VA Claims: Moving from PREPARATION FOR DECISION to COMPLETION. How long?

great topic, I've noticed PO1 (Join to see) & Sgt Dale Cusack mention Service Officer & Service Advocate - do you SGT Justin Singleton have someone in your corner like this that's helping you?

.....can someone share more knowledge on this topic of advocates.....more specific information, like is there a published list? Where can I point my Soldiers that are exiting the military to get the help they might need?

SGT Justin Singleton I'll be honest - I don't know enough about your specific file to throw rocks at. Here's what I always suggest: Find a Veterans Service Organization (VFW,DAV, AL, etc) talk to their Service Officer and sign the VA form 21-22 to permit the organization to look at your file as it is being processed. Relying on the VA's website to tell you where you are in the process is foolhardy. In my most recent argument with the VA the VA website had me in the 'Preparation for Decision' for nearly 4 months AFTER I had a decision letter in my hand. It took another 8 or 9 months for the VA website to finally catch up to reality. Additionally, during the entire process for my claim, the status actually went back and forth between two specific statuses 3 separate times with no reason given. If I had not had given the VFW my POA (the VA form 21-22) I would have never know what was going on....

As I have said before: "Never deal with the VA alone! Find a Service Officer with one of the Veterans Service Organizations and use that Service Officer as your advocate. Get an Advocate!"

And did I mention you should get an ADVOCATE?

Working through an American Legion service officer, my claim was submitted in April 2014, I had my exam on September 19 and received my first payment on September 25, 2014. I may be atypical but my service officer was very thorough in getting the appropriate data to file so the claim went through quickly.

I filed my VA claim in August 2011, and the outcome is still pending as of Jan 2015, more than 3 years later. I have an American Legion service officer overseeing the process as well. I checked in with him last month and he estimated it will take approx 2 more years for my decision. This would mean about 5 1/2 total years from submission to decision in my case.

I have a claim in since May 2014....and in the same phase as yours is. I went through the DAV in filing mine.

Update: It has today moved to the next step in the process, "Pending Decision Approval." The last two steps are "Send Notification Letter" and "Complete." Thanks all for the advice...it looks like it is moving faster than I had thought it would!

I have filed a few claims over the years and my last claim I filed January 12th, 2016. I had my C&P exam on February 4th, 2016 and it went to PFD around the middle of March 2016. I sat there for a few weeks before it started bouncing between Pending Decision Approval back to Preparation for Decision to Pending for Notification. All of that in a matter of a few days and my claim closed on March 29th, 2016 and I was awarded what I claimed.

I did that while I had an NOD pending too! My DRO hearing was scheduled for February 26th, 2016.

Now I just submitted another claim on July 12th, 2016 and I had the C&P exam on August 26th, 2016 and a few days ago I went to Preparation for Decision.

I have to say it usually doesn't take long but keep in mind if there is anything the rater needs an answer to, it will bounce back to Gathering of Evidence.

SGT Justin Singleton, mine was a Benefits Delivered at Discharge(BDD) claim. Typical it can take anywhere from 6-12 months to be completed from the time I retired, July 14, 2014. 5 months have passed and as of 2 weeks ago, I am at the status you are are at "Preparation for Decision" and a development letter was sent, to who I don't know. Again it could one of those strange anomalies that PO1 (Join to see) may have mentioned and the page is not updated. As my AMVET VSO explained, watching the eBenefits portal is like looking at a "best guess estimator". Currently my estimated claim completion date lies between Mar 3 and Jun 30 2015.

I put in my claim 120 days before separation(Apr 2014)(VA says claims can be submitted within 180 days of separation), it was estimated my case would be complete by April 2015, in October it was estimated to be complete in Sep 2015. I was done by the 1st week of Dec with my C&P appointments, my status change to Jul 2015 until the current status as it stands now.

For me, "Preparing for a decision" means the VSR is probably working on the actual decision letter. My only glitch in my claim is a hearing test was requested by the Dr's even though it was not something I had originally submitted be looked at for the claims process. That fact that "TBI" was in my paperwork is what prompted the hearing test. I thought it would change the Mar-Jun 2015 dates, it did not.

VA website says average time for this phase is like 15-28 days. I've heard from some people sometimes they update the award letter before you get your physical letter. Many people find out early this way. Hopefully you will have an answer on your claim shortly.

I am quite unusual. I must have caught the North Texas VA people when they were bored. I retired 1/31/2010, and was getting my disability checks by 4/1/2010.

Many things effect the time it takes the VA to process your claim, how long have you been out, the longer since discharge, the longer it takes etc. Documentation and "Nexus" or connection of disability to time in service are both critical to your claim moving forward quickly.
That said, i was discharged in 82, I was injured at sea and so I had decent documentation of my injuries. My first claim was made in December 2013, it completed August 2015 with a 60% combined rating 50% on back and legs, 10% tinnitus (Presumptive Condition) because I was a yellow shirt on VO, plus three more connected but unrated disabilities.
Next in May 2015 I filed an "Increase" claim which tend to move much faster because it is an established disability, that claim was closed in November 2016 with an increase to 80%, for increase in right leg functional loss. My most recent was another increase claim on the three issues not rated but connected, since these were filed as fully developed the predicted time to complete is October to December this year. I should have C&Ps in the next 60 days.
To answer your original question, from C&P to check if approved, about 6 weeks. I did not use a VSO even though I am with the DAV, they just didn't have enough reps in this area to properly work claims so I took the Bull by the horns myself. Three keys, BE Proactive, Persistent, and use extreme Perseverance in following your claim. Also educate yourself, ask questions, use those VA folks to wring out everything you can, I have gotten phone numbers not typically published just by asking and being persistent. You need to educate yourself and do not just depend on a VSO, they manage MANY cases, you only have one! Do not hesitate to involve your Senators and Congressmen because their inquiries on your behalf are NEVER ignored or slow played and most are thrilled to help, mine in Texas have been!
I am working toward that 100% rating even though my current actual numbers are 110% before they use the mythical but magical "combined ratings scale" of misery! It has taken almost five years, but I have had a lot of time on my hands to be a burr under their saddle! Good Luck Brothers!