Original Legacy Appeals ADP: The average days pending for original appeals is calculated from the date the appeal is certified to the Board by the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) and any given date for appeals currently awaiting a Board decision. Post Remand Legacy Appeals ADP: The average days pending for returned remand appeals is ...Mar 8, 2021 · STEP #1: Claim Received : Normally takes between 7 and 14 days. STEP #3: Gathering of Evidence : This step is the longest phase in the VA claim process and usually takes 30-60 days. STEP #5: Preparation for Decision : This step typically takes 7-14 days to complete. STEP #8: Decision Notification Sent : The final step in the VA claim process ... The reports below contain data covering claims inventory, claims backlog, claims accuracy, and fully developed claims. VBA employees are completing more compensation claims than ever before, resulting in Veterans and survivors receiving over $128 billion in disability compensation and pension benefits in 2022, including nearly $10 billion in ...In its standard legal definition, a remand occurs when a higher court decides to send a case back to a lower court for review or further adjudicative action. In the VA disability adjudication system, the Board can remand – or send back – a case to the regional office for several reasons, including: The veteran’s condition has worsened ...A decision letter is a notification from the VA that grants or denies disability claims or appeals. Waiting to receive a decision letter can produce a lot of anxiety for a veteran. Sometimes years have gone by since a veteran started his or her claim and it all comes down to what the rating decision letter says.You’ll need to send a written request to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals providing good cause to reschedule your hearing at least 2 weeks before your hearing. Include your name, the VA file number for your appeal, and the reason why you need a new hearing date. Send your written request to the Board. Use the address or fax number listed below.Hello, I just got this E-mail from my regional office and was wondering how long does it take before my remand claim shows up on Va.gov? In general terms, a remand is an order from the appellate court sending a case back to a lower court with some instructions for further action to be taken by that lower court. In terms of a VA claim, a remand is a decision from the BVA (or some other higher court) sending the claim back to the RO. The remand will have specific instructions on ...Feb 25, 2023 · Some hearing offices say it will take approximately six weeks to receive a decision, but some judges tell claimants they try to have the decision out in 30 days. In a survey we did of readers who had been to an appeal hearing, the average wait time for a decision was eight weeks, though 40% of readers received a decision letter within four weeks. Hello, I just got this E-mail from my regional office and was wondering how long does it take before my remand claim shows up on Va.gov? The reports below contain data covering claims inventory, claims backlog, claims accuracy, and fully developed claims. VBA employees are completing more compensation claims than ever before, resulting in Veterans and survivors receiving over $128 billion in disability compensation and pension benefits in 2022, including nearly $10 billion in ...Home Resources and support What your decision review or appeal status means What your decision review or appeal status means Your status tells you where your claim is in the decision review or appeal process. Find your type of decision review or appeal below to learn what your status means. Check your VA claim statusJan 24, 2023 · The TDIU timeline and process. All VA disability benefits claims, including TDIU claims, are processed at VA regional offices. Most veterans wait a few months for a decision on a claim. The current average wait time is 104.1 days. Once you file a claim for disability benefits or for VA unemployability, the VA begins the work of processing the ... Hello, I just got this E-mail from my regional office and was wondering how long does it take before my remand claim shows up on Va.gov? Jun 29, 2022 · When you choose to appeal directly to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, you must file a Notice of Disagreement within one year from the date the VA sent you the original decision. You can use VA Form 10182 to file a Notice of Disagreement. If you file a Notice of Disagreement, you have one year from the date the VA sends the decision to ... When a case is remanded by the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC), it goes back to the BVA. The CAVC closes the case, and you wait for the BVA to issue a new decision. However, if you disagree with the new BVA decision, you still have the right to appeal to the CAVC a second time. How an Attorney Can HelpWhen a case is remanded by the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC), it goes back to the BVA. The CAVC closes the case, and you wait for the BVA to issue a new decision. However, if you disagree with the new BVA decision, you still have the right to appeal to the CAVC a second time. How an