A must read? (New claims processing)

[Ga dancer]

I think Atlanta wins the parking award.

We have had valet parking for quite awhile, but the line for valet parking is so long that you can miss out on your appointment(s) - it snakes around the buildings.

The second new parking deck just opened, a third new deck is in the works, and the first new parking deck is impossible. So is the second new deck.

I can walk, so I park off site - they have 3 off site parking places where you can park your car easily and take a shuttle van to the hospital. They run constantly and you only have a wait a few minutes to board at either end.

[Bob698]

BTW and for the record..
That punch line dates back to none other than Groucho Marx.
Groucho was a bit of a shark on the links and a lot of very famous people found themselves owing him some money by the time they got to the 18th hole.

[MSkillersnorthwest]

I am new to this forum and my husband has not yet been diagnosed but we suspect he has MS and are hoping if he does recieve a diagnosis that he can recieve disability benefits with a nexxus letter because it has been longer than 7 years since discharge.

In regard to the NEW CLAIMS PROCESSING for VA I suspect that Seattle was a trial city before they decided to actually do this in other areas. I say this because for the last several years now our local VRO have told my husband not to put in more than one claim at a time or it would take longer.......10 years ago he put in 3 claims at once and had 2 approved in no time at all. Now he needs/deserves higher compensation for injury progression and secondary issues caused by the first injuries {the wrist bone's connected to the, elbow bone} yet he is asked to only put in one at a time. So here is how it has worked for us......

He was a bomb loader in the early 90's, He suffered a bad wrist injury when a bomb lift failed and hundreds of pounds bent his wrist backwards as he held on with all his might rather than let the bomb drop. He never returned to that work. He now has arthritis in the wrist,Pain, lack of mobility, jacked up and useless fingers and an elbow that has cubital tunnel syndrome; pain,numbness in fingers ect,caused by the compensating he does for not being able to really use fingers or rotate the wrist. He works maintenance.

Over two years ago he put in for a higher compensation rating for his wrist injury but he really needed to put in for not only a higher rating for an old injury but also needed a rating for the 2 or more added issues that are a complication of the original wrist injury. If it has taken 2 years and no settlement yet, even if they did come back favorable soon, that means when that is done he will what?, Have to wait another 2 years for his added issues to be compensated? If he has 3 issues, seperately putting them in would take 6 years minimum??? With an average of 2 yrs or longer to decide one claim???

I for one do not in any way believe this will speed up claims, but just help them to delay paying people for longer because that is all I have seen happen with our situation. Perhaps someone else has had a better, faster experience......not so here. Perhaps my husband will not be denied, denied untill he's died, but will it be so long that he cannot do his maintenance work any longer and cannot provide for his family?

The only thing I can see that may, just may perhaps speed up a claim,is access to printing out the symptom work sheets for your DR. to fill out off of E-Benefits. Anyone used these yet? Did they help speed up your claim?? I will be using one soon and will see I guess....

i am in everett, i went to the place in tukwila what the VA uses, had 4 claims 2 new ones and upgrades on others, it tool 5 months from start to finish, had no problems and i even had to redo one test.... and i just did things over the phone although i am getting ready for some more upgrades i will use the E benifets for that...guess it must just be my charm that gets things done, only took 5 months to win ssdi without a lawyer, just dont believe in wasting money plus thats most of the fun taking on the so called tough guys. just remember to cross your t's and dot your i's and use facts and dont take all these internet weekend warriors advice as law cause honestly with a little internet savy and get a hold of article 38 that VA uses you will have no problem.. and remember to treat the people with respect, cause they dont make much money on there job and some think and this guy here is getting a 100 percent makes them green with envy, 100 % with wife is about 3 grand tax free then a nice ssdi you do ok .. so did your hubby do time at JBLM?

[Scooter24]

Secondary claim(s), no different then when you start having more problems than you originally did,

[gomer]

Hi MSKiller............

