M21-1MR Part I Manual for Disability Compensation Veterans ...

M21-1MR Part I Manual for Disability Compensation Veterans Rights

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Benjamin Krause on August 12, 2014.

This full 395-page manual in this format was downloaded from:

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M21--1MR Downloaded 08/12/2014

? Table of Contents - Updated 8/1/02

Chapter 1 - Duty to Assist ? Table of Contents- Updated 5/3/12 ? Section A - Description and General Information - Updated 4/25/07 ? Section B - Handling Claims Under 38 U.S.C 5103 - Updated 6/18/13 ? Section C - Requesting Records - Updated 02/03/14

Chapter 2 - Due Process ? Table of Contents- Updated 9/27/11 ? Section A - General Information on Due Process - Updated 8/4/09 ? Section B - Notice of Proposed Adverse Action - Updated 4/3/14 ? Section C - Adverse Action Proposal Period - Updated 9/27/11 ? Section D - Contemporaneous Notice - Updated 8/4/09 ? Section E - Exhibits - Updated 8/4/09

Chapter 3 - Power of Attorney ? Table of Contents- Updated 3/28/11 ? Section A - General Information on Power of Attorney (POA) - Updated 11/15/12 ? Section B - Handling Power of Attorney (POA) Appointments - Updated 7/10/14 ? Section C - Payment of Attorney or Agent Fees - Updated 2/14/13

Chapter 4 - Hearings ? Chapter 4 - Hearings - Updated 6/18/13

Chapter 5 - Appeals ? Table of Contents- Updated 9/27/11 ? Section A - General Information on Appeals - Updated 6/18/13 ? Section B - Notice of Disagreement (NOD) - Updated 6/18/13

M21--1MR Downloaded 08/12/2014

? Section C - Decision Review Office (DRO) Review Process - Updated 3/28/11 ? Section D - Statement of the Case (SOC) and Supplement Statement of the Case

(SSOC) - Updated 2/6/12 ? Section E - Filing a Substantive Appeal - Updated 3/28/11 ? Section F - Docketing, Certification, and Claims Folder Transfer - Updated 6/18/13 ? Section G - Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA) Decisions and Remands -Updated

9/27/11 ? Section H - Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA) Hearings - Updated 6/18/13 ? Section I - Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) - Updated 8/19/05 ? Section J - Special Appeal Issues and Cases - Updated 9/27/11 ? Section K - Veterans Appeals Control and Locator System (VACOLS) -Updated 3/28/11

Changes 7/10/144/3/14 2/3/14 3/26/13 6/18/13 3/28/11 8/29/11 9/27/11 2/6/12 2/13/12 2/29/12 3/ 30/12 5/3/12 11/15/12 2/14/13 12/20/13

August 1, 2002

I

Table of Contents Part I

Chapter 1:

Duty to Assist

M21--1MR, Part

Chapter 1: Duty to Assist Overview...................................................................................................................... 1-1

Section A: Description and General Information Overview ................................................................................................................... 1. Description of the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000, PL 106-475 ........................................................................................................... 2. Description of the Duty to Assist Criteria ............................................................

1-A-1

1-A-2 1-A-3

Section B: Handling Claims Under the Veterans Claims Assistance Act (VCAA) Overview ................................................................................................................... 3. Handling Original and New Claims and Claims for Increased Evaluation.......... 4. Handling Claims to Reopen .................................................................................

1-B-1 1-B-2 1-B-6

Section C: Requesting Records Overview ................................................................................................................... 5. Requesting Federal Records ................................................................................. 6. Requesting Non-Federal or Private Records ........................................................ 7. Requesting a Medical Opinion or Examination ...................................................

1-C-1 1-C-2 1-C-7 1-C-12

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May 3, 2012

M21-1MR, Part I, Chapter 1, Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Duty to Assist Table of Contents

Section A: Description and General Information 1. Description of the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 .................................... 1-A-2 2. Description of the Duty to Assist Criteria................................................................. 1-A-3

Section B: Handling Claims Under 38 U.S.C. 5103 3. Handling Claims Not Previously Denied.................................................................. 1-B-2 4. Handling Claims to Reopen a Previously Denied Claim.......................................... 1-B-14

Section C: Requesting Records 5. Requesting Federal Records ..................................................................................... 6. Requesting Non-Federal or Private Records............................................................. 7. Requesting a Medical Opinion or Examination........................................................

1-C-2 1-C-8 1-C-13

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M21-1MR, Part I, Chapter 1, Section A

Section A. Description and General Information Overview

In this Section This section contains the following topics:

Topic 1

2

Topic Name Description of the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000, PL 106-475 Description of the Duty to Assist Criteria

See Page 1-A-2

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M21-1MR, Part I, Chapter 1, Section A

1. Description of the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000, PL 106-475

Introduction

This section describes the Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000 (VCAA), PL 106-475, and contains information about the

? responsibilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) ? background of PL 106-475, and ? description of PL 106-475.

Change Date August 1, 2002; Initial Release

a. Responsibilities of VA

Decisions on Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefit eligibility and entitlement are based on the evidence of record. Evidence consists of documents, records, testimonials and information in other forms provided by, or obtained for, a claimant.

VA has a duty to assist a claimant who files a substantially complete application in obtaining evidence to substantiate his or her claim before making a decision on the claim. We are charged with granting every benefit supported by the law.

b. Background of PL 106-475

On November 9, 2000, PL 106-475 was enacted, superceding the decision of the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) in Morton vs. West, which held that VA cannot assist in the development of a claim that is not well grounded.

c. Description of PL 106-475

The new law, PL 106-475

? eliminates the concept of a well grounded claim ? redefines VA's duty to assist, and ? mandates specific notice requirements.

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M21-1MR, Part I, Chapter 1, Section A

2. Description of the Duty to Assist Criteria

Introduction

This section contains information about duty to assist, including issues pertaining to

? claimants ? relevant

- Federal records, and - non-Federal records ? requests for VA examinations or medical opinions, ? circumstances where VA will refrain from or discontinue providing ? assistance, and ? contact information for questions.

Change Date April 25, 2007

a. Duty to Assist Claimants

The Veterans Claims Assistance Act of 2000, PL 106-475, defines the scope of Veterans Benefits Administration's (VBA's) duty to assist claimants who file substantially complete applications for VA benefits.

Reference: For more information on what constitutes a substantially complete application, see M21-1MR, Part I, 1.B.3.a and 38 CFR 3.159.

b. Duty to Obtain Relevant Federal Records

VA's duty to assist includes developing for all relevant records in the custody of a Federal department or agency, including

? VA medical records ? service medical records ? Social Security Administration records, or ? evidence from other Federal agencies.

Note: Relevancy is determined by what is being claimed. For example, in claims for service connection, relevant documents are those that may substantiate one of the elements of service connection (incurrence, current condition, or links). However, in most cases, it may be impossible to determine relevancy before obtaining the records.

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