Attorney Can Help: A remand is not “merely for the purposes of rewriting the opinion so that it will superficially comply with the ‘reasons or bases’ requirement.”Instead, “[a] remand is meant to entail a critical examination of the justification for the decision. The Court expects that the [Board] will reexamine the evidence of record, seek any other Jan 12, 2016 · Well, in my experience, the same can be said of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. Historically, between 75% and 80% of Board of Veterans’ Appeals decisions appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) are vacated, reversed, remanded or referred back to the BVA to fix its mistakes. When a case is remanded by the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC), it goes back to the BVA. The CAVC closes the case, and you wait for the BVA to issue a new decision. However, if you disagree with the new BVA decision, you still have the right to appeal to the CAVC a second time. How an Attorney Can Help If a veteran receives a favorable Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam but their claim is still denied, there are several steps they can take to address the situation: Request a Copy of the Decision: The first step is to request a copy of the decision letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This letter will outline the reasons for ...The appeals process: When an appeal is remanded - VA News Appeals are remanded for many reasons...if there has been a change in law, a worsening of a disability on appeal, the Veteran introduces new evidence or theory of entitlement at the Board or if the regional office did not process your claim correctly. Hello, I just got this E-mail from my regional office and was wondering how long does it take before my remand claim shows up on Va.gov? So, for how long this process takes, once your claim arrives at the Regional Office, it should be given expeditious treatment. But depending on the remand instructions, it can take anywhere from three to 12 months or sometimes longer before the Regional Office issues any decision. If the Regional Office denies your claim in legacy, your case is ...Upon review of the C&P exam report and all of the other information in your claims file, you should receive a Notice of Decision on your disability claim. The VA currently claims an average time of 149.4 days (around five months, in case you don’t have a calculator handy) from claim filing to decision, but it often takes longer than that.Once a VA office issues its decision on your claim, you have one year from that date to file an appeal. Read the decision letter closely: it will tell you why VA made the decision it did. Oct 29, 2017 · My remand has been at St Pete since Dec 2015 and is waiting to be adjudicated. I had 2 examines done last July 2016 but RO has not made a move ..The remand has been ready for a decision since September 2016 . Claim is from 2011 ... Initially, VA estimated veterans could wait from 3-5 years for a hearing under AMA. However, the number of hearings VA held in 2019 is up 38 percent from the previous year, which is a good sign for veterans. Moreover, the Board has already sent out over 100,000 decisions in Fiscal Year 2020, which indicates that appeals are being worked through ...Here is a brief timeline of my disability claim thus far: 12/07/21: Submitted my Disability Compensation Claim on VA.gov (Form 21-526EZ) 12/07/21: Initial review complete. 12/08/21: Moved to Evidence Gathering, review, and decision. 12/09/21: Contacted by QTC to schedule multiple C&P exams. 12/15/21: Final C&P complete (total of 5 exams) 01/03 ...Mar 22, 2018 · The VA does not have access to Ebenefits they only have 3 phases where we see 7 I believe. They have Evidence phase, Ready to Rate and Notifications. So if they are not prior military with a disability it’s possible she didn’t know what you meant. So yeah your in the decision phase it’s a good thing hopefully in the next few days you will ... You’ll need to send a written request to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals providing good cause to reschedule your hearing at least 2 weeks before your hearing. Include your name, the VA file number for your appeal, and the reason why you need a new hearing date. Send your written request to the Board. Use the address or fax number listed below.phone to provide the status of the decision and subsequent award action. • On February 9, 2019, an award action was completed to release retroactive payment to the veteran. • On June 24, 2019, the remanded claim was made ready for decision. On this date, there were 626 remands that were older and required decisions prior to this remand.When a case is remanded by the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC), it goes back to the BVA. The CAVC closes the case, and you wait for the BVA to issue a new decision. However, if you disagree with the new BVA decision, you still have the right to appeal to the CAVC a second time. How an Attorney Can HelpHello, I just got this E-mail from my regional office and was wondering how long does it take before my remand claim shows up on Va.gov?Aug 21, 2023 · If your decision notice shows at least a 10% disability