What Does Currently On Review: Compensation Issue Mean?

Compensation Issue – What does it mean? So my appeal was closed on July 15. I haven’t received my letter yet, but under the issues tab on va.gov, where it used to say the items I was appealing, it now says ” compensation issue,” Is that normally what it says just when they close the review? Has anyone seen any other terminology in that section? Thanks for your input.

What does higher-level review compensation issue mean?

What is a VA Higher-Level Review? – A VA Higher-Level Review is when a veteran disability claim decision is looked at by a senior reviewer. When a veteran submits a VA disability benefits claim for a service-connected condition they received during their time in active service, the VA decides what should be rewarded, if anything, based on the evidence presented.

It’s not uncommon for a claim to be denied, or for a veteran to receive a lower disability rating than they believe they deserve. To receive their desired compensation, veterans have the option to appeal a VA decision. Higher-level review allows the veteran to resubmit their case to a more experienced member for review.

The senior reviewer will look at all the same information presented in the original claim, to then make their own decision. A veteran may receive a higher rating or more favorable decision if the initial reviewer made any mistakes or did not properly conduct disability assessments.

The rating will likely be changed if the new decision benefits the veteran. The only time a rating can be changed in a way that is disadvantageous to the claimant is if there is clear evidence of a major error that indisputably proves the original decision was incorrect. Previously, this was done through the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA).

Thanks to the (AMA) of 2017, however, veterans have more options for appealing VA decisions that are much quicker.

Does preparation for notification mean denied?

Is “Preparation for Notification” a good sign? – Preparation for Notification is the 5th step in the disability claims process. This is when you’re near the final stages of a VA rating decision: approval, denial or deferral. At this point, you can expect to have a decision, possibly within as little as 30 business days.

How long does a higher-level review take?

How long does a Higher-Level Review take? Our goal for completing Higher-Level Reviews is an average of 125 days (4 to 5 months).

How long does it take for a VA decision?

After you file your application for disability benefits from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), it’s normal to want a decision as soon as possible. However, you will need to be patient. As of June 2021, the average time it takes for the VA to issue a decision on VA benefits is 134.4 days.

What does the VA mean by preparation for decision?

What the VA Does After It Gets Your Claim – There are eight steps for most claims for benefits from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The time each step takes depends on how complex your claim is, how much evidence is needed, and the type of evidence. Providing as much evidence as possible with your claim can affect how long it takes. The eight steps are:

1. Claim Received: If you apply online, you get an online receipt within an hour; if you apply by U.S. mail, it takes standard mailing time plus one week for the VA to process and record your claim.
2. Under Review: Your claim is assigned to a VA representative who looks at it and decides if more evidence is needed. (If no more evidence is needed, your claim moves to Step 5, Preparation for Decision.)
3. Gathering Evidence: For a standard claim, the VA representative asks for evidence — from you, a medical professional, a government agency, or another source. For the Fully Developed Claims (FDC) process, you give the VA all the relevant records that you have when you file your claim, and then certify that you have no more evidence to give them. Learn more about VA evidence requirements,
4. Review of Evidence: The VA representative looks at all the evidence; if more evidence is needed, your claim goes back to Step 3, and if no more evidence is needed, your claim moves to Step 5.
5. Preparation for Decision: The VA representative makes a decision on your claim, and creates documents explaining that decision. (While creating the documents, the representative may decide even more evidence is needed, and your claim moves back to Step 3.)
6. Pending Decision Approval: The VA representative’s decision is reviewed, and a final award approval is made. (During the approval process, it might be decided that more evidence is needed, and your claim moves back to Step 3.)
7. Preparation for Notification: You entire claim decision packet is prepared for mailing.
8. Complete: The VA sends you a decision packet by U.S. Mail (allow for standard delivery times). The packet includes all the details of the decision or award.

You can track the status of your claim online,

How long does it take the VA to preparation for notification?

The 10 Step VA Disability Claim Timeline

Your DD-214 or other separation documents. Your service treatment records. Medical evidence (including doctor’s reports, X-rays, and medical test results) related to your illness or injury.

Your VA Disability Claim decision packet, in its entirety, is now prepared to be mailed to you. This step usually takes around 7-14 business days.

