]

I have read many hundreds or maybe thousands of BVA Claims and have yet to see where a VA Attorney was helpful to a Veteran. I wonder why this is. Isn't the purpose of the VA to help Veterans not be adversarial and yet that is the way it is.

Is there anyone on Hadit who believes that the VA tried to help them with their claim?

It seems to me that as we try to get the wounded Veteran back up and functioning the VA is missing an opportunity to lead rather than follow. For most of these Veterans it is not rocket science that shows they are needing help and plenty of it.

The VA should appoint free legal representation to any Veteran who has to stand before the BVA of CVA in my opinion.

[jbasser]

Pete, Great post. I have always been of the impression that the VA is supposed to assist Veterans with their claims through the entire process.

The Current system as negative as ever. I think they look at it like this. Here is another deadbeat seeking a check. I have found this thought to be true even dealing with close X friends.

I hate that this is the stereotype we are placed in with and somehow, someway the system needs overhauled. I am not as negative as I used to be and I have met a few people at the RO level who actually understand and it gives me hope.

As far as getting help, If I did not have contacts that I currently have and the Knowledge of Hadit I would still be at step one.

[john999]

The VA has never helped me figure out my claims. They have done all they could to limit my compensation and made me battle for every penny. If that is not adversarial I don't know what is. Their official mission is to take care of vets, but the real mission is to squeeze the dollars going to vets. It is like a cancer growing inside an organization that is supposed to help us. The service organizations are part of the problem as they are too cozy with the VA.

[cowgirl]

I do wonder, and how I wonder, about much needed legal representation on my behalf when I go to the VA for assistance. Over the past decade, I have had a variety of experiences that could have used legal representation with the VA. So far, I have had to initiate, follow through, provide for and support the VA to "assist" me, sort of backwards for a federally funded agency.

One experience being Vocational Rehabilitation. Retired military member, with college degree, disabled with lumbar, depression issues attended a two hour breifing on ladder back chairs. Waited in a cattle call waiting room for two hours, met with a counselor, (GM-11?) told me I was approved and that their time, all of 4 minutes were up. Oh no, I could not present questions about anything other than exactly what was on the paper and escorted from the office like a preschooler! I will be "re-applying" with more than adequate knowledge next time (having studied the regulations for many hours) and request a different counselor, etc.

My other experiences in dealing with claims and medical appointments really make me wonder. Myself having to apply, collect data without a "checklist" and work the medical or vocational compensation claim so the VA can validate all correct papers are in is beyond my perception. Or then again, maybe I just dont get it. I wonder if I can submit a manhours worked statement along and get reimbursed? Legal representation is a right or is it? A much exhausted and experienced cg

[sixthscents]

Cowgirl, I am not meaning to minimize what you say, but we are all in this together. It's seems so frustrating at first because you DO seem to have to do these people's jobs for them. Now the ONLY way to do that is EXACTLY what you are doing, by readaing and understanding what exactly they can offer you, and HOW to ask for it....

Yep, it's backwards... but to be honest these people are swamped. I "shudder" am going to have to take the VA's side for some of this. They literally have so many cases at EVERY level, and in EVERY field that unless you DO, do their jobs, you probably will NOT get the care, treatment or benefit you need in a timely manner... now you will get it, eventually, but if you help them by making sure you alreday have the necessary documentation, briefings, whatever, man the process really does smooth out.

Are you doing their jobs for them... yeah. Yet in years of dealing with the VA, I have never seen them quite so swamped as now, and to be honest even at the best, I STILL had to do their jobs, at least at the start....

Your SMART girl, obviously, and for you the system will work because you will MAKE it work, but it seems that is exactly what you have to do, or face some undefined wait..... we all did too. It's not right, but most .... MOST... of these people in Voc Rehab, and Adaptive Housing etc... man they are reallly really nice people, ONCE you get to know them.

I make a point of taking a little gift, candles, candy something to the people in ORTHO, since I see them so often, same with the adaptive folks... and the pain management clinic....

The bald truth is, these people can often get better pay in a different place. they are with the VA to HELP...

(OK, I NOT GOING TO BREAK OUT THE POM POMS)

But, it has been far a wide my experience that most of these people seem to actually care... you just have to get to know them...

NOW PLEASE NOTE... I am not including raters or C&P examiners into this for the simple fact that they are NOT supposed to be empathetic... they are there to evaluate and rate, not care for the veteran.... now this doesnt mean they are notgood people too.. I just dont have any kind of constant contact with them..........

Once you are in the system, it becomes.... much much easier.... the people get to know you.. in an earlier post I talked about going to Ortho and getting evaluated for a scooter.... heck I know most of those people on a first name basis... so, while I do not consider myself a cheerleader for the VA (God the system is SO broke)... I do cheer for a great many of the employees.... and I hope that makes sense.

So, in my humble opinion (yep stole your phrase Carlie)

Getting in the door is the hardest part.... after that, its like anyhting else, you get to know the peopel, and they you, and things just start happening really quick if you need them.

Anyway... longwinded and rambling, I hopesome of this made sense....

Bob Smith

Edited April 23, 2007 by sixthscents

[John Purser]

In my humble opinion the VA is there to administer VA rules and if a vet gets helped in the process then well and good. If on the other hand he gets killed then oh well the correct paperwork was filled out.

A friend of mine once told me "Purser, you wipe your own backside and you manage your own career for much the same reason." Crude but to the point. NO ONE is looking out for you. Even the service reps are there to follow the rules of their organization FIRST and help you second.

Lots of nice people in this system. You are the only one you can be sure is on your side.

Edited May 4, 2007 by jbasser

[Berta]

I disagree John-

if you read the Mission Statements of major vet orgs- you will see it is the other way around-

Help the vet is their prime goal-

If I have to sue my representatives in state court-the initial paragraph of my complaint will contain their mission statement:

MISSION STATEMENT -New York State Diviion of Veterans Affairs-

"To provide quality service and advocacy for New York State veterans, armed forces members, their dependents and survivors, ensuring they receive benefits granted by law for their service to New York and the nation.

Goals

·Deliver services and programs that meet the needs of New York's veterans, armed forces members, survivors, and dependents.

·Become an organization that is recognized as "best in class" in the delivery of services to veterans.

·Become an organization that is an employer of choice with highly trained and motivated personnel.

·Become an organization that is recognized as a partner by other county, state, and federal agencies that deal with veteran services, as well as the national veteran service organizations."

The second paragraph will refer to my documented evidence to prove they do not even know basic VA case law.