rating, you’ll get your first payment within 15 days. The VA will make the payment either by direct deposit or check. If you do not get a payment after 15 days, you should contact the Veterans Helpline at 1-800-827-1000. Mar 3, 2018 · Same day, to 2 business days later. But, the time from the exam to the DBQ makes it way to vba varies. For va exams, I have had the DBQ the same day the vet had the exam. Sometimes a couple days later if the doc uploads it later, or add a day or two for the NWQ to assign it. With contract exams it’s a longer wait. [House Hearing, 114 Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] VETERANS' DILEMMA: NAVIGATING THE APPEALS SYSTEM FOR VETERANS CLAIMS ===== HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON DISABILITY ASSISTANCE AND MEMORIAL AFFAIRS OF THE COMMITTEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION _____ THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015 _____ Serial No. 114 ...A veteran can file a Notice of Disagreement, or NOD, to appeal the decision. Upon receiving the NOD, the VA may reconsider the claim and grant benefits or deny benefits at which time the veteran may appeal the case up to the Board of Veterans Affairs, or BVA. The appeal process can take years, but will ultimately result in a BVA decision.Hello, I just got this E-mail from my regional office and was wondering how long does it take before my remand claim shows up on Va.gov? Aug 21, 2023 · If your decision notice shows at least a 10% disability rating, you’ll get your first payment within 15 days. The VA will make the payment either by direct deposit or check. If you do not get a payment after 15 days, you should contact the Veterans Helpline at 1-800-827-1000. Hello, I just got this E-mail from my regional office and was wondering how long does it take before my remand claim shows up on Va.gov?Hello, I just got this E-mail from my regional office and was wondering how long does it take before my remand claim shows up on Va.gov? Apr 24, 2023 · Home Resources and support What your decision review or appeal status means What your decision review or appeal status means Your status tells you where your claim is in the decision review or appeal process. Find your type of decision review or appeal below to learn what your status means. Check your VA claim status United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. 625 Indiana Avenue, NW, Suite 900 Washington, D.C. 20004-2950 Phone: (202) 501-5970 Fax: (202) 501-5848 Washington, D.C: A remand is not “merely for the purposes of rewriting the opinion so that it will superficially comply with the ‘reasons or bases’ requirement.”Instead, “[a] remand is meant to entail a critical examination of the justification for the decision. The Court expects that the [Board] will reexamine the evidence of record, seek any otherHello, I just got this E-mail from my regional office and was wondering how long does it take before my remand claim shows up on Va.gov? Apr 14, 2014 #2. First, welcome to VBN and thank you for your service. It can take as little as three weeks to receive a decision or could take months. It's impossible to predict. By all means start making appointments for the treatment you need. You can be treated before a claim is even filed or even if it's denied.If not, your appeal will return to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals for a new decision. 16–29 monthsThe Veterans Benefits Administration usually takes between 16 and 29 months to complete remand instructions. How long until a judge is ready for your appeal? The Board of Veterans’ Appeals reviews cases in the order they’re received.The Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary to provide for the expeditious treatment by the appropriate regional office of the Veterans Benefits Administration of any claim that is remanded to a regional office of the Veterans Benefits Administration by the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. That language SEEMS pretty clear, right?The TDIU timeline and process. All VA disability benefits claims, including TDIU claims, are processed at VA regional offices. Most veterans wait a few months for a decision on a claim. The current average wait time is 104.1 days. Once you file a claim for disability benefits or for VA unemployability, the VA begins the work of processing the ...Hello, I just got this E-mail from my regional office and was wondering how long does it take before my remand claim shows up on Va.gov?A. Substantive Aspects of Veterans Law 1. Timeframe The differences between veterans law and other areas of law are fundamental. The most common type of veterans benefits claim is a claim 115 11 In fiscal year 2006, 654,000 of the 806,000 claims received by VA were claims for compensation. INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES, A 21ST 38 CFR 3.104 a decision of a duly constituted rating agency or other agency of original jurisdiction is final and binding on all field offices of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as to the conclusions made based on the evidence on file at the time VA issues written notification in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 5104.Hello, I just got this