central office on death, permanent total, insurance, employees and foreign relation cases, or cases where control is vested by bureau order in central office. All correspondence forwarded to central office, claims division, from the districts on matters pertaining to the above should be addressed as follows: "Assistant Director, Claims Division, United States Veterans' Bureau, Washington, D. C. Attention District Service Section." CHARLES E. MULHEARN, Assistant Director. (General District Manager Letter, Claims Division, No. 22. Canceled by General Order No. 190-B) CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED IN DISTRICT AND SUBDISTRICT OFFICES ON CLAIMS CASES SUBMITTED TO CENTRAL OFFICE ON APPEAL MARCH 6, 1924. Central office is receiving large quantities of mail on cases pending at central office before the medical rating section and central office board of appeals. An examination of this mail indicates in many instances that it is simply in the nature of inquiries and does not contain any additional evidence bearing on adjudication. Under the provisions of United States Veterans' Bureau Special Order No. 38, issued April 5, 1923, the cases referred to central office on appeal are classified as emergency and routine, and this procedure is being followed by central office at the present time. Under the provisions of Director's Office No. 43, special district manager letter, dated April 17, 1923, your office was advised of the procedure to be followed in emergency cases. In order, however, to relieve central office of the detail work necessary to answering inquiries as to status it is requested that all mail received in your office in connection with a case which has been sent to central office on appeal be carefully scrutinized, and unless this mail contains additional information bearing on adjudication, that same be retained in your office and claimant advised of the fact that the case has been submitted to central office on appeal and that he will be duly advised of action. It is felt that this procedure will materially relieve central office, as more time can be devoted to the examining of the claims. Wherever information reaches your office, however, showing that the case is an emergency or adjudication has been delayed more than 90 days correspondence should be handled in accordance with Director's Office No. 43, special district manager letter, and transmitted to central office without delay. CHARLES E. MULHEARN, Assistant Director. (General District Manager Letter, Claims Division, No. 23) REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING SERVICE RECORD AND MARCH 10, 1924. Under the provisions of General Order 5-C, paragraph 1-b, it is provided that Forms 3101, 3102, 3103, and 12-D be executed in triplicate and forwarded to central office for transmission to the War or Navy Department, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard Service for proper service record. These forms are now being received from the districts in which information regarding one or more enlistments is requested, and only one set of forms has been executed. As the papers in each enlistment may be housed in a different section or building of the War or Navy Departments it is requested that in the initial forwarding of these forms one set for each enlistment concerning which information is desired be forwarded. When a supplemental report is requested regarding a certain feature of a claimant's service record this information may be requested by letter in which the facts are set forth, but should be submitted on the 3101 series in triplicate. The form should show that the district has on file an original Adjutant General's Office report, the date given, a short statement as to what it contains, and a further statement of the information now desired. It is not necessary for the district to send through duplicate forms for follow up on initial call, but a follow up should be a letter setting forth the man's full name, rank, organization, enlistment date, and date of discharge, as well as the date the original forms were mailed to central office, setting forth particularly whether the claimant is a member of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard Service. CHARLES E. MULHEARN, Assistant Director. (General District Manager Letter, Claims Division, No. 24. Canceled by General Order No. 151-B) THE RATING OF COMPENSATION CLAIMS UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF GENERAL ORDER 151-A APRIL 15, 1924. Attention is directed to the provisions of the above order which deals with the class of cases where a claim for compensation is not filed within five years from date of discharge, or five years from the date the disability began. The first change which should be noted under the provisions of this order is that extension of time is necessary only when the claim for compensation is filed beyond the 5-year limit from the date the disability for which compensation is claimed actually began. The date of discharge is therefore not material except for the fact that if the disability was existing at the time of discharge, then the time would commence as of the date of discharge, and not at any date prior thereto. It is, therefore, essential to determine not only the date of discharge but the date disability began before such cases are submitted to central office for extension of time beyond the 5-year period. It is the function of the medical division of the district office to determine the date upon which the claimant became of unsound mind or physically unable to make a claim as well as the period of time during which a claimant continued to be of unsound mind and unable to make a claim. Under the provisions of the above general order it is requisite that the medical opinion showing the date the disability commenced, and the affidavits secured to determine the date the disability began and the nature of the disability in cases where extension of time is desired be a part of the record when it is submitted to the central office. The mere fact that a claimant has been discharged more than five years when he applies for compensation is not the controlling factor. It is of the utmost importance to determine when his disability began and this record should be clear before cases are submitted to central office. CHARLES E. Mulhearn, Assistant Director. (General District Manager Letter, Claims Division, No. 25) DATE OF TERMINATION OF APPORTIONED PERMANENT PARTIAL AWARDS TO OCTOBER 8, 1924. Under the provisions of General Order No. 175, claims division manual of procedure, paragraph 114, the following procedure is outlined in cases where awards include a minor child. Whenever it becomes necessary to make a temporary award in a disability case and the award includes a sum because of a minor child who will reach the age of 18 within two years of the date of approval of such award, the brief face should show the ending date of the increased amount and the beginning date of the amount to which the payee will be entitled at the time the minor child reaches the age of 18. This does not apply to a child who is insane, idiotic, or otherwise permanently helpless. Under the provisions of regulations of the bureau certain cases are rated on a permanent basis, but as General Order No. 175, paragraph 114, only relates to temporary awards some question has arisen as to the procedure to be followed in similar cases where the rating is based on a permanent partial award. You are, therefore, instructed that in all cases rated permanent partial, apportioned awards to minor children not insane, idiotic, or helpless, should show ending dates regardless of 2-year period outlined above. CHARLES E. MULHEARN, Assistant Director. |