The VA Disability Claims Process

What the VA Does After It Gets Your Claim

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) estimates that it can take five months or longer to process a claim for VA Disability Compensation benefits. This means some claims are processed faster while others may take longer, based on the complexity of the claim.

There are six main steps for most VA disability claims. The time each step takes depends on how complex your claim is, how much evidence is needed, and the type of evidence required. Providing as much evidence as possible with your claim can affect how long it takes.

The steps are:

1. Claim Received: If you apply online, the VA sends you an online message saying they got your application. If you apply by U.S. mail, the VA sends you a letter in about a week (plus standard mailing time), saying that they received your claim.
2. Initial Review: A VA representative takes a first look at your application to see what might be needed.
3. Evidence gathering: For a standard claim, the VA representative asks for any needed evidence — from you, health care providers, government agencies, or others. For the Fully Developed Claims (FDC) process, you give the VA all the relevant records that you have when you file your claim, and certify that you have no more evidence to give them. Learn more about VA evidence requirements.
4. Reviewing and Decisions: The VA representative looks at all the evidence; if more evidence is needed, your claim goes back to Step 3, and if no more evidence is needed, your claim moves to Step 5.
5. A Decision: If no more evidence is needed, the VA representative makes a decision on your claim.
6. Notification Letter Sent: A decision packet with all the details about the decision or award is sent to you by U.S. Mail (about seven to ten business days). The packet includes all the details of the decision or award.

You can track the status of your claim online.

VA Claim Exams

As part of the evidence gathering process for a standard claim, the VA representative may order a claim exam (also called a Compensation & Pension or C&P exam). This is done at no cost to you. Not everyone who files a claim goes to a VA claim exam, and if you are asking for benefits based on more than one disability, you might go to more than one claim exam.

The VA claim exam is different from a regular medical appointment because the person doing the exam won’t prescribe any medicine or treat you for your disability. The goal of this exam is to help the VA decide if your disability is service connected, the level of your disability, or if your disability rating should go up because your condition is getting worse.

Each exam is different. The person doing the exam may ask you questions, observe your behavior, do a limited physical exam, or simply review your file with you. The exam could be just 15 minutes or last an hour or more, depending on your conditions and how much more information the VA needs.

Learn more about VA claim exams.

If Your Claim Is Denied

If the VA turns down your claim for benefits, you don’t agree with them, and you think they made a mistake, you have three options:

• File a Supplemental Claim: You have new and relevant evidence to submit, or you think you qualify now under new laws (like the PACT Act). Learn more about supplemental claims.
• Ask For a Higher-Level Review: You want a new review of your case by someone at a higher level within the VA. (You can’t submit new evidence with a Higher-Level Review.) Learn more about Higher-Level Reviews.
• File a Board Appeal: You ask the Board of Appeals in Washington, D.C. to have your case reviewed by a judge who is an expert in Veterans law. Learn more about Board Appeals.

You can only use one of these options at a time, but if you aren’t happy with the results of the first option you choose, you may be able to try another option.

The VA explains how to choose a decision review option and recommends that you get accredited help with a decision review request.