E-mail from my regional office and was wondering how long does it take before my remand claim shows up on Va.gov?A. Substantive Aspects of Veterans Law 1. Timeframe The differences between veterans law and other areas of law are fundamental. The most common type of veterans benefits claim is a claim 115 11 In fiscal year 2006, 654,000 of the 806,000 claims received by VA were claims for compensation. INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES, A 21ST Regional Office (RO) Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Higher-Level Review (HLR) Supplemental Claim (SC) If the decision is overturned at any point in the process, the case is returned to the CM to address those issues and grant the benefit, as appropriate. V/SM submits request for a HLR via VA Form 20-0996. Yes No VR&E staff member:Following an unfavorable BVA final decision, an appellant may file an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) within 120 days of the date of the BVA decision. This appeal must be sent directly to the court, NOT to BVA or to any VA office. The time limit for filing may not be extended or waived.Hello, I just got this E-mail from my regional office and was wondering how long does it take before my remand claim shows up on Va.gov?Mar 8, 2022 · Fredrick B. Norfleet appeals from the decision of the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (“the Veterans Court”) that set aside and remanded part of a Board of Veterans’ Appeals (“the Board”) decision de-that nied service connection for sleep apnea and dismissed the remainder of the appeal. Norfleet v. McDonough, No. 20- A judge will begin work on your appeal when it’s among the oldest appeals that are ready for their review. The Board is currently reviewing appeals from December 2018 or older. Ymmv, but things are at least going in the right direction. The Board has been steadily increasing it's output and is on pace to decide almost 100,000 decisions this year.The appeals process: When an appeal is remanded - VA News Appeals are remanded for many reasons...if there has been a change in law, a worsening of a disability on appeal, the Veteran introduces new evidence or theory of entitlement at the Board or if the regional office did not process your claim correctly. Original Legacy Appeals ADP: The average days pending for original appeals is calculated from the date the appeal is certified to the Board by the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) and any given date for appeals currently awaiting a Board decision. Post Remand Legacy Appeals ADP: The average days pending for returned remand appeals is ...After a VA remand, the RO should handle the remand in an “expeditious” manner. This means work should begin on the remand at the RO within 15 days of receiving it. However, the remand should stay at the RO for at least 30 days before being sent back to the BVA. The RO must follow all of the instructions on the BVA remand without skipping ...Jan 4, 2022 · Upon review of the C&P exam report and all of the other information in your claims file, you should receive a Notice of Decision on your disability claim. The VA currently claims an average time of 149.4 days (around five months, in case you don’t have a calculator handy) from claim filing to decision, but it often takes longer than that. Length of Process. The timeline for how long the VA will take in preparation for your decision depends on the type of claim you filed, the complexity of your disability, the number of disabilities you claimed, and the availability of your medical records during the claims process (see eight steps above). During the preparation for decision, the ...Causes of Remanded Appeals. “Remand” is a legal term that means a superior court is sending an appeal back to a lower court for another look. A remand means that the BVA is sending your case back to the regional VA office for additional development. With your appeal as presented, the BVA believes it cannot make a full or fair determination. Length of Process. The timeline for how long the VA will take in preparation for your decision depends on the type of claim you filed, the complexity of your disability, the number of disabilities you claimed, and the availability of your medical records during the claims process (see eight steps above). During the preparation for decision, the ...Specifically, the Board sends surveys to all Veterans to seek their feedback at three stages during the appeal: 1) When the appeal is first docketed at the Board; 2) Immediately after their hearings, if requested; and 3) After they receive the Board’s written decision on their appeals.Hello, I just got this E-mail from my regional office and was wondering how long does it take before my remand claim shows up on Va.gov? In its standard legal definition, a remand occurs when a higher court decides to send a case back to a lower court for review or further adjudicative action. In the VA disability adjudication system, the Board can remand – or send back – a case to the regional office for several reasons, including: The veteran’s condition has worsened ...Apr 11, 2023 · After a VA remand, the RO should handle the remand in an “expeditious” manner. This means work should