If you’ve submitted a claim for a VA disability increase, it’s natural to start watching the calendar and wondering when you’ll get a decision. But as you probably already know—or are quickly discovering—the VA doesn’t always move as quickly as you’d like.
It currently takes about 5 months from the time the VA receives your claim to make a decision on your rating. In case you’re wondering what happens during that time span, this blog will help you understand the workings of the VA rating increase process and corresponding timeline.
image
Claim Receipt (Up to 2 weeks)
This is where the VA receives your claim and notifies you. If you file online, you’ll see a confirmation on your computer screen. If you mail your application, you should get a confirmation letter (and also see the status updated in your VA account), usually within 1 to 2 weeks.
Claim Review (2 to 4 weeks)
A VA representative will review your claim to make sure you have all the necessary information. This step will go quicker if you have a Fully Developed Claim (FDC), where you provide the VA with all the medical records and other documents needed to expedite your claim. If you submit a standard claim (where the VA helps you gather the needed evidence), you may be in for a longer wait.
Evidence Gathering (1 to 2 months)
During this step, the VA will request evidence from you, your medical providers, and government agencies. If you need a Compensation and Pension (C&P exam), it usually gets scheduled during this phase.
The evidence gathering process can involve a lot of additional requests and back-and-forth communications. Don’t be discouraged if this step drags on a bit; many veterans face this same frustration.
Evidence Review (1 to 2 weeks)
Once your evidence has been gathered, your claim will move to this step for official review. This review ensures that you have all the needed evidence. If not, your claim will be kicked back down to the evidence gathering step again.
Decision Preparation (1 to 2 weeks)
This is yet another review but a more advanced one, with your Rating Veterans Service Representative (RVSR) going over your entire claim, including medical records, personal statements, C&P exam results, etc. At this point, your RVSR will recommend a decision and document it.
Preliminary Decision Approval (1 to 2 weeks)
This moves your decision beyond the recommendation point to a preliminary award decision. It is often made in conjunction with another advanced reviewing authority.
Notification (2 to 4 weeks)
During this step, the VA prepares all the documentation to inform you of their decision about your rating and any additional benefits that you are eligible for. The documentation will be sent to you by mail.
What Could Delay My Claim?
Some straightforward claims go through in less than 90 days, while more complex claims—especially those involving appeals or secondary conditions—can take up to a year or more.
Several factors can affect your timeline:
- Submitting a Standard Claim: If you submit a Standard vs. a Fully Developed Claim, you’ll be waiting on the VA’s help to gather the requisite documentation and evidence.
- Complexity of Your Claim: If your claim involves multiple conditions or particularly complex conditions (such as those that are rare, contested, secondary to other conditions, hard to diagnose, or hard to connect to military service), you could be in for delays.
- Missing Documentation: Gaps in service records or missing medical evidence can slow down reviews.
- C&P Exam Delays: Depending on the availability of providers in your area, it could take a while to get in for your C&P exam with a VA doctor.
- VA Backlogs: Some regional offices have more claims than others, which can impact review times.
What to Do If You’re Still Waiting
It’s a good idea to check on your VA claim every 30 days to make sure things are staying on track. Your claim might be stalled over issues that you can help resolve (such as missing evidence).
To check the status of your claim:
- Sign in to the VA.gov website
- Go to the “My VA” dashboard
- Visit the “Check Your Claim or Appeal Status” section
You can also call (800) 827-1000 to speak to a representative.
Though rare, there have been cases where claims get completely lost in the system, wasting precious time and keeping you from the benefits that you deserve. It pays to stay on top of your claim.
Get Help from a VA Claim Consultant
You may be filing for a VA disability increase for the first time, but many other veterans have been through this process and figured out how to master it. Some share their expertise through VA claim consulting. You can leverage their expertise to streamline the claim-filing process. This not only gives you a more efficient path to a VA decision, it can help ensure that you’re getting the full range of benefits that you’re entitled to.
Conclusion
Waiting for the VA claims process can be frustrating and anxiety-inducing, but focus on what you can control. This includes preparing thoroughly, staying proactive, and getting help to make sure you’re submitting the information that will make it hard for the VA to deny your claim.
Video
Infographic
If you have submitted a claim for an increase in your VA disability rating, you may be curious about the timeline for the process and what occurs behind the scenes. This infographic will provide insights into the timeline for a VA rating increase.
