Washington - In a push to break a 1.9 million-claim backlog by the
year 2015, the Department of Veterans Affairs has recently been pushing “Fully
Developed Claims.” As an active partner in the claims process, the Veterans of
Foreign Wars of the United States is supportive of any initiative that helps
veterans gain faster access to their earned VA programs and benefits.
VFW National Commander William A. Thien said his
nationwide cadre of 1,200 VA-accredited service officers has always strived to
submit fully developed claims because the VFW knows how long it takes for a new
claim just to get seen. VFW reemphasized fully developed claims by training its
nationwide network of service officers a year ago.
“We want every claim to be as fully developed as
possible,” said Thien, a Vietnam veteran of the U.S. Navy. “This is especially
important because it normally takes well over six months for a new claim to get
adjudicated, and if denied for insufficient documentation, two years or more
just for the appeal. The VFW supports this initiative because a fully developed
claim can cut the initial time in half, which helps speed the delivery of VA
programs and services to deserving veterans, and helps to reduce the VA’s
overall claims workload.”
The VA considers claims to be “fully developed” when all
available supporting documentation or evidence within the control of the
veteran is submitted with the application. Such evidence includes private
treatment records, supporting statements and other documentation. The VA is
still obligated to obtain records under government control, such as service
treatment records and VA hospital reports, and the VA might also schedule an
exam, if necessary. The VA will not, however, consider a claim to be “fully
developed” if additional evidence within the veteran’s ability to provide is
still required.
Since the onus is on veterans to prove a
service-connection, Thien said veterans can help speed the filing process by
being better prepared when they meet with VFW service officers.
“VFW service officers last year helped 125,000 veterans
to recoup an organizational record $3.7 billion in earned compensation and
pension, and half way through the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2013, almost 22
percent of all VFW-assisted claims filed were considered fully developed,” he
said. “We are in business to provide an expert, free service to all eligible
veterans, and to prove that no one does more for veterans than the VFW.”
For more on the claims
process or to request VFW service officer assistance, go to http://www.vfw.org/NVS/.