begin on the remand at the RO within 15 days of receiving it. However, the remand should stay at the RO for at least 30 days before being sent back to the BVA. The RO must follow all of the instructions on the BVA remand without skipping ... Oct 7, 2019 · To begin the appeals process, a veteran must fill out and turn in the Decision Review Request: Higher Level Review form (VA Form 20-0996). This can be submitted via mail, Fax, or by turning it indirectly at the nearest VA facility. Once your form is submitted, you have several options. You can wait for the VA to request more information or ... Upon review of the C&P exam report and all of the other information in your claims file, you should receive a Notice of Decision on your disability claim. The VA currently claims an average time of 149.4 days (around five months, in case you don’t have a calculator handy) from claim filing to decision, but it often takes longer than that.VA Decision. Your representative will recommend a choice for your claim based on the available files. Your application could be sent back to the previous stage for further investigation. If not, the recommendation decision becomes re-reviewed, and a final decision is made. Once the final decision becomes decided upon, your award packet will be ...Upon review of the C&P exam report and all of the other information in your claims file, you should receive a Notice of Decision on your disability claim. The VA currently claims an average time of 149.4 days (around five months, in case you don’t have a calculator handy) from claim filing to decision, but it often takes longer than that.The Veteran Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act (AMA) of 2017 became law on August 23, 2017 (Pub L. 115-55). You can read the law in full on Congress.gov. AMA provides Veterans, their families, and their survivors with increased choice in handling disagreements with VA’s decisions.Feb 6, 2009 · Question A. I was previously denied for apnea – Should I refile a claim? Adding Background information in your post will help members understand what information you are looking for so they can assist you in finding it. Rephrase the question: I was diagnosed with apnea in service and received a CPAP machine, but the claim was denied in 2008. The Secretary shall take such actions as may be necessary to provide for the expeditious treatment by the appropriate regional office of the Veterans Benefits Administration of any claim that is remanded to a regional office of the Veterans Benefits Administration by the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. That language SEEMS pretty clear, right?Initially, VA estimated veterans could wait from 3-5 years for a hearing under AMA. However, the number of hearings VA held in 2019 is up 38 percent from the previous year, which is a good sign for veterans. Moreover, the Board has already sent out over 100,000 decisions in Fiscal Year 2020, which indicates that appeals are being worked through ...Jan 4, 2022 · Upon review of the C&P exam report and all of the other information in your claims file, you should receive a Notice of Decision on your disability claim. The VA currently claims an average time of 149.4 days (around five months, in case you don’t have a calculator handy) from claim filing to decision, but it often takes longer than that. Regional Office (RO) Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Higher-Level Review (HLR) Supplemental Claim (SC) If the decision is overturned at any point in the process, the case is returned to the CM to address those issues and grant the benefit, as appropriate. V/SM submits request for a HLR via VA Form 20-0996. Yes No VR&E staff member: In general terms, a remand is an order from the appellate court sending a case back to a lower court with some instructions for further action to be taken by that lower court. In terms of a VA claim, a remand is a decision from the BVA (or some other higher court) sending the claim back to the RO. The remand will have specific instructions on ...phone to provide the status of the decision and subsequent award action. • On February 9, 2019, an award action was completed to release retroactive payment to the veteran. • On June 24, 2019, the remanded claim was made ready for decision. On this date, there were 626 remands that were older and required decisions prior to this remand.Apr 2, 2021 · In its standard legal definition, a remand occurs when a higher court decides to send a case back to a lower court for review or further adjudicative action. In the VA disability adjudication system, the Board can remand – or send back – a case to the regional office for several reasons, including: The veteran’s condition has worsened ... Review of the electronic file indicates your appeal was remanded by the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on January 11, 2019. The claim is currently listed as “ Ready For Decision ”. A Rating Specialist will initiate a decision based on the evidence of record.
The Board often receives questions regarding how appeals are worked at the Board. Under 38 U.S.C. § 7107 (a) (1), all appeals at the Board shall be considered and decided in regular docket order according to its place on the docket. Docket is defined by the date of receipt of the appeal. So, appeals are processed in first in first out method.. Miniature schnauzer puppies dollar400
