VA, After you file your disability claim (the steps of a claim and what to expect)

The VA Claim Process After You File Your Claim | Veterans Affairs Skip to Content An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site. The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you're connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and sent securely. Talk to the Veterans Crisis Line now Disability benefits Get benefits Eligibility Exposure to hazardous materials Specific environmental hazards Agent Orange Asbestos Mustard gas or lewisite Camp Lejeune water contamination Radiation exposure Project 112/SHAD Gulf War Illnesses SW Asia Gulf War Illnesses Afghanistan Former POWs PTSD Illnesses within 1 year after discharge Special claims Auto allowance and adaptive equipment Birth defects Clothing allowance Dental care Temporary disability rating after surgery or cast Increase for time in hospital Prestabilization rating Title 38 U.S.C. 1151 claims Individual unemployability Elegibilidad Exposure to hazardous materials Former POWs PTSD Illnesses within 1 year after discharge Special claims How to file a claim When to file Pre-discharge claim Evidence needed Fully Developed Claims program Standard claims File additional forms for your disability claim Cómo presentar una reclamación When to file Evidence needed File additional forms for your disability claim File a claim online After you file your claim Después de presentar su reclamación Manage benefits Check claim, decision review, or appeal status View your disability ratings File for increased disability Request a decision review Add or remove a dependent Upload evidence to support your disability claim Verify individual unemployability status Change your address File additional forms for your disability claim Change your VA direct deposit information Review medical records online Download VA benefit letters View disability payment history More resources Disability compensation rates Veterans disability compensation rates Past rates: 2025 Past rates: 2024 Past rates: 2023 Special monthly compensation rates Past rates: 2025 Past rates: 2024 Past rates: 2023 Special benefit allowances rates Past rates: 2025 Past rates: 2024 Past rates: 2023 Birth defect compensation rates Past rates: 2025 Past rates: 2024 Past rates: 2023 About disability ratings After you get a rating Get help from an accredited representative VA claim exam (C&P exam) Effective dates Fiduciary help In this section The VA claim process after you file your claim Learn about what happens after you file your claim. And find out the average number of days it takes to process a VA disability claim. How long does it take VA to make a decision? 68.2 days Average number of days to complete disability-related claims in September 2026 The time it takes to review your claim depends on these factors: The type of claim you filed How many injuries or disabilities you claimed and how complex they are How long it takes us to collect the evidence we need to decide your claim What should I do while I wait? You don’t need to do anything unless we send you a letter asking for more information. If we schedule any exams for you, be sure not to miss them. You can check the status of your claim online. The timeline listed there may vary based on how complex your claim is. What happens after I file a VA disability claim? Claim received We’ll let you know when we receive your VA disability claim. If you file your claim online , you’ll get an on-screen message from us after you submit the form. If you mail your application , we’ll send you a letter to let you know we have your claim. You should get this letter about 1 week, plus mailing time, after we receive your claim. Initial review We’ll check your claim for basic information we need, like your name and Social Security number. If information is missing, we’ll contact you. Evidence gathering We’ll review your claim and make sure we have all the evidence and information we need. If we need more evidence to decide your claim, we may gather it in these ways: Ask you to submit evidence Ask you to have a claim exam Learn about VA claim exams Request medical records from your private healthcare provider Gather evidence from our VA records This is usually the longest step in the process. Note: You can submit evidence at any time. But if you submit evidence after this step, your claim will go back to this step for review. Evidence review We’ll review all the evidence for your claim. If we need more evidence or you submit more evidence, your claim will go back to Step 3: Evidence gathering. Rating We’ll decide your claim and determine your disability rating. If we need more evidence or you submit more evidence, your claim will go back to Step 3: Evidence gathering. Preparing decision letter We’ll prepare your decision letter. If you’re eligible for disability benefits, this letter will include your disability rating, the amount of your monthly payments, and the date your payments will start. If we need more evidence or you submit more evidence, your claim will go back to Step 3: Evidence gathering. Final review A senior reviewer will do a final review of your claim and the decision letter. Claim decided You’ll be able to review and download your decision letter in the claim status tool. We’ll also send you a copy of your decision letter by mail. It should arrive within 10 business days, but it may take longer. What should I do if I disagree with my VA disability claim decision? If you disagree with a claim decision that you received on or after February 19, 2019 , you can ask us to review the decision. You have 3 decision review options to choose from. Learn about your decision review options More information about disability ratings and payments Find out when you’ll start getting your disability payments. Find out what happens after you get your decision notice with your rating. Last updated: October 5, 2026