What should I do Next, If anything?

[lacyben]

Back in April of this year I was told by the famous 1000 toll free number that my PTSD claim was ready to go to the rateing board. One week later I was notified I was approved to get treatment from the SIPU PTSD Program at the VA Hospital in beginning in June. It is a 6 week inpatient program. I called the VA and asked not to be scheduled for a hearing because of this treatment and they agreed and noted so in my file.
Mid way thru the treatment I received a letter from the VA requesting, it seemed, the same thing I had given them two times before, which is stressor information. I called them and they said they wanted discharge papers from the program. No problem.I was discharged with a GAF score of 35, unemployable, total and permanent. I hand carried the papers to the regional center, again being told this was all they needed to complete my file.
Five weeks later I check on my claim and find out, to make a long story short, my stressors have not been verified, I suppose is the best way to put it. My claim is 2 years old. How does it go from ready to just starting? Did I do something wrong. I did have a sit down with a very good VA rep who is going to try and cut the verification time shorter by pulling more info from my memory.What do I do next

[TinCanMan]

I just finished telling another poster that the claim process isn't at all like tracking a FedEx package, continuously moving forward toward its goal. And, just because it is "at the rating board" doesn't mean it is being worked on. Most likely it is setting in a file cabinet waiting its' turn for a decision maker to look at it. Once that person has looked at it, that person might decide something is missing and send it back to development for additional work. If it was "with the rater" when you sent the stressor letter in, it probably went back to development for validation. When it is validated and no additional work is needed, it will go back to a decision maker. The decision makers only make decisions on the evidence in hand. Any time additional evidence is required, it goes back to development. I don't know why your other stressor letters went missing. Sometimes that happens. Your best bet is to find a Service Officer (SO) you can work with and ask them to look into it. The 1000 number does not have access to all the answers and they were originally set up to assist vets in making a claim. They were never intended as a tracking service but they do the best they can.

You didn't do anything wrong. The claims process can take longer than you want. Work with your SO and follow his advice.

[sooner1938]

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[lacyben]

That's prpbably not luck but paying attention to detail and having your ducks in a row. I would be interested in knowing how long your process took. My claim is two years old almost to the day.

[grunt1]

2 years? do you have a CIB,or awards from the battle field?bro i did desert storm,somalia93,etc:i really hope i don,t have to fight with these people,just because i fought for these people.i,m filing a claim soon-any advice is very welcomed.

[sooner1938]

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[lacyben]

I would imagine the type claim would have something to do with the time it took to complete the claim. Also knowing if you are already drawing for another disability and having already cleared the " did he in fact serve in country" questions would speed up the more complicated claims of PTSD. However, because of the accusations of fraud from a few months back a i's are dotted and t's crossed. I believe grunt1 can get some very good guidance since there should be ten million years of experience wandering around these threads.

[TinCanMan]

Folks:

How long does it take? Is the age old question. Every veteran with a claim asks it and there is no absolute answer. No one knows and no one can tell you for sure.

The workload at the Regional Office has an impact. I've seen claims that contained all necessary information get adjudicated in 90 days. On the other hand, I've also talked with veterans that have kept a claim alive over 20 years.

If you've submitted all the evidence up front such as dd-214, A physicians diagnosis, and evidence from your service records supporting the problem started in service, it will go quickly. However if the VA has to chase down evidence that is no longer available, well... you get the idea. Another problem is continuously submitting new evidence. Every time you do that requires additional development time and the claim never gets to the decision maker.

There are three things every successful claim has:

1. Military Service
2. A diagnosis of a compensable disease or condition
3. A nexus or connection between 1 & 2

You must prove each of them.

1 is satisfied by your DD-214
2 is satisfied by either a physician or C&P examiners statement that you have a compensable condition. (diagnosis)
3 is satisfied by either a physician or C&P examiners statement that he has examined you and your Service Medical Records and your Service Personnel Record and finds "at least as likely as not" that your condition is a result of your service.

He must support his claim by a rationale that is scientifically acceptable. IOW, he can't just make it up and he can't rely on your testimony exclusively to support his opinion.

Also, PTSD claims require a verifiable stressor letter describing the event that caused the problem.

If you've provided these things up front with verification, your claim will go relatively quickly. Otherwise...

[rainvet]

Also, PTSD claims require a verifiable stressor letter describing the event that caused the problem.

That the biggie one and forth most in your Ptsd Claim due to your Service. RV

[lacyben]

That was the problem with my file. My stressor letters were there. Evidently the verification process didn't start until the 2nd year. Maybe an oversight. Maybe not enough information in the letter to verify.Who knows?I just hope they have what they need now. The rep I sat down with was wonderful and took the time to work with me and explain things to me. Now I wait and continus my treatment.

[rainvet]

lacyben, do you have all your records from St, Louie where there store most all reconds and or in others area. If you don't, I would send off for them asap.
RainVet !