Well, in my experience, the same can be said of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals. Historically, between 75% and 80% of Board of Veterans’ Appeals decisions appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) are vacated, reversed, remanded or referred back to the BVA to fix its mistakes.Other ways to request a Higher-Level Review. Fill out the Decision Review Request: Higher-Level Review (VA Form 20-0996). Get VA Form 20-0996 to download. Send the completed form to the benefit office that matches the benefit type you selected on the form. Department of Veterans Affairs Janesville, WI 53547-4444.BVA award 3 Grant's (lower back had original C&P in 2014) and 1 remand back on 6 Sept 2018. Had a C&P on 9 Nov for the grant in Gainesville, FL. Still waiting on out come of this, RO is St. Pete's and noted as a hardship too. On Vet.gov it says that grant should take 1-2 months.When you choose to appeal directly to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals, you must file a Notice of Disagreement within one year from the date the VA sent you the original decision. You can use VA Form 10182 to file a Notice of Disagreement. If you file a Notice of Disagreement, you have one year from the date the VA sends the decision to ...Home Resources and support What your decision review or appeal status means What your decision review or appeal status means Your status tells you where your claim is in the decision review or appeal process. Find your type of decision review or appeal below to learn what your status means. Check your VA claim statusRemand Status "NWQ". The Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) remanded your appeal on December 6, 2018. XXX, your remanded appeal is with the Veterans Benefits Administration, which will take action in accordance with the remand directives. Your claim is in development and is currently in Queue awaiting the next available adjudicator.Oct 29, 2019 · Review of the electronic file indicates your appeal was remanded by the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on January 11, 2019. The claim is currently listed as “ Ready For Decision ”. A Rating Specialist will initiate a decision based on the evidence of record. Home Resources and support What your decision review or appeal status means What your decision review or appeal status means Your status tells you where your claim is in the decision review or appeal process. Find your type of decision review or appeal below to learn what your status means. Check your VA claim statusJun 2, 2023 · You can also use this tool to check the status of a claim, decision review, or appeal for other benefits like these: VA health care. GI Bill or other education benefits. Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) A home loan Certificate of Eligibility (COE) A Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) or Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) grant. Life insurance. A veteran can file a Notice of Disagreement, or NOD, to appeal the decision. Upon receiving the NOD, the VA may reconsider the claim and grant benefits or deny benefits at which time the veteran may appeal the case up to the Board of Veterans Affairs, or BVA. The appeal process can take years, but will ultimately result in a BVA decision.Hello, I just got this E-mail from my regional office and was wondering how long does it take before my remand claim shows up on Va.gov?By law, the Board must generally decide appeals in the order they are docketed (initially filed) with the Board, except for those cases advanced on the docket for extenuating circumstances set out in statute or cases returned to the Board for expedited processing after remand. The New Orleans Regional Office (RO) was severely impacted by Hurricane Katrina. We have temporarily transferred (``brokered'') work from this facility to other ROs with the capacity to process additional work to minimize the impact on veterans within that jurisdiction. The Pittsburgh RO was recently assigned jurisdiction of the overseas foreign workload. The processing of foreign claims takes ... Dec 21, 2019 · A decision letter is a notification from the VA that grants or denies disability claims or appeals. Waiting to receive a decision letter can produce a lot of anxiety for a veteran. Sometimes years have gone by since a veteran started his or her claim and it all comes down to what the rating decision letter says. Review of the electronic file indicates your appeal was remanded by the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on January 11, 2019. The claim is currently listed as “ Ready For Decision ”. A Rating Specialist will initiate a decision based on the evidence of record.Some hearing offices say it will take approximately six weeks to receive a decision, but some judges tell claimants they try to have the decision out in 30 days. In a survey we did of readers who had been to an appeal hearing, the average wait time for a decision was eight weeks, though 40% of readers received a decision letter within four weeks..