VA not responding to application

[MikeB]

Just found this forum. Thanks to everyone for helping. My first question is; should I expect any kind of notice that my father's application has been entered into the VA A&A system? He is in a ALF with my mom now. I applied over a year ago for A&A benefits but have heard nothing so far. We had a person working in the local veterans office who told me at one point that he had seen the application in the VA computer data base but that he had no idea when it would move to the next stage (what ever that is.) This poor guy was swamped with work and applications and was trying as hard as he could to help everyone who had applied through his office. He has since retired so I no longer have his ear. One advisor I spoke to suggested that I contact my congressman but I have read in other posts that even your congressman probably can't help. Does anyone know if the VA sends any kind of response to the original application?
I have questions about assets but I'll save them for another thread.
Thanks for all your time and advice.

[vetadmin]

Mike,

We are sorry to have relay our concerns for your application, but you should have received a letter from the VA shortly after the filing telling you they received the application and have started the process.  The fact that you never received a letter is not a good indicator.

Think you have some challenges here since your guy has retired.  We would suggest that you have the local office you filed in look up the application and to see if they have anything on hand they can give you a copy of.

When you filed, did you have yourself assigned as the representative or did you give that power to the Service Officer?
Did you keep a copy of the application?
Did you send it registered return receipt mail?

Think we need a little more information to be of more assistance to you.

[MikeB]

Thanks so much for your response. When we applied I was named as the representative using my address and contact info. I will need to search through huge stacks of records to see if I can find a copy of the application. I will call the local office and see if they have any record of the app.
I admit that when we first applied for this benefit we didn't know what we were up against and thought it would all go as smooth as silk. It has taken quite a while for me to recognize that something has gone wrong and now I'm way behind. The intro information from this forum has really opened my eyes.
I'll post the results of my call to the local VA office.
Thanks so much for your help.

[Patty]

Hi Mike,
In case you did not know - Always take a copy of every thing you send and save it for your files.  Always send correspondence to the VA return receipt requested and save that signed receipt.  That way you have proof that the form was received. 
Whether you did this or not - Call the VA, if they can't find it, send it all in again either with or without a copy of the return receipt and with a cover letter stating that based upon your phone call you believe they may have lost the original application and you are submitting a copy for their convenience - and that you would like the original submission date of X to be honored as the award date.

Good Luck!

[Daugher of Vet]

I recevied 2 or 3 letters following my mother's initial application in Feb. One came in March or April, another one in say May or June.

I was told by the local rep that the office for processing my application moved from one state to another since the first of the year. I do not know if these are regional offices or what. Perhaps this affected your paperwork, too.

If you have absolutely no correspondence, I would start looking into. Double check the information on  your paperwork...did you type your address correctly? I recently read that a high number of job hunters mistype their names, addresses, and phone numbers....so it's always worth a 2nd look at our own paperwork. Thank God for copy machines! Good luck.