Category Archives: BvA Decisions

VAROs– MEAN MR. MUSTARD

The VA claims process continues to recede into a “Not It!” game. A rater will struggle to find some procedural stone left unturned and put the claim back in the National Work Queue (NWQ) hopper. Alternately, your claim becomes a … Continue reading

Posted in Appeals Modernization Act, BvA Decisions, BvA HCV decisions, Humor, KP Veterans, Tips and Tricks, VA Agents, VA RAMP, Veterans Law | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

THE NEW APPEALS MODERNIZATION ACT…AND MORE

When we hit Nashville for the NOVA conferences 20-23 March, I actually though I had a good handle on the AMA layout. Well, ‘not exactly’ as they say over at Rentawreck™.  So, since the time we walked out of there, … Continue reading

Posted in Appeals Modernization Act, BvA Decisions, Humor, KP Veterans, VA Agents, VA Attorneys, VA RAMP, VA suspense dates, Veterans Law | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

BVA–MORE DECISIONS…AND BE QUICK ABOUT IT, MIND YOU.

Ah, St. Nicholas est mort. We poor naive Veterans have been cheated, been mistreated, and just when we think Congress has finally heard our plea, we discover we didn’t get what we paid for… again.   Not only that, we-that Veterans … Continue reading

Posted in All about Veterans, BvA Decisions, BvA HCV decisions, BVA records tampering, BVA Referrals, Complaints Department, DRO and BVA Hearings, KP Veterans, VA Agents, VA Attorneys, VA statistics, Veterans Law | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

CAFC-HUDICK V. WILKIE–THEY ARE ONE PERSON

 I took my first AO-in-Thailand case last month. Welcome aboard the U.S.S. Asknod, Ray. I guess we all gravitate back mentally to the place we served when we were over there. Even though I was in many places, both west … Continue reading

Posted in Agent Orange, All about Veterans, BvA Decisions, CAFC Rulings, CAVC Knowledge, CAVC ruling, Fed. Cir. & Supreme Ct., KP Veterans, Lawyering Up, Lay testimony, M-21 info, Thailand AO presumptive path, Tips and Tricks, VA Agents, Veterans Law | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

FEDERAL CIRCUIT JUSTICE

Cupcake asked me to blog about this anomaly. Imagine filing your VA claim at the local Fort Fumble.  You wait 125 days (right!) for your denial. You are then in for a long wait for an appeal. We’re talking six … Continue reading

Posted in BvA Decisions, CAVC ruling, CAVC/COVA Decision, Complaints Department, DRO and BVA Hearings, Humor, KP Veterans, VA Agents | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT A BVA REFERRAL

I get emails by the dozens every month asking me about this. Some Veterans get their decisions back from the BVA directly and the VSOs never even see it. Maybe that’s just as well. If you won anything, they’d be … Continue reading

Posted in BvA Decisions, BVA Referrals, DM II, Equitable tolling, Humor, KP Veterans, M-21 info, Presumption of Regularity, Tips and Tricks, VA Agents, VA suspense dates, Waiver of Review in the First Instance | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

CAVC #18-938–ON BLUE BAYOU

Some would be angry or disconsolate over a loss at the CAVC. I’m not. I screwed up and I thank Judge Bartley for her fastidious attention to ferreting out the kernels of truth and the error(s) of my Extraordinary Writ. … Continue reading

Posted in Agent Orange, All about Veterans, BvA Decisions, DRO and BVA Hearings, Independent Living Program, Inspirational Veterans, KP Veterans, LZ Cork, SMC, Tips and Tricks, VA Agents, Veterans Law, VR&E | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

VA kidney doc refers to shocking chronic kidney disease (CKD) VISN 2 study (New York region)

  Sometimes VA emails contain information and news about their research that is valuable for us to read.  For example, 34.3-47.3% of veterans in VISN 2 network have chronic kidney disease (CKD).  The ROs are located in Buffalo and New York City … Continue reading

Posted in All about Veterans, BvA Decisions, Camp Lejeune poisoning, CUE, Food for thought, Future Veterans, General Messages, Guest authors, Lawyering Up, Medical News, non-va care, Remanded claims, research, Uncategorized, VA Health Care, vA news, VA statistics, VSOs | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

LZ CORK–UNDERSTANDING §3.156(c)

I just received a grant of some claims and a 96-page SOC that dang near has everything from 38 CFR Part 3 in it verbatim. The postman delivered it on a 40-foot flatbed with a forklift. Naw, just kidding. It … Continue reading

Posted in 3.156(c), Agent Orange, All about Veterans, BvA Decisions, C&P exams, CAVC Knowledge, Informal Claims, KP Veterans, Lawyering Up, Nexus Information, TBI, Tips and Tricks, VA Agents, VBMS Tricks, Veterans Law | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

“Bombs in your Back Yard” series by ProPublica

Frank has forwarded information to us about ProPublica’s series, “Bombs in Our Backyards.” (LINK)  This work sheds light on the dangerous environmental practices the DOD has been dealing with.   On May 7, 2018, ProPublica’s Abrahm Lustgarten writes: Get an Inside Look at … Continue reading

Posted in Agent Orange, All about Veterans, AO, BvA Decisions, DM II, Food for thought, General Messages, Guest authors, Military Madness, research, VA BACKLOG | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment