Here's a few things I learned so far:
1) Packaged all the paperwork into a 3 ring binder (1" variety) using divider paper with color coded tabs to separate each section and added a cover letter slid under the clear plastic on the front cover of the binder (all as suggested by another poster on here). Had a reply in less than 2 weeks! looking for a little more info. FYI: Remember to write "none" or a zero in ALL places in the financial section where appropriate! (oops.....)
2) The original reply went to Mom at the ALF, I assume as a precaution against bogus claims (even tho I had included he form to appoint me as handling her claim). If you're sending off for the first time, you may want to let Mom/Dad/relative (claimant) know to be on the watch for a package from the VA.
3) Dad had been receiving disability from WWII wounds since 1946 so a VA file # existed. Even tho I enclosed the file # and the original mimeograph discharge papers Dad received in 1946 from Ft Dix, the VA wanted a certified copy. I used
https://iris.va.gov to question why they'd need that copy when he'd been receiving benefits for half a century. The next day I received a call from a gentleman at the St Paul processing center who scans the questions from iris regularly. He explained that when the VA got computerized, many existing records weren't input until something came up about them. Well this was Dad's "something" and the gentleman had already verified Dad's VA disability in another system, apologized for the inconvenience and told me not to worry about getting the certified copy.
iris.va.gov - worked well for me
Best of luck to everyone, the paperwork can be daunting
Jim
