Opening up your first VA Claim -- Now this is a hard one!!

[leftyf]

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This is all it takes. One VA Form starts the ball rolling. In about 4 weeks you will start getting deluged with forms and checklists. Make sure you keep multiple copies of everything submitted. From personal experience, make sure you have a copy of your DD 214. They will not accept the original document, or a Xerox Copy. They will however accept a "Certified Copy" of your DD 214. Some states do not allow certified copies. In Texas, you can only get certified copies from a Judge or Attorney. Neither one is cheap. If you are interested, contact me off line, and I'll tell you how to get around the certified copy problem.
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Make sure you have, on hand, multiple copies of your DD214. I can almost guarantee you that they will lose this document. I provided them three (3) copies of this document over a 36 month period.

 

[leftyf]

Opening up your first VA Claim -- Now this is a hard one!! Part Two.

Here is the VA Form 21-4138. Statement in Support of Claim. Get familiar with this as you will have to submit one each and every time you send in documentation. Statements by friends, family, doctors, can use this form to submit information directly. For, doctors, they know how to handle these. They will be contacted separately and asked to provide copies of your medical records

//heartlandowners.org/picture.php?albumid=32&pictureid=144

//heartlandowners.org/picture.php?albumid=32&pictureid=145

 

[Jay Pearsall]

Concerning DD-214s, Wisconsin allows you to record them with your County Registrar of Deeds which make them certified. They are not for public viewing either but held in the private section - only you have access to them. Check with your County Veteran's Service Officer to see if this works in your state.

 

[Retired CPO]

I'm 100% Service connected disabled Vet myself & I can today now applaud the VA and all its doing right. I have never had anything lost or misplaced and I've delt w/ Philly, Martinsburg WV, without any problems yet. I also recorded all my DD214's of every Reenlistment for a 22yr career plus all my pg 4's at our country court house in Chambersburg PA.

Good Luck.

 

[leftyf]

Concerning DD-214s, Wisconsin allows you to record them with your County Registrar of Deeds which make them certified. They are not for public viewing either but held in the private section - only you have access to them. Check with your County Veteran's Service Officer to see if this works in your state.

That's what I did. I can get certified copies for free...saves a ton of money.

 

[leftyf]

I have never had anything lost or misplaced and I've delt w/ Philly, Martinsburg WV, without any problems yet.
Good Luck.

Both Houston and Richmond have lost paperwork. Biggest problem I've found is that they will not read the substantiation documentation when submitted.
Once they get their mind made up, it's graven in stone.

 

[rickyshaun]

Concerning DD-214s, Wisconsin allows you to record them with your County Registrar of Deeds which make them certified. They are not for public viewing either but held in the private section - only you have access to them. Check with your County Veteran's Service Officer to see if this works in your state.

That's good. I think it will help a lots of people.

 

[jimtoo]

HI rickyshaun,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum. We have a great bunch of people here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge when needed.

Enjoy the forum.

Jim M

 

[jpdoggett]

I have been dealing with the VA since 1968 and they have done so so. Two years ago the !@#* person in Wichita Ks tells me they lost my records and as I told him you done have this stuff copied and on a disk someplace and he said no. put you have to remember that 80% of the people that work in the VA offices are not Vets, so I sent him a disk with everything from 1968 on it. Then he says how do I know you where in Viet Nam and I ask do you know how to read a DD-214 form. Over all the VA Hospital has been great but the VA office in KS is bad.

 

[don501]

I just received my letter from the va classing me 100% disable unemployable. start my claim in 2010. and use the dav as my rep all I did was fill the paperwork out and file it with them. they did a great job for me. I recommend them to anyone I talk to about claims.

 

[Dave49]

I am also 100% due to unemployability. Actaully 90% disabled but can't work, thus the reason for 100%. I will say that even though I did most of the communication with the VA keeping very careful records, and triplicates of every correspondence that I got from VA Drs, my family Dr and anything at all related to this case. With that being said I recommend getting a service officer from American Legion, DAV, Vietnam Veterans of America, etc as they have the knowledge and the inside info on how to get through all the red tape. Also don't think of this as something that is going to happen anytime soon. It takes a long while to get through it all. But from the day you make the claim if approved say a year or two down the road it is paid from the date of claim.

Patience is a virtue with the VA. One that I am not very good with at all. But stay persistant and if you get a service officer keep in touch with him regularly also as he is a very busy person. Oiling the squeaky wheel always makes things smoother.

Dave

 

[firemedic97]

Semper FI Dave
If your ever in Indianan stop in the thousand trails in Clinton and have a drink. Working on my 100% at 60 now but neck keeps gettin worse and still fighting to get lower back rated. (had M240 drop on top of my head and break my neck)

 

[BouseBill]

Started my claim in August of 2011. VA screwed around for two years then did a provisional decision of denial. They closed the claim, without a C&P exam, VA said I missed the appointment they made for me. I have NEVER missed an appointment, with my VA doctors. They did not tell me about the appointment. After closing the original claim they re-opened the claim and started all over.
My VFW service officer told me they did a provisional denial just to close the claim to make their records look better. So now going on 3 years and still fighting.....and yeah it was the Phoenix Arizona VA,,,,,,

 

[Jim.Allison]

They tried doing this to my Dad in San Antonio. Sick these people.

 

[Apropdoc]

I retired in 2008 and have been jacked around by the VA ever since. All of the disability counselors say I should be over 75%, but the VA had me at 40 and now I am at 20! I have filed 2 subsequent appeals and both have mysteriously vanished. Just one more thought, everyone I have had to deal with at the VA, besides the volunteers, HAD NEVER BEEN IN ANY BRANCH OF THE MILITARY!!! I hope they enjoy their new furniture and gaudy art. Sorry, just had to vent.

 

[Mikelafrance]

http://myvfw.org/utah/va-hospitals/
This link may be of some help to you. You can find face just like the DAV the VFW and stuff like that to help you and re-opening your claim. I personally went through the VFW It took me a few years but I finally got 100% service connected disability complete and total with the help of the VFW so I hope this helps.

 

[avvidclif]

DAV jacked around with my claim for over a year. COuldn't talk to officer assigned. Finally gave up and went with the VFW. Exam, hearing, and approval took less than 6 months.