​The VA will send you a packet by U.S. mail that includes details of the decision on your claim. Please allow 7 to 10 business days for your packet to arrive before contacting the VA. When you receive your decision notice, if it shows at least a 10% disability rating, you’ll get your first payment within 15 days. The VA pays you either by direct deposit or check. If you don’t get a payment after 15 days, please call the Veterans help line at 800-827-1000, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET.As for the ongoing disability payments, you’re probably wondering, “When do I get paid?”. VA payment benefits are paid the first business day of the following month. If the first business day occurs on a non-business day, weekend or a holiday, VA benefits will be paid on the last business day prior to the first of the month. Once a decision is made by the VA, the VA considers your case completed. What is the possibility of your claim being denied? Today, 31 percent of claims are denied—and 60 percent of those denials are in error. Please note Step 10 below. If you disagree with the disability rating you receive, you can reopen your claim by filing an appeal.

Military Disability made easy with the right assistance : The 10 Step VA Disability Claim Timeline

What does review at high level mean?

Library Guides: High Level Reviews (systematic, integrative, scoping): Overview of high level reviews So, when we say, “High level review”, what do we actually mean? It is all about the execution of the review. These types of reviews are not a walk in the park or a tick the box.

High level reviews follow a protocol. A set of clearly defined guidelines that enable the review team to identify, analyse, appraise, and synthesize the studies included in the review. Some high level reviews may also include a meta-analysis; however, this is dependent on the types of studies included in the review. High level reviews usually require a longer time to complete than traditional literature reviews because of the extra stages.

High level reviews of published literature can produce a standalone document or comprise a stage of a larger project. For example, you might undertake one as part of your thesis research. Having a clear understanding of what you hope to find by undertaking a high level review can help you in selecting the right review for you.

What do I hope to achieve in undertaking a high level review? Can I find the evidence I need with the already vast amount of published literature available? Do I want to publish? Am I hoping to change current practices in my professional field? Am I looking for a current gap in the literature available to support my research proposal? Am I just going to be adding to the vast amounts of literature out there, or am I going to contribute something new?

Note: Systematic Literature Reviews have not been included in within the group of high level reviews as the development and application of the search strategy is the only component of this review that take a systematic approach. See the for information on this type. : Library Guides: High Level Reviews (systematic, integrative, scoping): Overview of high level reviews

How many times does the VA reevaluate?

Will the VA Reduce My Rating? If you have been awarded disability benefits after a long application process, you can breathe a sigh of relief. However, the VA does not recognize all disabilities as permanent. Basically, the VA can reevaluate your disability rating every 2 to 5 years unless your rating is or,

• Depending on the results of the reexamination and reevaluation, you may see a reduced rating.
• Some conditions are likely to fluctuate in severity over time.
• An example of this? A veteran with a service-connected cancer diagnosis who goes into remission will be compensated differently when the cancer is active than when it is in remission.

This article will cover the VA rules for reviewing ratings and protecting ratings. Talk to Us About Your Claim: Reexaminations, also called periodic future examinations, are typically scheduled every 2 to 5 years. A veteran who has a prestabilization rating (given to someone with a service-connected condition who recently left the service) is required to be reexamined between 6 and 12 months of leaving the service.

1. The purpose of these re-evaluations is to assess the current severity of the disability,” said The if a veteran’s disability is likely to have improved or if evidence indicates a disability rating is wrong.
2. The VA must send a notice of the reevaluation exam either by mail or over the phone and give you 60 days to respond.

If you do not respond to the notice, the VA has the right to automatically reduce or terminate your rating. If you are unable to attend on the scheduled examination day, you can request that another session be scheduled. If your rating is permanent or permanent and total (P&T), you will not be scheduled for reexamination.

However, VA rating decisions do not always clearly state that a decision is permanent. One indication that a decision is permanent is if your rating decision letter says that no future examination will be needed. If your letter informs you of benefits that are only available to veterans with a P&T rating (such as DEA or CHAMPVA), that is also an indication your disability rating is permanent.

“VA recognizes that not all conditions are permanent,” Ton said. “Some wax and wane–meaning that they fluctuate in severity over time.” Following a reexamination, the VA will reach one of the following conclusions:

• Benefits will be rescinded: You are no longer experiencing symptoms that would make you eligible for compensation.
• Rating will be reduced: You are still experiencing some symptoms but have seen improvement in your disability since your last examination.
• Rating will remain the same: Your symptoms and severity have remained the same since your last examination.
• Rating will be increased: You have seen an increase in the symptoms and severity of your disability since your last examination.

If the VA does decide to reduce your rating, it will state in its decision the date this change will go into effect. It will also typically state whether this change will affect your monthly benefits payment. If you receive a higher rating, you will not get back pay related to the change.

If you receive a lower rating, you typically will not have to pay anything back to the VA. If the VA proposes to, the agency must notify you that it plans to reduce your monthly benefits. You will have 60 days to submit an argument and evidence against the reduction. You also have the option of requesting a hearing within 30 days of the notification about the reduction of benefits.

