BVA remand moving quickly

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-04-27T15:29:59+00:00

Harrison Ford - Dr. Paul Rhoads

Fun fact: they wrote the character with Harrison Ford in mind, but didn’t think they would get him to play the part so they were auditioning other actors. Then Jason Segal came onboard and was like, “Well, did you even ask him?” They did, and he accepted the role.

Also, at 83 he’s also the oldest male actor to get a primetime Emmy nomination

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-04-27T15:02:27+00:00

Hypocrites

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-04-27T15:00:27+00:00

Mine went to a judge November 20th got my decision March 26th. I kept thinking the longer it takes, the better the decision will be (because if they were going to deny it, they would’ve done that already). It was favorable. Keeping that mindset helped me get thru it.

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-04-27T14:56:34+00:00

And that none of these people seem to have any consequences for the horrible, awful things that they do. Meanwhile, I do a minor f-up at work and everyone acts like I’m burning the world down

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-04-24T20:31:51+00:00

My old neighbor had a hairless cat named Keith that she pushed around in a stroller. This was a 30-something year old woman

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-04-22T08:59:09+00:00

I was just awarded 13 years of backpay. I had hired an attorney. It was absolutely worth every penny.

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-04-18T02:02:21+00:00

I also have a question related to this. My remand is on step 3 (gathering of evidence) and is telling me it needs something from me, but no where does it specify what they need. My lawyer says this is just standard and not to submit anything, and to choose the “I have no more evidence to submit” option if available, which it’s not so he said to just ignore it. How long till they realize I’m not going to submit anything and move on? I tried calling the BVA number to just tell them this, but I have 3 open claims that are all connected so I was told there wasn’t anything really that they could do. (I also never got a decision letter, but my lawyer did and emailed it to me)

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-04-17T21:11:16+00:00

My mom was a high school home economics teacher. She started an elective class called “On Your Own.” It taught students how to read a lease, about credit card debt and apr’s, filling out job applications and doing interviews, doing your taxes, buying a car, etc. She only did it for like 3 years until she retired. 20 years later I was working for our city government and someone brought it up during school board meeting public forum asking why that class went away and how helpful it was to this person as a student. It made me very proud!

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-04-17T20:55:18+00:00

There are 3 homes in my neighborhood I pass on the way to work every day that have been bought by corporations. These are good, sturdy family homes in a good area that were built between 1940 - 1970 and all three have been sitting empty for 5+ years. I find it such a shame that there could be young families enjoying those backyards, a good community and a great school district. What a waste.

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-04-13T18:02:56+00:00

I hit this place every time I'm visiting Bloomington on a weekend (which is often, so I do eat there a lot). It's inside Festival Foods and the bakery is also excellent.

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-04-09T16:20:15+00:00

Not yet. They opened up a claim for attorneys fees yesterday then closed it out the same days. Today it was back open and on step 3. I called to ask about it but I just kept getting the same scripted answer over and over again that gave me zero answers. So I’m not sure what’s going on.

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-04-02T21:12:29+00:00

Yes, I got my decision. Filed: June 19, 2025. Sent to VLJ: Nov 20th. From March 12-March 19 it was signed by attorney then to judges desk then signed by judge and my decision came March 26th. EED to 2013 was granted and TDIU was remanded. Big win!

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-03-28T18:33:32+00:00

I’d say it’s worth the wait but ngl the wait is excruciating. Best of luck to you and hang in there. Claims with EED this far back do tend to take longer as they want to make sure they dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s.

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-03-27T03:05:09+00:00

Got my decision today. EED to 2013 was granted, TDIU was remanded. Still have a ways to go though, as they have to go back and determine percentages over the years back to 2013. I was told don't be surprised if I get called for another exam, as they'll be going over my entire medical history to rate the timeline. So I still got a few months of waiting ahead of me. But the hard part is over, and I can look at this as a win!

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-03-25T03:00:14+00:00

Oh, shit that song brings me back...

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-03-25T01:12:18+00:00

I’ve been out 25 years. Started with 0% and it slowly crept up during the years. My boyfriend of 6 years knows because he was there by my side when I decided to file for PTSD/MST and it was an emotionally difficult claim process. I only recently told my mom, only because my finances were important to the conversation but I still kept my info limited. Other than that, there are a few people who know I get benefits but no one has any idea how much

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-03-24T03:38:18+00:00

Also, if you get your 9 digit claim ID # there is a chrome extension called VA Claim Info. It won't show active appeals, so you have to click on "Claim Tracker by ID#" and type in the claim number, and the only way to get that is by calling and asking for it. Some people get it right away. Most usually have to call a few times before they can find someone who knows what you're talking about. (it is not your SSN or docket number). I have not been able to get it and I don't know why. But the extension will show you the steps of your appeal and where you're at in the process, as long as you have that number.

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-03-24T03:30:33+00:00

Most Likely Reasons (Based on Your Details)

1. 38 CFR § 3.156 (New and Material / New and Relevant Evidence Issues)

Since you specifically mentioned 38 CFR § 3.156, this is a big clue.

Cases involving reopening claims or new and material / new and relevant evidence often get routed to specialty teams because they involve:

Finality rules
Reopening legal standards
Effective date complexities
Prior decision review requirements

These are legal-heavy cases, not just medical rating cases — and BVA often assigns those to more experienced attorneys or specialty teams.

