VA Claims Guide: How to File a VA Disability Claim

What Is a VA Disability Claim?

A VA disability claim is a formal request asking the Department of Veterans Affairs to compensate you for injuries or conditions connected to your military service. That's it. You served. Something happened — or something developed because of what happened — and now it affects your daily life. The VA owes you compensation for that under 38 U.S.C. § 1110 (wartime) and 38 U.S.C. § 1131 (peacetime).

Who's eligible? Any veteran with a discharge status of honorable or general (under honorable conditions) can file. If you have an other-than-honorable discharge, you might still qualify — the VA makes character-of-discharge determinations on a case-by-case basis. Don't assume you're out.

To win a claim, you need three things — and only three things:

• A current diagnosis — a doctor says you have the condition today
• An in-service event, injury, or exposure — something happened during your service
• A medical nexus — a link between the two, usually from a qualified medical professional

That's the entire framework. Every denied claim fails on one of those three elements. Every winning claim nails all three.

Intent to File

Before you do anything else — before you gather records, before you write your personal statement, before you even figure out what you're claiming — file an Intent to File (ITF). This is the most valuable five minutes you'll ever spend on your claim.

Here's why. The VA pays disability compensation back to your effective date. For most claims, that effective date is either the date you filed your claim or the date VA received your Intent to File — whichever is earlier. An ITF locks that date in and gives you one full year to actually submit your claim.

Let's say you file your ITF on March 1st and don't submit your actual claim until August 15th. If you win, your back pay goes all the way back to March 1st. Without the ITF, you'd lose five months of compensation. At a 70% rating, that's roughly $8,000 left on the table.

And if you don't file within the year? The ITF expires. No harm done — file a new one. But the clock resets.

Types of Claims

Not all claims are the same, and the type you file determines what evidence you need and how the VA processes it.

Original Claim

Your first-ever claim with the VA. If you've never filed for disability compensation before, this is where you start. You'll use VA Form 21-526EZ. You can claim multiple conditions on a single form — and you should. Don't hold things back for later.

Supplemental Claim

Filed on VA Form 20-0995 when you have new and relevant evidence that wasn't part of a previous decision. This is your go-to tool after a denial. Got a new medical opinion? A buddy letter you didn't include before? New service records? Supplemental claim. These tend to process faster than original claims — often 60 to 90 days.

Claim for Increase

Your condition got worse. You're currently rated at 30% for your knee, but now you can barely walk. File a claim for increase using the same 21-526EZ. The VA will schedule a new C&P exam to evaluate your current severity. Pro tip: document the worsening with your doctor before you file. Recent medical records showing a decline carry serious weight.

Secondary Service Connection

This is where things get interesting — and where a lot of veterans leave money on the table. A secondary claim is for a condition caused or aggravated by a condition you're already service-connected for. Bad knee from service caused you to favor your other leg, and now that hip is wrecked? Secondary claim. Service-connected PTSD causing sleep apnea? Secondary. Depression caused by chronic pain from your service-connected back injury? Secondary.

The legal standard is in 38 CFR § 3.310. You need a medical opinion — called a nexus letter — connecting the secondary condition to the already-rated one. This is one of the most underused claim types, and it's often the difference between a 50% combined rating and an 80% combined rating.

Gathering Your Evidence

Evidence wins claims. Period. The VA operates under the "benefit of the doubt" doctrine — if the evidence for and against your claim is roughly equal, you win. But "roughly equal" still means you brought evidence. Showing up empty-handed and hoping for the best doesn't work.

Service Treatment Records (STRs)

Your in-service medical records. If you went to sick call for that knee, it's in here. If you reported hearing loss, it's in here. The VA should already have these if you separated after the records went digital, but don't assume. Request them yourself through the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) using SF-180 or through VA.gov. Having your own copies means you can reference specific entries in your claim.

Private Medical Records

Any treatment you've received outside the VA system. See a chiropractor for your back? Get those records. Had surgery at a civilian hospital? Get the operative report. The VA can request these on your behalf using VA Form 21-4142, but here's my advice: get them yourself. It's faster, you control the timeline, and you can review them before submitting.

Buddy Letters (Lay Statements)

Don't sleep on these. A buddy letter — formally called a "lay statement" — is a written account from someone who witnessed your condition or its effects. Could be a fellow service member who was there when you got hurt. Could be your spouse describing how your PTSD affects daily life. These go on VA Form 21-10210 (previously 21-4138).

Buddy letters carry real weight, especially for conditions with limited medical documentation. The VA can't just ignore them — they're required to consider lay evidence under 38 CFR § 3.303(a). A good buddy letter is specific, dated, and describes what the person actually observed. "He seemed hurt" is weak. "I watched him limp back from the motor pool every day for three months and he told me his knee gave out during the field exercise on October 12th" is strong.

The Nexus Letter

This is the piece that ties everything together. A nexus letter is a medical opinion from a qualified provider stating that your current condition is "at least as likely as not" connected to your military service. That specific phrase matters — it's the legal standard the VA uses (50% or greater probability).

Not every claim needs a separate nexus letter. If your service treatment records clearly document the condition and you still have it, the C&P examiner may provide the nexus. But for secondary claims, conditions that developed after service, or anything where the connection isn't obvious? Get a nexus letter. It's often the single piece of evidence that flips a denial into a grant.

