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The VA claims process, step by step
Six steps, in order. Most people lose time by starting at step 3. Start at step 1. Not sure which path you are on? Take the 6-question quiz or see the flowchart.
On this page
The six steps
File an Intent to File (VA Form 21-0966)
This is a one-page notice that says "I plan to file a claim." It locks in your effective date. If your claim is later approved, back pay counts from this date, even if it takes you months to gather evidence.
- Do it online at VA.gov. Starting a 21-526EZ online and saving it also counts as an Intent to File.
- You get one year from this date to file the actual claim.
- It costs nothing and you do not have to list conditions.
Form 21-0966 on VA.gov VA: How to file
Rule: 38 CFR 3.155. Read it on eCFR.Gather evidence
This step takes the longest and matters the most. For each condition, you need the three legs below. Also:
- Request your records. Your C-file (your VA claims folder) with VA Form 20-10206. Your service treatment records (STRs) and DD-214 from the National Archives with SF-180 if you never filed before.
- Read your DD-214. Deployment locations in the remarks block can make a condition "presumptive," which skips the hardest leg.
- Write a short personal statement for each condition (VA Form 21-4138 or 21-10210). Plain words. What happened, what it does to you now.
- Ask witnesses. A spouse, buddy, or supervisor can write what they saw. Facts only.
- Keep a symptom log for things like migraines, pain flares, or sleep. Dates and what happened.
File the claim (VA Form 21-526EZ)
File online at VA.gov and attach everything at once. Adding evidence later slows things down and can look disorganized.
- List each condition clearly. Use the diagnosis name a doctor gave you, not a symptom ("lumbar strain," not "back pain").
- Say whether each one is direct (from service), secondary (caused by a condition already service-connected), or presumptive.
- There is no longer a speed advantage to the "Fully Developed Claim" box, but check it if it is true. VA converts it to a standard claim with no penalty if needed.
The C&P exam
VA usually sends you to a Compensation & Pension exam. It is not treatment. The examiner's job is to fill out a form about how bad your condition is. How to prepare.
The decision
You get a decision letter and, if granted, a rating code sheet. Read both. Check three things: each condition's rating, the effective date, and whether anything was deferred or denied. The VA.gov status screens in between ("gathering evidence," "development letter sent") are internal traffic. Try not to live on them.
Typical time: VA publishes an average on its after-you-file page. It changes monthly, so we do not print a number here.Review options (if you disagree)
You have one year from the decision date to pick a lane and keep your original effective date. Three choices:
| Option | Form | Use it when | New evidence? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Higher-Level Review (HLR) | 20-0996 | VA made a mistake with the evidence it already had | No. Not allowed. |
| Supplemental Claim | 20-0995 | You have evidence VA has never seen (a nexus letter, a new diagnosis) | Yes. Required. |
| Board Appeal | 10182 | You want a Veterans Law Judge to decide. Slowest path. | Depends on the docket you pick. |
VA: decision reviews explained See the flowchart
Tip from veterans who have done this: on an HLR, skip the "informal conference" box and put your argument in writing. Words said on a call can be used against you.
The three-leg evidence test
Every service-connection claim stands on three legs. If one leg is missing, the claim is not ready. Not "almost ready." Not ready.
Leg 1: Current diagnosis
A doctor has named the condition in your records. A symptom ("knee pain") or a problem-list entry is not a diagnosis. You cannot diagnose yourself.
Leg 2: In-service event, or severity
Something happened in service (an injury, exposure, or a diagnosis then), or an existing condition got worse in service (aggravation). For an increase claim, this leg is documented severity that matches the next rating step.
Leg 3: Nexus
A medical opinion that links leg 1 to leg 2. Your own statement does not count as the nexus. A doctor has to say it, in writing, using the words VA looks for ("at least as likely as not").
Presumptive conditions skip leg 3 only. If you served in a listed place and time (Vietnam, Gulf War, burn pit areas under the PACT Act, Camp Lejeune, and others) and have a listed diagnosis, VA presumes the link. You still need the diagnosis and proof of where you served.
VA: eligibility (direct, secondary, presumptive) VA: PACT Act presumptives
Rules: 38 CFR 3.303 (direct), 3.310 (secondary), 3.307 and 3.309 (presumptive). Browse Part 3 on eCFR.Nexus letters and IMOs
When one helps
- Your condition is not presumptive, and nothing in your service records says a doctor linked it to service.
- You are claiming a secondary condition (sleep apnea from PTSD, back pain from a service-connected knee). Someone with medical training has to explain the chain.
- A C&P examiner said "less likely than not" and you believe they missed something.
- You are claiming aggravation of something that existed before service.
Who can write one
A physician (MD or DO), physician assistant, or nurse practitioner. For mental health, a psychologist within their scope. Your VA treating doctor usually will not write one; a private provider usually will if you ask plainly and give them your records.
