VA Disability claims
How long did it take you to reach a final decision?
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14 months and still going, haven't even been seen by a doc yet or anything, stuck in limbo that is L.A.
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7-8 months. But this was 05 and 09 I believe. So not as bad as now
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At least they have not lost my paper work like they did the past 2 times I have filed got to love the L.A. VA. (knocks on wood) |
1 year, then approx. 1 more year for my appeal.
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14 months (back pay was nice) Started last June got a letter in mid Aug
Starting appeals next week for a couple issues. VA medical was great to me though and very accommodating. |
Damn I hope it doesnt take that long to just add a dependant.
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Mine took about 8 months. I guess I'm pretty lucky.
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Some lady from the VA randomly called me last week asking if there was anything I needed and I told her I was curious on the status of my claims and she got back to me the next day and said it's in the second phase and that if I don't hear anything in 4 weeks to give her a call and she'll begin an inquiry. I asked her about the ~12 month average wait time and she said that isn't even the average anymore, that's pretty much the guaranteed wait time at the least before something happens. I'm not worried about it because I'll get a ton of back pay but it would be nice to get it now and the payments started. |
In 07 it took 8 or so months, my appeals in 09 took only 6 months. I thought things would get better, tried to add a dependent in March of this year and no contact what so ever to date.
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Did mine at beginning of the year, got Drs appts (3 total, 2 at VA and 1 outside referral) within first 2 months, rating decision made in July/Aug. Haven't done my appeal yet (still waiting on documentation from military).
Dads been waiting for a good 18 months for one of his claims... He is through LA, I am through San Diego, wondering if location is a big player in time it takes? Can someone file outside of local area? Matt |
14 months for me, also, but expect longer now . . .
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6 months for the doctors appointments and 3 months later I received my backpay n rating
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Mine was from october 2011 to august 2012
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Got out May 2011. I claimed like 8 different things. Got my first check April 2012.
I did the exams as part of the 'pre-seperation' comp and pen exams before date i left my last duty station (last one February 2011). So from the time of the last comp and pen exam at North Chicago VA and coming home to CA and getting my first check, it was at least 15 months. ..and I still have 2 conditions left over that arent settled but I dont really care because I probably wont get paid for those last items regardless, because of missing records and VA typically not paying for the kind of conditions. I'm sitting at 60%. Not bad at all IMO. Been working with local VET CENTER to increase that. I suggest using the vet center if at all possible. Most convenient place to build up comp and pen cases especially for mental health related items. Still waiting on dependent data to integrate into my diability pay rate. They somehow didnt add my wife but added my kid. Filed to have my wife added via local CA vet service officer. Also submitted for wifes dependent data to be added via the E-BENEFITS WEBSITE which I also suggest anyone who has any sort of comp and pen going on to keep up on. Submitting for my increased married dependent rate via Ebenefits got that expected date of completion bumped up faster than it was when I just submitted the paper version through local county vet service officer. |
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My request to add dependents to my rate got expedited after I submitted for it again through eBeneits (like 4 months faster). Thats long after my original request via Vet Service Officer was done by paper method. Also activated my post 9/11 gi bill through the eBenefits portal that links you with VONAPP which contains the eletronic internet benefit request forms. |
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Looks like I am in for a 14+ Month wait with the Los Angeles VA. I am already at 13 months with no status change.
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I created a Premium account with eBenefits today. My mailing address was incorrect and I had zero dependants accounted for. I called the number provided and they were only able to help me with the address change.... The website itself does not allow me to edit any of my personal information. I'll have to call tomorrow and see if I can get that squared away.
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After two years I finally got mine approved. I got the letter in the mail on Wednesday and I found the 2 years of back pay in my bank account this morning. I guess the letters I've been sending once a week for the past year have finally worked their magic.
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Is there a way to check the status of a claim?
Number? Web site? |
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ebenefits is a great tool for may reasons. Mostly, because it provides an alternative to calling the 800 number which I suspect adds to the backlog. I think we are all guilty of hounding the VA about claims but imagine if everyone used ebenefits and all those VA employees weren't tied up with fielding calls, how much effort they could redirect to processing claims. Just sayin'.
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and to answer the original question, I filed a claim 10/29/2010 that was just resolved on 09/01/2012. Damn near 2 years, but well worth the wait. I got a fat backpay check. Cha-Ching!