The hearing will be conducted by VA personnel who did not participate in the proposal to reduce your benefits. After the VA reviews your evidence it will issue a final decision. If you disagree, you can file an appeal. If you decide to challenge a re-examination result, we strongly recommend that you contact a VA-certified disability lawyer who has experience in this situation.

1. Provide a to the VA that supports your continued eligibility for a disability rating. Your doctor can write a report showing that your condition still exists and that you are experiencing symptoms that would entitle you to a disability rating and, therefore, compensation.
2. Provide who are aware of your disability and its symptoms. This statement could be from a spouse, friend, or family member. For example, they could write about the persistence of a mental disorder that may not have been detectable at your reexamination.
3. You could also provide a letter to the VA disputing the re-examination if you found that the exam was not thorough enough to verify your symptoms.

Even if you have a 100% combined rating, you can still work and be paid your full VA benefits. However, if you are receiving but start working, it is possible that you can lose TDIU, which are benefits only given to veterans who are unable to work. There are some exceptions about the working rules.

If you worked in a protected or sheltered work environment (an employer that allows for altered work requirements for veterans) or have marginal employment (you currently work, but earn below the poverty threshold), you may still be eligible to receive TDIU. TDIU is only permanent if your disabilities are considered permanent, and you are no longer scheduled for any reexaminations.

You can lose TDIU if:

• You have not submitted your annual –a required form for all veterans who receive TDIU
• Your condition has improved, resulting in a lower rating
• You have gained the ability to maintain substantial employment.

VA-certified disability BENEFITS lawyer describes the circumstances in which the va can reduce a disability rating. There are certain situations in which VA ratings are considered protected. A means that a veteran’s rating will not change under a VA rule change.

“The longer that rating has been in place, the stricter the rules are for the VA,” attorney Ton said. Ratings that have been in place for five years or more are considered to be stable and continuous in the VA’s eyes. For any rating that has been sustained over that time period, the VA can not reduce the rating unless the veteran’s condition improves over time.

The VA can not eliminate a rating that has been consistent for 10 years or more unless there is proof of fraud. However, the VA can reduce the rating if the condition has improved. The only time the VA can reduce a rating that has been in place for 20 years or more, is if there is evidence of fraud.

“For example,” Ton said, “if you are granted a 20% rating for hearing loss in 1985, but over the next 20 years your rating fluctuates between 20% and 50%, the VA cannot reduce your rating below the initial threshold of 20% unless it finds that there was fraud involved.” Any veteran who would be is exempt from a reexamination.

However, there are certain exceptions including the earlier example of a veteran with cancer who has completed treatment and is in remission. Other situations include:

• When the disability is established as static
• When the disability from disease is permanent in character and of such nature that there is no likelihood of improvement
• When the rating is a prescribed scheduled minimum rating
• When a combined disability evaluation would not be affected if the future examination should result in reduced evaluation for one or more conditions

Ton cautions that the VA can also reduce a rating when a veteran files for an increased rating. “Because a veteran’s filings can impact his or her rating, and sometimes there’s a risk of reduction, it’s important to reach out to a legal representative,” she said.

“We at Woods and Woods do this every day and would love to assist you to navigate the tricky system that the VA has set out.” Navigating the VA disability benefits system and potential rating reductions can be difficult. The VA-certified disability attorneys Woods and Woods offer free VA claim evaluations.

Contact our team to get started.

• “I honestly believe that:
• 1) Dealing with that VA requires an expertise that many of us do not possess.
• 2) Woods & Woods made the difference.
• Their savvy expertise in dealing with the VA and their commitment to their clients exemplifies a level of professionalism and commitment that seems not to be the standard in today’s world. “

Talk to Us About Your Claim: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How can I challenge a reexamination decision? Provide a to the VA that supports your continued eligibility for a disability rating, provide who are aware of your disability and its symptoms, and/or provide a letter to the VA disputing the re-examination if you found that the exam was not thorough enough to verify your symptoms.

What is the difference between a higher level review and a supplemental claim?

What Is the Difference Between the Higher-Level Review Lane and the Supplemental Claim Lane? The difference between the Higher-Level Review lane and the Supplemental Claim lane is who reviews your appeal and whether you can submit new evidence.

What is a higher level review M21 5?

M21-5.1.a. What is a Higher-Level Review (HLR)? A Higher-Level Review is a ‘De Novo’ review of an issue previously decided by the VA based on the evidence of record at the time VA issued notice of the prior decision.