What a good one has
- Says the provider reviewed your records (and lists which ones).
- Names the diagnosis.
- Uses VA's words: "at least as likely as not (50% or greater probability)."
- Gives the reasons, with medical logic. A one-line "I believe this is service connected" is weak.
- Is signed, dated, on letterhead, with credentials.
Money warning
Nexus letters and IMOs cost money (often several hundred to a few thousand dollars). Nobody can promise a letter will win. Before you pay, ask a free VSO whether your file actually needs one. Never pay a company that promises a rating.
The C&P exam: what it is and how to prepare
A C&P (Compensation and Pension) exam is a one-time exam ordered by VA to measure how bad your condition is right now. It is done by a VA clinician or a contractor (QTC, LHI/Optum, VES, and others). It is not medical care, and the examiner is not your doctor.
Before the exam
- Read the public DBQ for your condition. That is the form the examiner fills out. Know what it asks.
- Review your own statement and symptom log so your answers match your records.
- Bring a one-page list of symptoms, flare-ups, medications, and how the condition affects work and daily life.
During the exam
- Describe your worst days, not your best. If you are asked "how far can you walk," answer for a bad day and say so.
- Do not minimize. "I'm fine" and "I manage" get written down as "no functional loss."
- Do not exaggerate either. Examiners note it, and it hurts your credibility across the whole file.
- If a range-of-motion test hurts, say "that hurts" at the point it starts. Pain on motion is part of the rating.
- Mental health exams: be honest about sleep, anger, relationships, work, and dark thoughts. If you are in crisis, say so and call 988 (press 1).
After the exam
- Write down what was asked and how long it took, the same day.
- You can request a copy of the exam report through your VA records (Blue Button) or a records request.
- If you miss an exam without rescheduling, VA can decide on the file as it stands, and you may lose. Call to reschedule as soon as you know.
What a DBQ is
A Disability Benefits Questionnaire is a VA form, one per condition type, that turns a medical exam into the exact facts a rater needs. The C&P examiner fills one out. Your own private doctor can fill one out too and you can submit it with your claim.
- The public DBQs are free on VA's site. Pick the one that matches your diagnosis.
- The first questions ask whether the provider is a VA provider, treats you regularly, and examined you in person. Answer them honestly; a telehealth-only or out-of-state provider raises flags.
- A DBQ records severity (leg 2). Most DBQs also have a spot for a medical opinion (leg 3), but many providers skip it. Ask for a separate nexus letter if the DBQ's opinion box is blank.
- Never fill out a DBQ yourself and never tell the provider what to write. That is their call.
Deadlines that protect your money
| Clock | How long | What it protects |
|---|---|---|
| Intent to File | 1 year from the date you submit it | Your effective date. Back pay runs from this day if you file the full claim within the year. |
| Review window after a decision | 1 year from the date on the decision letter | File an HLR, Supplemental Claim, or Board Appeal inside the year and your original effective date stays alive. |
| Continuous pursuit | Each new review filed within 1 year of the last decision | Chain reviews back to back and the effective date reaches all the way back to the first claim. |
| Supplemental Claim after 1 year | Any time, with new and relevant evidence | Still allowed, but the effective date usually moves to the new filing date. Check the 5103 notice waiver box on the form if you want VA to skip the notice step. |
| Proposed rating reduction | 60 days to respond | Your current rating. Send medical evidence and request a hearing before the deadline. |
| Adding a dependent | 1 year from the marriage, birth, or rating decision | Back pay for the dependent add. Later than a year, it starts from when you tell VA. |
Plain version: file the Intent to File today, and never let a decision sit more than a year without picking a lane.
Rules: 38 CFR 3.155 (intent to file), 3.2500 (review options and timeliness), 3.400 (effective dates), 3.105(e) (reductions). Subpart D, decision reviews, on eCFR.Mistakes that lose claims
- Filing before the three legs exist. A denial "with no exam" usually means the file was too thin for VA to bother. Build it, then file.
- Claiming a symptom instead of a diagnosis. "Back pain" is not ratable. "Lumbosacral strain" is.
- Sending the same old records as "new evidence." New means new to VA, not new to you.
- Picking HLR when you have new evidence (it will be ignored) or Supplemental when you do not (nothing to add).
- Filing an increase when your symptoms have not reached the next step. It can reopen your whole rating for review.
- Claiming PTSD with no stressor statement (VA Form 21-0781) and no way to verify the event.
- Being too tough at the C&P exam. "I'm fine" is written down as "no functional loss."
- Letting a decision sit past one year. You lose continuous pursuit and the effective date.
- Paying someone who is not accredited and who promises a rating. How to spot a claim shark.