Claims Education Tool

VA Claims Roadmap

This page breaks the VA claims process into phases so you can understand what happens, what the VA expects from you, and what actions you should take at each step.

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This is the roadmap most people are looking for. It walks through preparation, participation in the process, decoding the VA’s decision, contesting a decision, and protecting your back pay.

Self-Guided Claims Process Jump to the Phases
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PHASE ONE: Preparation & Submission

This initial phase is about setting up your foundation for a successful claim.

Step 1: Create your Account

Establish your VA Online account. (\*A “How-to” can be found on the main claims page under FAQ’s.)\*

Step 2: Get the App

For you or your loved one’s convenience, download the VA App onto your phone or tablet.

Step 3. Now, go to our Start a Claim page, found here.

You will find the information you need to make this as easy as possible.

Open the Self-Guided Claims Process Page

\*If you have already started a claim, the “Self-Guided Claims Process” page WILL still help you along the way\*

Step 4: Start your Claim (i.e. Intent to File)

Begin the official process here .

PHASE TWO: Participation in the Process

Once your claim is filed, your active involvement is crucial.

ANSWER your phone and emails. \*The VA often uses third-party schedulers, so the calls may not come from a VA number.\*

GO TO YOUR APPOINTMENTS. \*If you cannot make them, call and reschedule. Rescheduling is much easier when you have an appointment already on the books.\*

\*DON’T BE A HERO. Also, BE NICE.\* Be honest about your condition. Bring your notes, even if you think you’ll remember on your own.

This process is more than frustrating, but you can always request a different evaluator if needed.

PHASE THREE: Decoding the VA’s Decision

The communication you receive from the VA is dense but contains everything you need to know.

Most people only read the first page. The real answers are often deeper inside the 5-30 page packet.

Examples you may see on the first page:

  • DENIAL: “Service connection for phobias is denied.”
  • ACCEPTED: “Service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder is granted with an evaluation of 50 percent effective (date).”
  • DEFERRED: “A decision on entitlement to compensation for sinusitis is deferred.”

Even with "Favorable findings," a claim can be denied if it's missing a piece of the VA's core formula. To get a service connection, you must have all three:

1️⃣ A current diagnosis + 2️⃣ An event in service + 3️⃣ A medical link between the two
PHASE FOUR: Contesting a Decision

If you receive a denial, the process doesn’t have to be over.

Before you dispute, gather the evidence the VA said was missing. Find records, get a buddy statement, or obtain a nexus letter. Have it ready when you file.

Decide which type of claim you want to submit after the denial. You should fight a denial if you know the VA is wrong. You can find more information here.

What Does It Mean to "Formally Disagree"? You must use one of the VA's official decision review pathways:

  1. Supplemental Claim: Use this if you have new and relevant evidence.
  2. Higher-Level Review: Ask for a senior reviewer to re-examine the same evidence.
  3. Board Appeal: Escalate your case to a Veterans Law Judge.
The Most Important Rule: The 1-Year Clock

Understanding the one-year deadlines for filing and appealing is the single most important factor for protecting your back pay.

If you file your Intent to File within one year of your official date of separation, your effective date becomes your date of separation. This is the only way to get back pay to the day you took off the uniform.

Once you start your claim online, you have exactly one year (364 days) to gather your evidence and hit "submit." This locks in your effective date.

Scenario A: Meets the Deadline

Claim started: Jan 15th, 2024
Claim submitted: Dec 1st, 2024
Claim Approved: July 1st, 2025
Effective date: Jan 15th, 2024

Result: Veteran receives \~18 months of back pay.

Scenario B: Misses the Deadline

Claim started: Jan 15th, 2024
Claim submitted: Feb 20th, 2025 (after 365 days)
Claim Approved: July 1st, 2025
Effective date: Feb 20th, 2025

Result: Veteran receives \~5 months of back pay and loses over a year of payments.

You have exactly one year (364 days) from the date printed on your decision letter to formally disagree. Filing an appeal within this window makes your claim "continuously pursued," preserving your original effective date and potentially years of back pay.

This roadmap is meant to make the process loud and clear. If you are just starting, already have a claim in progress, or are trying to understand a decision, this is where you begin.

If you are still having trouble after following these steps, please fill out this form for assistance. Our goal at AFL is to give you the information and direction you need so you can complete the claims process yourself. However, we are here to help at any time and to answer questions along the way.

This form is for intake and informational purposes only. Submitting it does not establish representation or guarantee an outcome.