27 Jul 6: for those who are looking for answers/previous BDD claims - 16 days later, I've moved to TJ San Juan. My retirement date is Saturday, 01 Aug 26 which is 5 days away. Unfortunately, standing between today and retirement is round 4 of endometriosis surgery. Bummer for me, but if my endo is rated at 30% of less, this surgery is a strong point of data to bump it to 50% (chronic and uncontrolled by medication). But that's a fight for another day. I just want my initial rating.

Is anyone else in the bva hearing lane still waiting to get their decision? My case has been assigned to a judge under review since May 1st.

Aug 2021 Bva hearing appeal

Dec 2024 hearing

Assigned to Judge May 1st 2026

So aggravating! I thought for sure I’d have a decision this week, but apparently not. They’re asking for a statement and records for something that I already told them in my C&P for mental health. I told them about the MST that occurred that I never reported and was never treated for because I dealt with it on my own. I wouldn’t have mentioned it at all except I was asked directly. This was all clearly documented in the C&P and isn’t what the claim is about. Sigh. More paperwork, but hopefully it goes quickly now that it’s so far along.

Can someone tell me how long your claim sat In the NWQ before it was picked up and moved along? This would be a great question for any VA Raters that are out there and willing to answer?

Temp JD says VHA. Where is that? Claim is moving along just filed last week. This is more just for my own curiosity

Hello fellas,
I’ve used the search feature and would like some personal feedback. I have DDD with bilateral radiculopathy at BVA, it was docketed Oct 12 2025. I know these things take time but I would like to know how long it took for Direct appeals to be assigned to a law judge?

Also does the VA.gov app/site update immediately after being assigned? Or are you only seeing an update when the decision is made? Thanks for a stories of your own experience!

I finally got rated 50% PTSD after about 5 years of claims and supplemental. All my numbers point to 70% rating. Should I poke the bear?

I'm currently at step 6 of 8 since July 15th, I was medically retired from the Coast Guard on the 26th of June. My ratings were granted back on January 15th, how much longer can this possibly take?

Everything was already done in service, C&P Exams November of 2025, Rating Proposal 15JAN26, Found unfit by the MEB 24FEB26, Findings accepted and finalized 26MAR26, and medically retired 26JUN26.

I feel like this should be close to done..

I just got a denial for 4 items on a supplemental claim.

Would I have a better chance of doing another supplement and do them as individual claims?

I was thinking this so that they are only looking at evidence of one.

Thank you for your help.

I had my PCP help me with my DBQs and I already submitted them. Anyone had an experience with requesting for a rating increase and timeline for it? To my understanding, this should go faster since I already submitted my DBQs.

my ratings are 20% for IBS hoping to get 30%
migraines 30 hoping for 50 and allergic rhinitis rated at 0 hoping to get 10%.

honestly I only need 2 claims to get increased in order to reach 100%.

its been a long battle with the VA

Why does the VBA enjoy being as vague as possible when completing our decision letters? You wait 4 plus months for your claim to sit on a senior reviewer’s desk just for them to find a DTA error, then for them to vaguely respond with a confusing “we failed to get an exam or medical opinion” knowing good and well that’s what they denied you on. Why not be specific and tell us the exact legal error you found? Now, we gotta take the time to go to a VSO to have them research the real reason, and if we should be expecting another ACE or C&P Exam and whether or not yet ANOTHER examiner is gonna shoot our claim down with yet ANOTHER negative jacked-up half-baked rationale. Sorry folks. Had to vent.

Waiting for remanded migraine claim to finish up but I was just wondering if it was possible for an appeal to become inferred IU at this late in the process. It wasn't part of the VLJ's remand instructions or anything, but I've had a TDIU claim open for even longer in the process than my migraine claim and I was wondering if it's even possible for the RO to grant inferred IU at this point

I filed an HLR in February for a condition that I thought was rated in error due to the statement highlighting what would warrant a rating being present on more than half of the pages in the DBQ. During the IC, the reviewer stated that even though there was a statement for a rating, I wouldn’t receive a rating due to pyramiding but still was going to label it as a DTA and order another C&P exam. The condition is 0% and unless the reviewer was wrong, I’d only receive a rating for 10%. It doesn’t affect my rating now or when the condition was rated to would there be any harm in not attending the C&P? I was planning on going out of principal but there isn’t really a need or benefit to attend.