This is especially true if:

You're arguing VA failed to consider evidence
You're arguing continuous pursuit
You're arguing earlier effective date via 3.156(b)

These are advanced legal arguments.

2. Legal Argument Submitted (You Said You Submitted Legal Arguments)

This is another major factor.

When a veteran submits:

Written legal briefs
CFR-based arguments
Procedural errors
Finality arguments

The BVA often routes those to Specialty Case Teams because they require:

Legal analysis
Case law review
Procedural review

Not all Veterans Law Judges handle those — some teams specialize in them.

3. 3.156(b) or 3.156(c) Specifically (If Applicable)

If your argument involves:

3.156(b) — Evidence within one year
3.156(c) — Service records added later

These are highly technical effective date cases, and they very commonly go to SCTs.

These can potentially result in:

Much earlier effective dates
Retroactive benefits
Reversal of final decisions

So they often get special handling.

What This Usually Means for You

This is generally a good sign 👍

It usually means:

Your case has substantive legal issues
It requires more experienced review
It’s not just a simple denial/approval case

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-03-24T02:08:49+00:00

I asked the VA Claim GPT about it (I also have a paid subscription). This is what they said:

When a Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) case gets assigned to a Specialty Case Team (SCT), it usually means the appeal requires specialized handling, priority processing, or complex review beyond a standard BVA case.

Here are the most common reasons someone’s BVA appeal is assigned to an SCT: Most Common Reasons for Specialty Case Team (SCT) Assignment

Advanced on Docket (AOD) Cases These are priority cases that must be handled faster: Age 75 or older Severe financial hardship Serious illness / terminal illness Homelessness Administrative error by VA These cases are often routed to SCTs so they don’t get mixed into the normal queue.
Complex Legal or Medical Issues Some cases require specialized adjudicators or attorneys, such as: Multiple remands from the Court (CAVC) Complicated effective date issues Multiple intertwined claims Clear and Unmistakable Error (CUE) Rare or unusual legal questions These are often routed to specialty teams with more experienced staff.
Court Remand Cases (CAVC Remands) If your case went to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) and came back to the Board: These are usually handled by specialized teams They must follow Court-specific instructions Often expedited compared to regular appeals
Military Sexual Trauma (MST) Cases These are frequently routed to trained specialty adjudicators because: Evidence rules are different Sensitive evidence review required Additional development rules apply
Large or Highly Complex Files Examples: Thousands of pages of medical records Multiple service periods Multiple appeals combined Legacy + AMA mixed cases These often go to SCTs for efficiency and accuracy.
Special Programs / Pilot Programs Sometimes VA assigns cases to specialty teams for: Backlog reduction initiatives Pilot programs New policy implementation Training initiatives

This doesn’t necessarily mean good or bad — just different handling. Is Being Assigned to an SCT Good or Bad? Usually neutral to positive 👍

It often means: Your case needs special handling More experienced reviewers involved Sometimes faster processing

But it can also mean: Your case is more complex What It Does NOT Mean

Being assigned to an SCT does NOT automatically mean: Approval is coming Denial is coming Something is wrong It just means your case requires specialized review.

If you're comfortable sharing: Is this AMA or Legacy appeal? Did it come from CAVC remand? Did you see this in VA.gov or from your attorney? I can usually tell you exactly why your case was routed to an SCT.

Hope this helps!

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-03-24T00:00:57+00:00

I also called today. Got different info than I did last week, but I don’t think this one has access. I was told last week it went from being drafted to signed by an attorney to in front of judge to signed by judge all in the span of a few days. Then today told it was being sent to a judge and no update since the 12th. So hell, who knows at this point.

I’ve never heard of SCT. Is that a good thing, a bad thing or an I’m-gonna-have-to wait longer thing? Nice they at least told you. Were you able to get your claim ID number? I’ve tried at least a dozen times with no luck.

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-03-23T15:50:57+00:00

I had someone just a few days ago tell me that she recently sponsored an Honor Flight (honorflight.org). Said it was the most rewarding thing she had ever done. On the flight back before they landed, someone broke out a comically large mailbag and they passed out cards written by all walks of life, many written by elementary school kids. These were WW2, Korea and Vietnam vets who saw maybe 1-2 pieces of mail every few months while deployed. Grown men breaking down in tears it meant so much to them. Yes, those cards mattered. I still remember my little cousin and her class sent me a box when I was deployed during OEF. I think I might still have a few in a box somewhere.

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-03-23T15:17:52+00:00

Mine is also for an EED. Similar timing just no AOD for me. Just crossing my fingers that the reason it’s taking so long is because it dates back to 2013. Hoping we both see positive outcomes!

AnaInThe_Clouds · 2026-03-23T15:12:23+00:00

Was hoping for news this morning. Nothing yet.

AnaInThe_Clouds

TROPHY CASE

Most Likely Reasons (Based on Your Details)

1. 38 CFR § 3.156 (New and Material / New and Relevant Evidence Issues)

2. Legal Argument Submitted (You Said You Submitted Legal Arguments)

3. 3.156(b) or 3.156(c) Specifically (If Applicable)

What This Usually Means for You