VA Rating Prior to MEB

[TortolliniShell]

I know this is old, but what is the "Pending 020" phrase referring to?

Thanks!

It was in the VA M21-4. Reopened Claims - Compensation

General: EP 020 applies to reopened disability compensation or service-connected death claims. Unless otherwise noted, the EP will not be cleared until all issues raised by the claim have been resolved.
Disability claims: Reopened claims related to service connection, line of duty or similar basic entitlement factors and claims for increase, are generally the disability claims applicable to EP 020.

020 - Reopened Claims - Compensation (continued) Examples:
· Claims for disability compensation filed for the first time, but received after a disability pension claim has previously been filed and adjudicated.
· Claims for service connection for disabilities not previously adjudicated.
· Claims for service connection based on the same disability considered in prior disallowances.
· Claims for increase in degree of service-connected disability.
· Claims for total disability due to unemployability.
· Claims for SMC or increase in SMC.
· Claims for increase or reconsideration filed subsequent to admission for hospital treatment.
· Letters and memoranda from Veterans, claimants or their representatives which make reasonable references to increase in compensation and/or entitlement to compensation.
· REPS claims, if the issue of service connection has not been considered in a prior claim for death benefits or if the date of incurrence or aggravation of disability cannot be determined without additional rating action.
· Claims for helpless children based on compensation entitlement.

Exceptions:
· Compensation grants based on Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) review (see EP 172).
· When all benefits sought on appeal in a compensation claim are granted without BVA’s review (see EP 172). EP 020 will not be recorded for issuance of a statement of the case, supplemental statement of the case, or certification of appeal (see EPs 172 & 070).
· Claims based solely on relationship or dependency (see EP 130).
· Hospitalization adjustments (see EP 135).
· Reopened burial claims (see EP 160).

 

[TortolliniShell]

I know this is old, but what is the "Pending 020" phrase referring to?

Thanks!

Found on reddit: "To simplify… a 020 claim is a secondary claim for benefits. So not your first claim but second or third. If you didn’t request something (an audit of payments) something might have triggered a review."

 

[JakeTrilla]

Found on reddit: "To simplify… a 020 claim is a secondary claim for benefits. So not your first claim but second or third. If you didn’t request something (an audit of payments) something might have triggered a review."

So if I'm understanding correctly, putting the "I do not wish to file for VA compensation with the MSC/IDES Program. I am currently SC 100%. Please continue to process my pending 020"


could be simplified by saying,


"Don't process me for VA compensation, please continue to process my DoD/MEB related claim"

Is that right?

 

[JakeTrilla]

Want to give some points of "anecdotal" evidence.

As of this posting I personally know two individuals with prior VA ratings who, on their DA 199, received the same ratings from the DoD for their referred conditions (found unfitting).
The wording to be "evaluated for DoD purposes only" was used on their VA Form 21-4138. Their VA ratings were not affected.


If/When I receive my paperwork I will follow up with personal experience/data.

So if I'm understanding correctly, putting the "I do not wish to file for VA compensation with the MSC/IDES Program. I am currently SC 100%. Please continue to process my pending 020"


could be simplified by saying,


"Don't process me for VA compensation, please continue to process my DoD/MEB related claim"

Is that right?

 

[PolloxTroy08]

I just went through the IDES process and had a previous VA rating of 100%. I claimed just my one unfitting condition and new conditions that had not been previously claimed. The VA came back with 90%, but I'm told by my VA MSC that was just for the medboard and I'd retain my 100%. I'll post back if that changes or I face any hardship maintaining the 100%.

 

[jriv727]

I just went through the IDES process and had a previous VA rating of 100%. I claimed just my one unfitting condition and new conditions that had not been previously claimed. The VA came back with 90%, but I'm told by my VA MSC that was just for the medboard and I'd retain my 100%. I'll post back if that changes or I face any hardship maintaining the 100%.

Was your va rating ever affected. I went thru the same process and was told the same thing. The va came back with a proposed rating of 70 percent which is lower than my 100 percent for ptsd. And im terrified of losing my rating down the road becuase if the va new findings

 

[PolloxTroy08]

Was your va rating ever affected. I went thru the same process and was told the same thing. The va came back with a proposed rating of 70 percent which is lower than my 100 percent for ptsd. And im terrified of losing my rating down the road becuase if the va new findings

I maintained my 100% VA rating, but I had other disabilities that I was not medically retired for that made it 100%. My unfitting condition/ DOD rating matched what I was already rated for by the VA which was 70%.

 

[JakeTrilla]

Was your va rating ever affected. I went thru the same process and was told the same thing. The va came back with a proposed rating of 70 percent which is lower than my 100 percent for ptsd. And im terrified of losing my rating down the road becuase if the va new findings

You should be good, my letter says

“DECISION
1. For Disability Evaluation System (DES) purposes only, service connection cold injury left hand with residual numbness, cold sensitivity, locally impaired sensation and color changes is proposed with an evaluation of 30 percent. The VA evaluation will not be addressed as cold injury left hand with residual numbness, cold sensitivity, locally impaired sensation and color
changes was not claimed for VA compensation purposes.”