I agree with you, it might look good in/on a political paper but its also ripe, maybe even more suited for delaying care & especially comp. They make it a LONG & TOUGH road so we get worn down and give up. (as if we don't already have a full plate!)

The VA is a huge system, there are some good, some bad and some really ^%^%# people in the system.

Some people bat an eye and get treated like gold, while others have no choice but to fight & dig for every scrap they can. There is not always a rhyme or reason,, its just the way things are.

Gomer Sir Falls-a-lot

also have to remember there ae how mny 10's o thousands applying for benifets, but human nature thinks are should be first, just saying we always enjoy pointing fingers at others,civlian offices screw up just as much,just call it like it is, but i could always walk thr a dung pile and cme out smelling like a rose..

[MSkillersnorthwest]

Originally Posted by lovejoy

i am in everett, i went to the place in tukwila what the VA uses, had 4 claims 2 new ones and upgrades on others, it tool 5 months from start to finish, had no problems and i even had to redo one test.... and i just did things over the phone although i am getting ready for some more upgrades i will use the E benifets for that...guess it must just be my charm that gets things done, only took 5 months to win ssdi without a lawyer, just dont believe in wasting money plus thats most of the fun taking on the so called tough guys. just remember to cross your t's and dot your i's and use facts and dont take all these internet weekend warriors advice as law cause honestly with a little internet savy and get a hold of article 38 that VA uses you will have no problem.. and remember to treat the people with respect, cause they dont make much money on there job and some think and this guy here is getting a 100 percent makes them green with envy, 100 % with wife is about 3 grand tax free then a nice ssdi you do ok .. so did your hubby do time at JBLM?

Lovejoy,
I have looked through ALOT of comments from service men trying to get claims done in a timely fashion and it does seem to be a pattern that I hear more than a few say Everett seems to be the Charmed Kingdom! Down here in lousy Tacoma, not so much. I think it definitely has to do with your charm. All kiddin aside, I truly believe that most of these people are working hard/over worked and deserve respect but at the same time I have seen some at the local VRO who just do not have a clue!??

Case point is when I took my Widowed mother down to the local VRO to apply for her Widows benefits. {My father died from several health issues as a result of Agent Orange exposure} They flat out told her things that were so wrong that she began crying uncontrollably {this is less than 1 1/2 weeks after dad died} and all I could do was say, "Hey, HOLD UP HERE! Have you taken a look at the VA booklet?? I have and it tells me that my mother IS entitled to this and quite a few other benefits!!!" Needless to say we never dealt with that person again. The next gentleman we spoke to was very understanding and dealt with my mother with respect & hand delivered her paperwork to Seattle himself. She received her benefits in record time. A miracle considering how many months they told her it could take and she was at risk of not being able to pay her house payment without this money…..so this guy really took care of business for her.

Another problem may be that my husbands claims were put in at around the time a huge amount of troops were returning home so I am sure they are very backlogged for that reason alone, but we also have repeatedly given the same information over and over and have been told they did not receive it?? Even just speaking to our local VRO we cannot find out for sure if Seattle actually DID finally confirm receiving certain info because Seattle Stopped answering AMVETS calls??? Whaaaa??? Who knows what that is all about?? We do not want to get a lawyer either. At this point I am just glad he CAN still work, but it is getting very difficult for him and hoping with his next Neuro appt. they may have some answers for us.

My husband was never stationed at JBLM lovejoy, he joined the AF and took basic in San Antonio TX, then Tech school in Colorado and off to Tyndall AFB in Florida!! YAY for us! A lovely SUPERFUND cleanup site. Beautiful area, just don’t drink the WATER! Washington is our home state and we came back after he exited the AF.

So when you say you went to a place in Tukwila that the VA uses, is this not a VRO but something else lovejoy? Perhaps we should go there instead? Would you be willing to give us not so charming folks from Tacoma the info for this place?

Thank you so much in advance if you don’t mind doing so.

Yea,I know,I'm a woman,long winded,sorry...

