There is no doubt that you may feel impatient if you have applied for or have appealed for VA disability benefits. VA claims are known to be slowly approved, and it's not uncommon for cases to become backlogged for months or even years after veterans filed them.
VA issues a decision on your claim can take a long time. By understanding what stage your appeal is in, you will better understand how VA claims and appeals work and will avoid missing deadlines.
The good news is that you can check your VA disability claim status at any given time by visiting the VA website.
Requesting An Update On VA Claim Status
You can check the status of your claim at your local VA regional office by calling VA at (800) 827-1000 or by visiting the VA appeal tracking website.
Visit The VA Website
If a veteran wishes to check their VA disability claim status, they can visit the VA website and log in with their DS Logon, My HealtheVet, or ID.me accounts. If you use the "What Happens Next?" feature, you can view an estimate of how long it will take for you to reach the next step in the application process. Additionally, the tool can tell you if you need to submit any additional documents or forms before the VA can evaluate your claim based on the evidence already received. You can also use this tool to submit new evidence if you have it readily available.
Types Of Claims And Appeals You Can Track With This Tool
Using this tool, you can check the status of a VA compensation claim or appeal. You can also track your:
- Automobile or clothing allowance, depending on the special needs
- Pension benefits for veterans and survivors
- Special monthly compensation (such as Aid and Attendance)
- Insurance coverage for dependency and indemnity (DIC)
- Allowance for burial and funeral expenses
In addition, you can use this tool if you want to check the VA claim status for the following benefits:
- VA health-care
- GI Bill or other education benefits
- Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E)
- A home loan Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
- A Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) or Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) grant
- Life insurance
- A pre-need determination of eligibility to be buried in a VA national cemetery
Check Your VA Claim Status
- Start by signing in to VA.gov if you are not already signed in. DS Logon, My HealtheVet, or ID.me accounts are valid for sign-up. You will be prompted to create an account if you do not already have one. Please skip to Step 4 below if you have already signed into VA.gov. It will take you directly to the tool to check your VA claim status.
- VA will send your authentication code in one of the following ways: receive either a text message or a phone call.
- Authenticate using the code you received. Enter the 6-digit code that VA sent to your phone.
- To check the status of your claim, go to the claim status tool. The VA.gov home page lists Disability links after you log in.
- Check your claims, appeals, and decision reviews. You can review each by viewing the date it was last updated, its current status, or the date of submission. You can see more details by clicking View Details.
- Make sure your claim is in good standing.
- Take a look at the files related to your claim. You can access your files by clicking on the Files tab. You can find the form or document you need to complete there. The forms and documents that we already have can also be viewed. If you have additional evidence to support your claim, you can upload it by clicking the Add Files button.
- Ensure that the details of your claim are correct. In the Details tab, you can find information about VA claims you have made, your representative, and other information.
Information You Get About Your VA Claim Or Appeal
VA will track your claim or appeal during its review process and when the review is expected to be complete. If you want to expedite the process, you can try these:
- Support your initial claim with any online evidence you have provided
- If you have any additional evidence requested by VA
- The type of your claim
- The nature of your claim
- VA's claim representative
Documents supporting your appeal require you to upload them online.
Documents Not Visible
There may be a reason for not seeing the documents you submitted as evidence. Among the documents you may not be able to see are:
- Printed or faxed documents you sent to VA
- In-person documents that you brought to VA
- Documents that VA has withheld to protect confidentiality or privacy
Will my personal information be protected if I use this tool?
Yes, of course. There is no need to worry about security on this website. To ensure the security of your health information, VA has strict security policies and practices in place. Printing or downloading anything from this website means you're responsible for protecting it.
Call For An Update
If you have difficulty using VA's website or do not have reliable online access, call VA's toll-free national number at 800.827.1000. You can reach a representative Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET.
VA cannot provide a precise date for receiving your decision letter. You will know that the letter has already been mailed if your claim is labeled "complete." You can expect the letter to arrive within seven to ten business days.
You can use the same options to get status updates for pensions, Aid & Attendance claims, GI Bill claims, VA health care claims, and other claims administered by the VA if you apply for more than one type of benefit.
Checking The Status of Your Claim In-Person
A location finder on the VA website will help you find your local VA office if you don't know where it is. You can find the nearest regional office near you by entering your city, state, or zip code. Whenever you visit the VA office in person to check the status of your claim, you should bring your identification and claim number with you so staff can quickly access your claim information.
Applying for cash benefits from Social Security can seem overwhelming for some people. If you want disability compensation benefits, check out our article on how to claim VA Disability.