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Plus I imagine, as a younger guy seeing all of these elderly Korean and Vietnam vets who have never touched a computer in their life, I can at least attempt to use the website to cut down the waiting lines for everyone. eBenefits has actually proven to contain the same, if not more relevant information than the phone line has had for me in the past. |
I just want to put out there, if you have been waiting way too long, have heard nothing about your claim for months or are just lost, please contact your local CA County Veterans Service Officer for your county. Some places have more than one.
http://www.cacvso.org/page/2011-1-22-13-52-31/ If you plan to start a new claim or need an 'insider' to get an inquiry a little better than what the 1 800 number can give you, they are very useful people to talk to. With services at the county and state level being cut everywhere, do not be afraid to use the service they provide. We certainly dont want to lose it. I know the one in Humboldt County here resides at our court house and I need to take off work to get in during their hours but it is absolutely nessesary to use them to get results sometimes. Ours is 100% walk in with no appointments, so be ready to wait. But like I said it is important. If I hadnt of consulted with my local VSO 4 months after getting out, I wouldnt have known my claim was completely derailed and needed to use them to get that message to the proper people to prevent my claim from getting delayed further. The VSO's have access to the system that the regular joe does not have and can light fires under peoples asses to get stuff done, as was nessesary in my situation. |
I got out in august 09 and received my first payment in october 09. But I had the DAV or the VFW (cant remember) do my claim. They make it go much faster.
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Just got one of those little love notes from the Va claim apologizing for it taking so long and that my claim will be handled as soon as possible. Today I went online to ebenefits and they pushed the expected date back a month, from jan to feb. makes me wonder if that's what the love not proceedures dictate.
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I've been waiting over 2 years, since september 2010.... I recently gave the DAV power of attorney to figure out what is going on. Still havent got any appt's yet either.
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My wife's claim took 9 - 10 months from start to finish. I've been waiting over 16 months. They supposedly closed my case due to insufficient evidence around the 10th month into my case. Just before the year was up I added to my case along with sufficient evidence and testimony. I've only been seen by the VA hospital. I'm using their records to support my case. My wife had to go see a 3rd party workers comp facility to support her case. She made out. I'm still assed out!
For some reason I have not seen my medical records nor can I locate them. My active duty / exit medical records are MIA. I've requested them and only got my MEPS records. Has this happened to anyone else? If so, what is the best way to track these records down? |
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I learned it's not enough to rely on anyone else but yourself in the process, and learn your own way through it, because nobody cares about you getting that check more than yourself. I guess it depends how recently you started the process. If I were you and DAV coouldnt tell me something reassuring, I'd make sure you get set up with your local CA County Veteran Service Officer and have them do an inside inquiry to tell you whats going on/not going on, and ensure everything gets back on track if you have been waiting too long (a few months). |
I filed the claim myself back in 2010, and I keep in touch with the VA directly, they just keep saying "its still pending" the next phase is for the appointments. I just had the DAV look into it as an extra step, I dont totally rely on them of course;) I trust noone but myself so I try and keep on top of whats going on. The VA just says that there is a backlog of claims, and all my paperwork is in order so far.
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At first I thought that. I have yet to be given 'premium' or ?? status. It says (Or did say 3 months ago when I last logged in) I have to show evidence of I.D at my VA location. too much hassle :mad:
I should try logging on again and see if I can do premium now. Quote:
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I started mine a few months ago....VA still says they are waiting on my physical which was done in Sep.............
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haha soon i will be in the same boat.
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Got out in '02. No problems or delays back then. Last year they sent me a letter, the regular verification of dependents. Apparently it's a procedure they do every ten years. But I didn't get the letter, since I had moved.
So they drop my kids off the claim, re-process everything for the last decade, and decide that they have now OVERPAID me by something like $22,000 and will be witholding all of my disability check until it's paid off. That was 14 months ago and counting. I filed all the paperwork to re-add my SAME DEPENDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THEIR SYSTEM SINCE 2002, and I've heard nothing. Calls have been made, an inquiry resulted in a nice letter telling me there's a 14 month average wait and to just sit here with my thumb up my *** for another year or so. Fortunately, my disability does not prevent me from working, and I'm not dependent on it to pay my bills. But this is how we treat our veterans? The men and women who put their lives on the line for our nation? Thank you very much, America. :mad: |
7 months initial, 12 months with secondary follow up.
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dude dont tell me theres a 14 month wait to just simply add dependants. I just sent in the electronic form on ebenefits to add my daughter onto my disability. I can't believe the crazy wait. I'm glad my initial claim only took me 6 months or so to do and I thought that was ridiculous in 2009. Might as well try and add my tinnitus while I'm at it.
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