I've been dealing with the VA for years and have never had a problem. My son was injured in Iraq and was medically discharged on July 1, 2004. We got his VA rating decision last week. Pretty quick job. I accompanied him to the VA clinic here in Orlando, Fl and as soon as that found out his disability was combat related, you would have thought that he walked on water. Everything he needed was scheduled that day. No hassles. I did volunteer work for the Vet Center and and found that some VA employees are a lot more skilled than others. I would reccomend that if the VA employee or Service Representative you're working with is not producing, find someone else to help with your claim or appeal.

VA...Regional Differences

I am happy to hear that in some areas of the country the VA is getting the job done. Here in the Hartford, CT office it is chaos. They are 10,000 claims behind. I was shocked when I was told this number.

I filed for an upgrade and a new claim in January 2003! I, along with many other vets just keep getting a form letter apologizing for the delay. I have received five myself. And letters, phone calls and emails from at least 50 vets to the VA, and politicians has accomplished nothing.

We have no complaints about the care and service at the med centers here in Connecticut, but the claims process is beyond absurd.

S/F Gordo

Not to worry Gordo. Seattle is just as bad, if not worse. I've had a claim in since Dec.03 or Jan. 04. It still isn't in front of the review board. After them it goes to the comp. board. Each stage, I am told, takes 60 to 90 days.

Never had this problem until the VA started to "farm out" the C&P stuff to civilian contractors. 😎

Brace youself

I just got my rating letter back. They were into a corner where they had to admit I have PTSD, so they gave me a minimal 30% for that and than decreased my original rating to get by with a minimum increase. Now I am gathering documantation from specialists on my own to refute their bs about my miraculous improvement in my dead leg. I have a leg that's has no feeling, no anlke joint movement, and may or may not support me. I WAS RATED 40% for loss of use on the leg... You may not be done yet when you get your Rating Letter.
Forgot to say the new kicker here is I had the 40% "Loss of Use" for my leg and they HAD TO conced 30% for PTSD because I have a Purple Heart (their words). They have their own math system so you can't just add the numbers up, but it must have come out to high inspite of their system so they cut my rating for my leg by 10% to make it 30% (no longer "Loss of Use"). This 30+30 gives me a new rating of 50%... That wasn't good enough - now I am, quoting, "a veteran of the Peacetime." I have to go back and locate where the correction of 1964 as the starting point was made - if anyone knows it will help.

Rick, I agree Seattle VA sucks. I tried to deal with them for 6-7 years before saying the hell with this. All they would do is say you've using wrong form or what form nr do you need, you need this or that before we will even look ar appl. The Louisville, Ky office is a littlr better got 10 percent hearing lost in a year and still waitng on ete problem now for over a year and a half. goes from a quality reciew to another quality review?? But since I had to miss an appt die to car problems they are really giving me run around. 5 months trying to rexch it.
John in Fl your son is high profile vet so he's pushed through unlike us old guys.

Va

😀 I probably shouldn't tell my story about the VA. I applied in early 2003, received 10%-hearing (almost deaf since early 1967), 10%-PTSD, approved April 2004. Re-applied in Sept 04. Received 30% PTSD in Feb 05. I have also been able to get into a VA clinic or seen at a VA hospital in two weeks or less.

I live in Ohio and we must be very fortunate in this region.

My experience has also shown that getting help through one of the veterans orgs is helpful, They know which forms, etc to use. I have been getting help through the AMVETS. The AMVETS rep is this area is ex-Navy and is very knowlegable and does a very good job. 😎