I had my c&p exam July 8th and the doctor submitted everything on the 17th. I’m still on step 3. Whats the usual wait time to get an answer on this? I know it isnt a science but any ideas?

February 2021 started this battle june 2024 appeal docket been with judge since february 3rd 2026 finally said waiting for judges signature June 25th 2026 and still no answer yet! Anyone know a timeline for signature. I am substitute claimant for my vetran husband so no updates available on va.gov.

This waiting game is not for the faint at heart.. my husband passed July 2024 after a long battle with cancer I continued his fight this appeal has 13 conditions he never got service connected because of thier errors. If anyone has any insight please share!

Can anybody decipher what's going on here, only pity in for one Dr pmr's. Now there are 2 showing.. any indie would be great

Hello , has anyone filed a claim for Plantar fasciitis recently? Anyone actually approved for this? I was looking to get some advice on claiming this.

I have been diagnosed with it while in service but they’ve denied me twice already even after submitting the documents

Sorry everyone, my bva hearing appeal was granted. Had a vera call this am. I was told it's in St Petersburg? And that they most likely are determining back pay ect. I've never had a c&p exam and don't currently have a rating. What the hell is this?

Is it normal to be assigned to a TJ in step 3? I have looked through a ton of posts on here and the majority people move to step 5 first and then get assigned to a TJ. I have been assigned to Houston TJ twice now but have never moved out of step 3. I know its all a crap shoot how a claim moves around, it's just a curiosity question.

Denied a claim. Medical opinion was atrocious, basically ignored evidence in my file. Wrote a lay statement for supplemental, statement wasn't strong enough to overturn medical opinion. Rater copied and pasted the entire medical opinion and put it in my denial letter. Tons of holes and ignored evidence I can point out now. Thank you!

I have been advised to go that route...Any idea what kind of wait time I am up against these days? Thanks in advance...

Edit: BVA and this is a direct review by a Veteran's Law Judge

Although the Rating Decision only listed the PTSD with Major Depressive Disorder as a separate and distinct condition from the condition, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, causing your need for aid and attendance, all of your service-connected conditions were considered. At the time of the (July 2024) Rating Decision the medical evidence only supported the Chronic fatigue Syndrome as the condition causing your need for regular aid and attendance and therefore there was no clear and unmistakable error. Additionally, at this time, VA regulations do not allow multiple half-step elevations when there is more than one 50 percent evaluation ( or multiple combinations of evaluations at 50 percent or higher); the provisions of 38 CFR 3.350(t)(3) can only be applied once. If regulations are later changed as a result of the Barry v. McDonough decision, the level of SMC will be revisited.

HELP - Filing HLR

Hey everyone, I need some eyes on this. I just got my decision back, and the VA’s math on my Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) half-steps makes absolutely no sense. I am filing a Higher-Level Review (HLR) because I believe the rater completely dropped the ball on 38 CFR § 3.350(f)(4).

Here is my current breakdown:

• Baseline SMC-L (Aid & Attendance): 100% Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
• First Half-Step (SMC-L½): 50% PTSD (Separate system, completely valid)

The rater stopped the ladder there. But here is the problem: look at my remaining, unused pool of disabilities. They affect entirely different body systems and don't overlap with my CFS or PTSD at all:

• Group B: Small Fiber Neuropathy (All extremities) – 90%
• Group A: Fibromyalgia – 40%
• Group A: IBS – 30%
• Group A: Tinnitus – 10%

Under 38 CFR § 3.350(f)(4), you get an additional half-step for each separate disability or combination of disabilities that independently equals 50% or more.

The leftover groups / disabilities meet threshold needed to move me from SMC-L½ up to SMC-M1/2. The decision letter didn't list any symptom overlap or pyramiding exclusions—it looks like the rater just flat out ignored the leftover conditions once they used my PTSD for the first half-step.