VA, How to file a VA disability claim

How To File A VA Disability 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 How to file a VA disability claim Find out how to file a claim for disability compensation or increased disability compensation. How do I prepare before starting my application? Find out if you’re eligible for VA disability compensation. Learn about eligibility Be sure to fill out your claim completely. Gather any evidence (supporting documents) you’ll submit yourself when you file your VA disability claim. We encourage you to send in all your supporting documents along with your claim. This will help us process your claim quickly. Learn about fully developed claims Find out if you’ll need to turn in any additional forms with your claim. Learn about additional forms you may need to file To learn more about filing a disability claim, you can play our disability claims video. Go to our disability claims video on YouTube What evidence do I need to support my claim? You can support your VA disability claim by providing these documents: VA medical records and hospital records. These could relate to your claimed illnesses or injuries or they could show that your rated disability has gotten worse. Private medical records and hospital reports. These could relate to your claimed illnesses or injuries or they could show that your disability has gotten worse. Supporting statements. These could be from family members, friends, clergy members, law enforcement personnel, or people you served with. These statements could tell us more about your claimed condition and how and when it happened or how it got worse. Depending on the type of claim you file, you may gather supporting documents yourself, or you can ask for our help to gather evidence. Learn more about the evidence we’ll need for your claim We’ll also review your discharge papers (DD214 or other separation documents) and service treatment records. Do I have to submit evidence with my claim? No. You don’t have to submit any evidence to support your claim. But we may need to schedule a claim exam so we can learn more about your condition. Learn more about VA claim exams (C&P exams) You should also know that you have up to a year from the date we receive your claim to turn in any evidence. If you start your application and need time to gather more supporting documents, you can save your application and come back later to finish it. We’ll recognize the date you started your application as your date of claim as long as you complete it within 365 days. How do I file a claim for compensation? You can file a claim in any of these 5 ways. Option 1: Online You can file a claim online now. Option 2: By mail File your claim by mail using an Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits (VA Form 21-526EZ). Get VA Form 21-526EZ to download Print the form, fill it out, and send it to this address: Department of Veterans Affairs Claims Intake Center PO Box 4444 Janesville, WI 53547-4444 Option 3: In person Bring your application to a VA regional office near you. Find a VA regional office near you Option 4: By fax If you’re in the U.S., fax your application to . If you’re outside the U.S., fax your application to . Option 5: With the help of a trained professional You can work with an accredited attorney, claims agent, or Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative to get help filing a claim for disability compensation. Get help filing a claim Should I submit an intent to file form? If you plan to file for disability compensation using a paper form, you may want to submit an intent to file form first. This can give you the time you need to gather your evidence while avoiding a later potential start date (also called an effective date). When you notify us of your intent to file, you may be able to get retroactive payments (compensation that starts at a point in the past). Note: If you file for disability compensation online, then you don’t need to notify us of your intent to file. This is because your effective date gets set automatically when you start filling out the form online—before you submit it. Find out how to submit an intent to file form What happens after I file my VA disability claim? Find out what happens after you file You don’t need to do anything while you’re waiting unless we send you a letter asking for more information. If we schedule exams for you, be sure not to miss them. 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 More information about filing disability claims Learn about standard claims, supplemental claims, secondary claims, and more. Find out what evidence we’ll need to support your disability claim. Find out if you can get disability benefits if you have signs of an illness within a year after being discharged from service. Work with an accredited attorney, claims agent, or Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative to file a claim or request a decision review. Find additional forms that you may need to support your claim. Last updated: October 5, 2026