How to File a Veterans Disability Claim A claim for veterans disability is a request for compensation for an injury or disease related to military service. It could also be a request for dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) for surviving spouses and dependent children. A veteran might need to provide evidence to support an claim. Claimants can expedite the process by ensuring they keep medical exam appointments and sending requested documents on time. Identifying a condition that is disabling The military can lead to injuries and illnesses, such as arthritis, musculoskeletal conditions, and injuries. Veterans are at risk of respiratory problems and hearing loss, among other ailments. These illnesses and injuries are usually accepted for disability compensation at a much higher rate than other conditions because they can have lasting effects. If you were diagnosed with an injury or illness during your service and you were unable to prove it, the VA must prove that it was the result of your active duty. This includes medical clinic records and private hospital records relating to your illness or injury, as well as the statements of relatives and friends regarding your symptoms. One of the most important aspects to consider is how serious your illness is. Younger vets can usually recover from muscle and bone injuries as long as they work at it but as you become older the chances of recovering from these kinds of injuries diminish. This is why it is important for a veteran to file a disability claim early, when their condition is not too severe. People who are awarded an assessment of 100 percent permanent and total disability are eligible to apply for Supplemental Security Social Security Disability Insurance (SSI/SSDI). To help expedite the SSA application process, it's helpful to have the Veteran provide their VA rating notification letter from the regional office that identifies the rating as "permanent" and indicates that no further exams are scheduled. Gathering Medical Evidence If you'd like the VA to approve your disability benefits, it needs medical evidence that proves that a disabling condition is present and is severe. This could be private documents, a note from a doctor or other health care provider, who treats your condition. It could also include images or videos that show your symptoms. The VA must make reasonable efforts in order to obtain evidence relevant to your case. This includes federal records as well as non federal records (private medical records, for instance). The agency must continue to search for these records until it is reasonably certain that they do not exist or any further efforts would be futile. The VA will prepare an examination report once it has all the required details. It is based on the claimant's history and symptoms and is typically submitted to a VA examiner. This examination report is then used to make a determination on the disability benefit claim. If the VA determines that the illness is caused by service the claimant is awarded benefits. If the VA does not agree, the veteran may appeal the decision by filing a Notice of Disagreement and requesting an examiner at a higher level to review their case. This is referred to as a Supplemental Statement of the Case. The VA can also reconsider an earlier denied claim in the event that it receives fresh and relevant evidence to support the claim. The process of filing a claim The VA will require all your medical records, service and military to support your claim for disability. You can provide these by filling out the eBenefits online application or in person at a local VA office, or by post using Form 21-526EZ. In some instances you may need to provide additional documents or statements. It is also crucial to track down any medical records from a civilian source that may support your health condition. This process can be speeded up by providing the VA with the exact address of the medical care facility where you received treatment. Also, you should provide the dates of your treatment. After you have provided all required paperwork and medical proof and medical evidence, the VA will conduct the C&P exam. This will involve a physical examination of the affected body part and dependent on your disability it could include lab work or X-rays. The examiner will prepare an assessment report and then send it to the VA for review. If the VA determines that you're eligible to receive benefits, they will send you a letter of decision which includes an introduction, a decision to approve or reject your claim, a rating, and an exact amount of disability benefits. If you are denied benefits, they will provide the evidence they reviewed and the reasoning behind their decision. If you appeal, the VA will send a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC). Make a Choice During the gathering and reviewing of evidence, it is important for claimants to be aware of all forms and documents they must submit. If a form is not filled out correctly or if the correct kind of document isn't submitted the entire process may be delayed. It is also important that claimants keep appointments for exams and to keep them on time. After the VA evaluates all the evidence, they will make a decision. This decision will either decide to approve or deny the claim. If the claim is rejected, you can submit a Notice of Disagreement to request an appeal. The next step is to prepare a Statement of Case (SOC). The SOC is an official document of the evidence and the actions taken, the decisions made, as well as the laws that govern those decisions. During the SOC process it is also possible for a claimant to include new information or have certain claims re-adjudicated. This is known as a Supplemental Claims, Higher-Level Review, or Board Appeal. It is possible to add additional information to an appeal. These types of appeals permit an older reviewer or veteran law judge to go over the initial disability claim again and possibly make a different decision.