Best Posts in Thread: VA Claim Response Time

Pat,
It is a crap shout at it's very best and only slightly better in the U.S.
My last experience here was a calm for my left knee. They had all the records. I gave them the month and year, thinking it would help them locate those supporting medical records.
Months later got a letter stating that no records were furnished or found, therefor my clam was denied for lack of evidence.
I appealed, stating that;
1. I was off of flight status for two months.
2. Made two trips to the ER.
3. Five visits to the Flight Surgeon.
4. Had my left leg in a full length cast, from my balls to my toes, for six weeks and they could not find any record of it!
Six months go by and I get a letter stating that they were still working on it and ask my to be PATIENT. Me be PATIENT for 1 & 1/2 years. A year and a half later, while in the Manila OPC. I ask the Patient Advocate if anything was ever done on my clam for my left knee? She dose a finger dance on her computer terminal and lo and behold, "it was approved all more 1 & 1/2 year ago".
This kind of V.A. treatment is not just here in the PI. I can tell you other events that were far worse, that happened in the U.S.
Keep in mind that if you do not file, nothing will ever happen, and Uncle Sam will have screwed yet another Vet.
It looks like you have two choices, bend over and grease up or dig out your combat shlt and go to war. I went to war for Uncle Sam in 1966. Reinter the war in 1982 with the V.A. The V.A. is going to delay your clam as long as posable hoping that you die so they no longer have to deal with you.
Now all you kind folks think I'm skitso and you might be right. No matter what the truth might be. One thing is for sure, "I am a product of the U.S Army brain washing machine".
JOIN THE FIGHT for Truth, Justice and the American way! Uncle Sam wanted me to be a bleeding target for the Vietnamese. Surprise surprise I turned out to be a better soldier then they had thought. Now they fear me for the thing that THEY taught me.
Forgive me for this vent/rant, If I do not vent from time to time I will implode.
Pat you need to FILE!

 

It takes a long time. If you already have a service connected disability you can make an appointment and get a Primary Care provider assigned. If not you have to wait until you are approved. You will be notified to either go to the Manila VA for a medical check or they will sent you to one of their regional hospitals that they have an MOU with to have your medical claims evaluated to see if they qualify.

I would wait about 3 months and if you have not received anything then go to VA.gov, and send them a message using the IRIS system. They respond to those usually with 3 days, some take a bit longer.

Been there, done that. Went all the way through the Judge on a teleconference. It was worth it, I won. If you are approved, the payments are retroactive to your filing date.

 

Your claim number should be your SSI number. They will certainly be asking you for your last four, anytime you make contact with them either by phone, snail mail, email, or in person. Your name and last four is their key to inter your records.
You say the "Seattle VA center". Do you mean the "Seattle VA Vet Center"?