[MSkillersnorthwest]

Originally Posted by Scooter24

Secondary claim(s), no different then when you start having more problems than you originally did,

Hey Scooter,
What do you mean when you say secondary claims are no different? The way they handle them you mean??


Thanks!

[MSkillersnorthwest]

Originally Posted by gomer

Hi MSKiller............

I agree with you, it might look good in/on a political paper but its also ripe, maybe even more suited for delaying care & especially comp. They make it a LONG & TOUGH road so we get worn down and give up. (as if we don't already have a full plate!)

The VA is a huge system, there are some good, some bad and some really ^%^%# people in the system.

Some people bat an eye and get treated like gold, while others have no choice but to fight & dig for every scrap they can. There is not always a rhyme or reason,, its just the way things are.

Gomer Sir Falls-a-lot

Gomer,
you are right about the VA being a huge system with good and bad people there. Have seen it first hand over and over.

I have some pretty long lashes and can bat these eyes but they only help the hubby out so much!

Again just glad he can still work at this point; so many may be worse off and I do not want to ever sound ungrateful for what benefits he does get at this point, but he does deserve more. My father almost lost his house before the VA came through for him and his Agent Orange case.

Fighting tooth and nail and diggin in is the nature of most military Vets, it just doesn't feel right when your fighting for something you should not have to fight for.

As you said, SIR FALLS- ALOT, that's just the way things are and really at least there are benefits to fight for,right?

Say, how do you get to have a Signature at the bottom of your posts?? Guess I have not figured this whole forum thingy out yet!?

[Scooter24]

There was a statement asking what if some one had additional problems later on, this was my response, so far my secondary claim is being handled exactly like my initial claim just a little slower.

After my PVA rep met with my nuero + GP 2 weeks ago he is already processing paperwork for my 3 rd claim to cover my left leg and foot and hearing loss but won't submit it until we get an answer on the 2nd one.

[MSkillersnorthwest]

Originally Posted by Scooter24

There was a statement asking what if some one had additional problems later on, this was my response, so far my secondary claim is being handled exactly like my initial claim just a little slower.

After my PVA rep met with my nuero + GP 2 weeks ago he is already processing paperwork for my 3 rd claim to cover my left leg and foot and hearing loss but won't submit it until we get an answer on the 2nd one.

Scooter24,
thanks for the clarification.

So your PVA actually met with your Neuro? Wow! What service! I have heard really good things about using the local PVA. Not there yet, but who knows?? So far my husband only has unexplained/undiagnosed weakness.

[Scooter24]

We have a PVA mtg 2 or 3 times a year at the VA, we get regional and local officers there and some higher ups from our facility, last time it was asst director, Orthotics Chief, Pharmacy chief,( any complaints are recorded by the president and he will check to make sure it has been taken care of by the next meeting, it ends up being open season on the depts represented) along with our PVA Rep who remembers just about everybody but only usually meets them at this mtg. He also visits the hosp and talks to the infusion nurses as the head nurse is the nursing director for the MS center of excellence and is usually well aware of any particular problems any patient is having so he can see what he can do for them. This is something he always emphasis is the his is not there just to help with claims and that his job includes running interferance for any of his members with any problems they are having anywhere withinn the facility. A guy that really likes his job and helping his clients.

[gomer]

Say, how do you get to have a Signature at the bottom of your posts?? Guess I have not figured this whole forum thingy out yet!?

Its just typed text w/ inserted

Experiment and have a little FUN, I usually use the wysiwug/advanced easier editor. It that little square in the upper right corner of the message reply section. Mouse over it and my setup brings up a text cloud saying switch editor mode. It changes color a little to show mode.

MSkillersnorthwest... [ctrl]+[c] to copy highlighted text,
then [ctrl]+[v] to paste what you copied, works wonders.

I usually highlight my sig line text, select Bold Italics & color, sometimes font & size and insert a icon.

Some sites have a signature thingy, I have no clue here.

Gomer Sir Falls-a-lot