“I AM SO CONFUSED”
You say to yourself, “I had my consult. It went well. I had X number of conditions revealed and submitted as claims. Within a month I received a letter from VA DENYING NEARLY ALL MY CLAIMS. WTH?”
This is a great question and VERY COMMON.
Let us begin with the “standard” or “typical” process among those in the service of assisting our Veterans.
EVERY other company, VSO’s: “Do you have all your records?”
Veteran: “No.” or, “Some.”
EVERY other company, VSO’s: “Well, we’re gonna need them all, so we suggest you begin the process for records retrieval.”
Veteran: “Shit. I wouldn’t even know where to start.”
EVERY other company, VSO’s: “Well, until you can gather them all up, all we can do it fill out your claims documents. When you have them all, call us back.”
(If, IF, they are at LEAST competent, they will complete and file your ITF to protect your backpay. Hopefully you’ve gathered ALL your COMPLETE records and you go back so they can have you sign your claims documents and submit them before that year expires. If not, you lost a year of back pay.)
Veteran: Staring at the world wondering, “How in the heck am I going to do this? I mean, I have a job, maybe TWO jobs, a wife, some kids. I like to fish on the weekends. I already have enough stress to last TWO lifetimes. I don’t wanna do this. I don’t know HOW to do this.”
Case is now DEAD.
In contrast, let us examine the SOS model.
SOS: “Let’s get your free attorney consult completed. We will also prepare and file a new ITF.” (To protect your backpay. If one is already in place, that one is the start of your backpay, ours is to set the timeline as to when SOS became involved.)
Veteran: “I don’t have my…”
SOS: “WE. DO. NOT. CARE. They’re not needed for us to prepare and submit claims. “
Veteran: “Mmmmmm. Ok. Cool. What now?”
SOS: “You hire us to assist you. We prepare, submit and manage (all) your documents. Your claims are submitted immediately and we provide you with a time and date stamp of submission for your records.”
Now, BECAUSE we file rapidly, and VA DOES NOT HAVE any, (or few already existing) records attached with your submission; the only option for the rater to do, is to DENY the claims. (No current diagnosis/disability) means how can any award be given? Make sense?
In the background, as indicated on your 4138, we have requested VA to do the work of securing your records, which could take…a VERY LONG TIME. During this time you’re racking up back pay, attending VA scheduled exams, and responding to any requests for additional forms or documentation from VA. (If you’re concerned, ever of your status with VA, 800.827.1000)
The only forms SOS does NOT complete, (Only because we do not know the history of private medical treatments or any issues relative to PTSD) are the 4142 & 4142a and 0781, respectively.
Once the records are curated, VA will send them to you on an old school CD. You download the PDF from it and email it to us to review. (We may need to request records again;) here’s why. The last record on that PDF is dated, say 12.31.2024. You receive the CD in March 2025. There’s a gap in time from 12.31.2024 to 3.2025 right?
We need to get the records from that gap as you may have had exams AFTER the 12.31.2025 date.
NOW we have all your records. (You like how we saved you time?) These can be as little as a few hundred pages to 6,000 or more. (Now WE will need time to focus and forensically examine them for errors in the relative to the denials issued so we can resubmit and overturn the incorrectly denied claim(s).
My point to this lengthy post?
IT. TAKES. TIME.
How much time?
AS. MUCH. TIME. AS. NECESSARY. FOR. VA. TO. DO. THEIR. JOB.
In the meantime, please STAY OFF THE VA.GOV website. It’s always under maintenance…broken…inaccurate…behind in updating and serves only to frustrate, anger and confuse.
ONLY concern yourself with the correspondence you get through the USPS. Then advise us on EVERYTHING you receive.
In closing, do not be frustrated, confused or even angry at your initial results from VA. They are to expected and we have planned for this and is how our entire model of success is built.
Remember, your success is being guided by a former VA appeals attorney. He knows what he’s doing.
We do it for you.
