r/VeteransWaitingRoom

I was recently rated 100% P&T and my VA claim experience has been great. My C&P exams have been great. None of my claims took more than 3 months from start to finish. I have absolutely zero complaints about the entire process.

If you educate yourself and properly prepare your evidence, it’s all very easy. AI and the internet have everything you need to succeed. In my opinion, VSOs are worthless and I would never use one.

I don’t understand the people who get stressed out about it. I don’t understand the people that think the system is rigged to deny you. I don’t understand how people take years or decades to succeed.

I say all of this to make a point and to hopefully encourage people to not listen to the conspiracy theorists, fear mongers and lazy people that just aren’t willing to do the research and work. It’s only as hard as you make it for yourself.

filed for a claim increase it’s getting very hard for me to work, just wondering when I go into work Monday should I ask if I can go on short term disability

Had anyone not had any luck getting DBQs in a timely manner? I filed one FOIA request on 29 May and it is still in step 2 so I filed another one on June 24th and still no movement from step 2. I have seen alot get them back in a week or two. This is for ONE c&p exam and nothing else.

how long is the wait usually for the Informal Conference? I just recently filed the HLR at the end of June for one condition that was denied December 2025.

I have posted a few times in here over the course of my claim. I’m at 142 days and i understand that every claim is different and that it can be a grueling process.

However… I submitted this claim and have been very proactive with making sure all of my evidence was in order. Nexus letter, buddy statements, civilian records, personal tracking of headaches, etc.

My claim didn’t move for 83 days and sat in Step 2. Optum finally called me and scheduled all of my exams for 1 week. Took off of work, drove all over the state and knocked them all out.

Claim didn’t move for another 30 days. Then I randomly get on the app to check and it’s on Step 7 for a full day.

I check back 2 days ago, and I’m back to Step 5 with no explanation or anything. It hasn’t moved since.

Is this normal? I’m assuming it is. Is there a timeline from someone else that recently experienced this?

I’m just ranting but some guidance would be appreciated.

Are two positive drug test for thc delta 8
Taken 18 days apart from each other considered two misconducts if the command didn’t get results back and do counseling until 1.5/2 months later? The test were taken end of june mid july in 2022z and test came back august and September.

Im trying to work on getting benefits back and on my discharge upgrade.

I feel like it should be considered one misconduct since there was no way i could’ve gotten clean that quickly and i cant control that i got “randomly” selected multiple times in under a month. My oth breaks 0 statutory bars of benefits and possibly a regulatory bar for “willingful and persistent” which could be reconsidered with compelling circumstances.

I know if i did not get tested 2 times that month and got tested once it wouldn’t even be considered willingful and persistent due to everything else on my record being clean as far as DRB, NJP, or any other trouble outside a few counseling chits for waking up late when i first got on the ship. Did 2 forward deployed deployments on a aircraft carrier my whole time i was in. Gained multiple quals and made it to E-3 without any issues. Alll evals were MP except my separation eval. It wouldve just been one misconduct with a clean record. But, the fact that they tested me multiple times (my 2.7 years in i got tested atleast 8/10 times which is insane!) it was like no other way that the second one wasnt gonna also pop.

Im wondering if the VA would use their common sense to categorize this as ONE misconduct and not two.

Has anyone else waited this long? PTSD/MST claim, with some multi skeletal issues along with it. I didn’t get my CP exam until last week, as soon as the DBQs posted, it flew into step 5.

It’s TJ is San Juan. So that’s a plus. But any encouragement would be amazing. Any insight on ball park time frames?

While I’m waiting for it to move I did a FOIA for the Dbqs. I’ve had good luck with them showing up in a week of applying.

My Anxiety is killing me. Anyone else with me?

On June 23rd I filed my 3rd supplemental claim for a claim that was originally filed in October 2022. This is for my right knee. I have had 4 C&P exams for this so far. Every denial has been for a different reason. Original claim denied because they did not request all my records. I enlisted in the Army Reserves in 1997 got out in 2011. Did two tours in Iraq, 2003-2004 & 2009. They only looked at records for the time period covered by 2nd deployment (last of 3 DD-214's). I had an injury in basic training so filed an HLR and was granted a DTA error opening the first supplemental claim, which got denied for lack of continued care, filed another supplemental with more records and personal statements. That second supplemental got denied because they claimed it was a pre-existing condition. I then broke down and paid for a Nexus letter, and filed another supplemental claim. This was in May of this year and it got denied in 3 weeks because the C&P examiner opined that is was "Natural Progression". The company that supplied the Nexus letter had another provider write a rebuttal letter. I filed this most recent supplemental claim on June 23 and was expecting a call about another C&P exam. I called the 1000 number this afternoon and was told my new supplemental was moving really fast, her words, and was already at stage 5 - preparing a decision. I'm hoping my luck has changed but I am dreading another denial and don't know if I have it in me to do a board appeal. Anyone have similar situation and get their claim approved? I have always filed my supplementals within the 1 year time line so if granted my back pay would be for over 3-1/2 years

Appeal filed November 24th, 2021

Hearing held June 24th, 2025

Still waiting to be sent to a VLJ as of July 1st, 2026.

Anyone with October / November 2021 filings getting traction?

According to the extention on Google my claim is moved from the national work cue to Waco today they have my dbqs and medical opinions what is a realistic time frame to go from step 3 to 4? Also I hope everyone has the same amount of fingers and toes after the weekend happy 4th.

My supplemental claim has been in Step 2, Initial Review for 8 days in the National Work Queue (NWQ) temp jurisdiction.

Question 1) For Step 2, Initial Review of supplementals, does anything happen in NWQ? Or does the supplemental claim have to be assigned to temp jurisdiction (TJ) office for someone to do the initial review, similar to the original claim?

Question 2) How long does Step 2, Initial Review typically take for Supplementals? My Initial Review for my original claim took maybe 1 or 2 days.

Thanks!

I have an informal conference coming up and am wondering why the VA would dismiss information on a DBQ or submitted evidence, and if veterans were successful in just pointing it out.

Here’s the back story.

-Early December completed C&P for knee effusions/ meniscus tears that have been operated on previously ( if it’s relevant)

-Claim defeated in January

- completely different supplemental claim was awarded and I saw I was rated for the deferred condition.

- was never sent a decision letter via mail and it is not with my claim letters in the portal.

- February 2026, different claims were decided. In that claim letter, the VA did three CUE’s on claim in question. Reducing 20% to 10% because the VA claim I don’t require a brace and/or one was never prescribed which contradicts the DBQ.

- The Va also acknowledged that I wasn’t eligible for a 10% rating unless I had pain limiting extension which is covered on nearly half the pages of the DBQ.

There’s plenty to gripe about the DBQ but if the information was provided and there, what would be the driving factor in the VA dismissing the DBQ?

Out of curiosity I haven’t filed claims in awhile however a few months ago was the first in awhile I requested a rate raise on a few issues went through the c&p exams and have been waiting for like 2-3ish months stuck on step 3 for gathering evidence even tho all is submitted. Would love for some clarification as it’s been awhile, thanks in advance

I can’t breathe.