The VA Disability Claims Guide
How to file, what the exam is, how long it takes, and what to do if you disagree with the decision. Filed free, the way the law intends: nobody may lawfully charge you to prepare or file an initial claim.
CHECKED AGAINST VA.GOV · JULY 2026
Step zero: the intent to file
An intent to file sets your potential effective date before your paperwork is ready. If your claim is later approved, back pay can reach back to the intent-to-file date, not just the day you finished the forms. You then have one year to complete the claim.
- File it online (starting the claim form on a verified VA.gov account creates one automatically), by phone at 800-827-1000, or by mail with VA Form 21-0966.
- It covers disability compensation, pension, and DIC; one active intent per benefit type.
- Costs nothing, commits you to nothing. If you think you might file, file the intent first and decide later.
Source: VA, your intent to file. Accessed July 2026.
Filing the claim: five doors, all free
| HOW | DETAILS |
|---|---|
| Online | VA.gov, the standard path. Your progress saves as you go. |
| With free accredited help | A Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative prepares and files with you, free, always. Appoint with VA Form 21-22. |
| By mail | VA Form 21-526EZ to: Department of Veterans Affairs, Claims Intake Center, PO Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444. |
| In person | Any VA regional office. |
| By fax | Still a real option; number on the VA filing page. |
Evidence: VA medical records, private medical records, and supporting statements from family, friends, clergy, or people you served with all count. You don't need complete evidence to file: you have up to a year after filing to add it, and VA will schedule an exam if the records aren't enough.
Source: VA, how to file a disability claim. Accessed July 2026.
The C&P exam, demystified
- What it is: an exam VA uses to confirm service connection and rate severity. Not everyone gets one; strong records can decide a claim without it.
- Who runs it: VA or its contractors (Loyal Source, OptumServe, Leidos QTC, VES). They contact you by mail, phone, or email. It costs you nothing, and travel is reimbursable.
- Do not miss it. A missed exam delays the claim, and VA may decide on the existing record alone. Contractor exams can generally be rescheduled only once, and rescheduling requires good cause.
- At the exam: answer plainly about your worst days, not your best ones. The examiner documents; the rating happens later at VA.
Source: VA, the claim exam. Accessed July 2026.
How long it takes
VA publishes its current average monthly: as of the June 2026 figure, disability-related claims completed in an average of 71.3 days. Your claim moves through eight visible status steps on VA.gov: received, initial review, evidence gathering, evidence review, rating, preparing the letter, final review, decided.
Source: VA, after you file (average updates monthly). Accessed July 2026.
If you disagree: the three lanes
A denial or a low rating is not the end; it is a fork with three marked lanes, and picking the right one matters more than moving fast. You generally have one year from the decision letter to act, and acting promptly protects your effective date: ask your representative about timing for your specific case.
| LANE | USE IT WHEN | THE MECHANICS |
|---|---|---|
| Supplemental Claim | You have new and relevant evidence VA didn't see, or a law changed (PACT Act pattern) | VA averaged 58.5 days on these as of June 2026; the stated goal is 125 days |
| Higher-Level Review | You believe VA got it wrong on the record it already had | A senior reviewer re-reads the same file; no new evidence allowed; optional one-time informal conference (can slow it); 125-day goal; request within 1 year |
| Board Appeal | You want a Veterans Law Judge | Three dockets with VA's stated goals: direct review 365 days, evidence submission 550, hearing 730; request within 1 year |
Sources: VA decision reviews, supplemental claim, higher-level review, board appeal. Accessed July 2026.
Who to call
- VA benefits line (file by phone, ask anything): 800-827-1000
- Find free accredited help: VA's accredited representative page and the accreditation search
- Report a claims predator: VSAFE 833-387-2233 · vsafe.gov
- MyVA411, any VA question, 24/7: 800-698-2411