Is the DRC a Good Change?
What is it?
On September 7, 2017, Washington made an announcement for a change coming to every VA in the United States. In line with the Department of Veteran Affairs promise to provide quicker claims, they have created the Decision Ready Claim or DCR. This claim ensures Veterans that their claim will have a response within 30 days after it is submitted if it is filed with an approved VSO. This step is part of the new changes coming to the VA to modernize their systems and speed up lengthy process’.
The Good
Obviously, having a claim approved in under 30 days is a hopeful promise, especially to those who have been waiting forever. The current wait time to hear back from the VA is 100 days, this new system could shave off months of wait time. This system was tested starting in May at an office in Minnesota and after success, it has been approved to be put into VAs all around the U.S.
“The DRC initiative is a collaborative effort between VA and VSOs to help Veterans receive faster decisions on disability claims,” said VA Secretary Dr. David J. Shulkin. “VA works closely with participating VSOs to make sure they are properly trained in this new process and given the tools they need to participate successfully in the program on behalf of the Veterans they serve.”
The Bad
30 days is a quick turnaround, especially if you’ve been waiting for months for your claim to be approved. The bad part, VA makes decisions based on your medical evidence and service caused disabilities. A DCR would mean that all the work is put back on you. Which also means, that the VA will make a decision solely on the evidence you provide them. Normally, by submitting a letter of intent you have a year to file and gather evidence. However, by choosing to file your claim under a DCR, that process is removed. The VA will now make a decision based on your evidence provided alone. The negative of this new process is that many veterans are not prepared for a VA decision in this time frame.
The #1 reason why claims get denied is because of lack of medical evidence. If you don’t provide your VSO with enough information about how your disability was caused by service, it will quickly be denied. The #2 reason claims get denied is that there is no clear NEXUS. The DCR is also limited to “increase only” claims, which also means that if you are filing for the first time you will still be forced to endure painfully long wait times. The claim itself might only take 30 days, but in order to see a VSO, you might have to wait for a good 6 months.
How we can help
VSOs are overworked and underpaid. Because they have so much work to do and not enough time, it is tough to get an appointment. Plus they are not medical experts so they don’t know what you need for your medical evidence and supporting documents. With this new process, you will need to make sure you have all of the necessary supporting documents before going to your VSO which can result in your claim getting denied because you don’t have the necessary documents.
The good news? We know what to do! The unique thing about VA Claims Insider is that we are Veterans who know the process and know how to help you! By signing up to meet with one of our certified insiders we can guarantee that your claim will get approved. If you’re interested, fill out this form and if you qualify, one of our insiders will get with you to begin your case to get the VA Claim you deserve!