A wrong deficiency situation occurs when a DQB cites one category of deficiency but
program instructions support a different category.
EXAMPLE: The DQB cites a decisional deficiency, changing an allowance to a denial, but fails
to identify that the DDS did not develop all allegations or medical sources. In such
cases, the DDS must use the informal resolution request process (IRR, see GN 04440.401B) to request the DQB to change the deficiency to a documentation deficiency, agreeing
that the evidence does not currently support an allowance, but acknowledging the DDS
must develop all allegations or medical sources before making a denial determination.
EXAMPLE: The DQB cites a decisional deficiency, changing a denial to an allowance at Step
5 of sequential evaluation, but fails to identify that the DDS did not develop all
past work. In such cases, the DDS must use the IRR process to request the DQB to change
the deficiency to a documentation deficiency, agreeing that the evidence does not
support a denial, but acknowledging the DDS must develop the past work history before
making an allowance determination (see DI 25005.005D.1.).
NOTE: If the “wrong deficiency cited” issue remains unresolved by IRR, the DDS may submit
the case for RPC. This is the only time DDS may submit a wrong deficiency cited case
for RPC.