Filing Your Claim

You've got your evidence. Your ITF is on file. Time to file. You'll use VA Form 21-526EZ, "Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits." You can submit it three ways:

• VA.gov — the best option for most people. Online, trackable, and you can upload evidence directly.
• Through a VSO — your Veterans Service Organization representative can submit it through their access to VBMS (Veterans Benefits Management System).
• By mail — send the completed form to your regional VA office. Slowest option. Only use this if you have no other choice.

Fully Developed Claim (FDC) vs. Standard Claim

When you file on VA.gov, you'll choose between a Fully Developed Claim (FDC) and a standard claim. The difference matters.

An FDC means you're telling the VA: "I've submitted all my evidence. I'm not asking you to go find anything for me. Here's everything — make your decision." The tradeoff? FDCs process faster. The VA's target is 125 days for FDCs versus much longer for standard claims where they're chasing records on your behalf.

A standard claim tells the VA you need help gathering records — maybe from a private doctor or another federal agency. The VA will request those records for you using release forms you provide. This takes longer but is appropriate when you genuinely can't obtain certain records yourself.

The C&P Exam

After you file, the VA will likely schedule a Compensation & Pension (C&P) exam. This is not a treatment appointment. It's an evaluation — and it's one of the most important moments in your entire claim.

The examiner's job is to assess the current severity of your condition and, in many cases, provide an opinion on whether it's connected to your service. Their report goes directly to the rater who decides your claim. If the examiner's opinion is negative, it can sink an otherwise strong claim.

How to Prepare

• Review your records before the exam. Know what's in your service treatment records, what you reported, and when.
• Describe your worst days, not your best. The VA rates based on how your condition affects you at its worst functional level. If your back locks up three days a week, say that — don't tell the examiner "it's not too bad today."
• Be honest and specific. "My knee hurts" is vague. "My knee gives out going down stairs, I can't kneel, and I wake up at 2 AM from the pain at least four nights a week" paints a picture.
• Bring a printed summary of your conditions, when they started, how they've progressed, and how they affect your work and daily life.
• Don't downplay. Veterans are trained to push through pain. That instinct will cost you money here. This isn't the time to be tough.

Mistakes That Tank Claims at the C&P Exam

This is the single biggest mistake I see: veterans minimize their symptoms. You spent years in a culture that rewards toughness and punishes weakness. That mindset will torpedo your claim. The examiner isn't your buddy or your commander — they're evaluating the functional impact of your disability. Tell them the truth. All of it.

Other common exam mistakes:

• Not showing up. A missed exam usually results in a denial.
• Being combative or adversarial with the examiner. They write the opinion. Don't make enemies.
• Not mentioning flare-ups. If your condition flares — ask the examiner to document it. 38 CFR § 4.40 and § 4.45 require consideration of pain, weakness, and functional loss during flare-ups.
• Assuming the examiner read your file. Some do. Many don't. Don't rely on it.

The Rating Decision

After your C&P exam and evidence review, a VA rater issues a Rating Decision. This document tells you whether your claim was granted or denied, your assigned rating percentage, and your effective date.

Ratings follow the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD) in 38 CFR Part 4. Each condition has a diagnostic code with specific criteria for each percentage level — 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and so on up to 100%. A 0% rating means the VA agrees your condition is service-connected but it doesn't currently meet the criteria for compensation. That 0% still matters — it establishes the connection, and you can file for an increase later when it gets worse.

How to Read Your Decision

Your decision letter comes in the mail (and shows up on VA.gov). Read the entire thing. Don't just look at the percentage. The decision includes:

• The granted/denied determination for each claimed condition
• The diagnostic code used for each condition
• The rating percentage and the specific criteria that were (or weren't) met
• The effective date — when your benefits start
• The evidence considered — what records and exams the rater looked at
• The reasons and bases — why the rater decided the way they did

That last part — reasons and bases — is gold. If you were denied, this section tells you exactly what was missing. If you got a lower rating than expected, it tells you which criteria you didn't meet. This is your roadmap for what to do next.

Combined Ratings

Here's something that trips people up. VA math isn't regular math. If you have a 50% rating and a 30% rating, your combined rating isn't 80%. The VA uses a formula in 38 CFR § 4.25 — they apply each rating to the remaining "whole person" percentage. So 50% leaves you at 50% whole. 30% of that remaining 50% is 15%. Add them: 65%, which the VA rounds to 70%. It's confusing, and it matters because every 10% step changes your monthly compensation.

After Your Decision

You got your rating decision. Maybe you're happy with it. Maybe you're not. Either way, you have options.

If your claim was granted at the expected rating — great. Your compensation starts from your effective date, and you'll receive back pay for the months between that date and the decision. Keep an eye on whether your condition worsens over time — you can always file for an increase.

If your claim was denied or rated lower than you expected, the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) gives you three lanes:

Supplemental Claim (VA Form 20-0995)

Submit new and relevant evidence the VA hasn't seen before. This is usually the best first move after a denial. Get a nexus letter, get buddy statements, get a new diagnosis — whatever was missing. There's no time limit, but filing within one year of your decision preserves your original effective date.

Higher-Level Review (VA Form 20-0996)

A more senior rater takes a fresh look at the same evidence. No new evidence allowed. Use this when you think the original rater made an error — missed evidence in the file, applied the wrong diagnostic code, or ignored favorable medical opinions. You can request an informal conference where you or your representative explain the error. Must file within one year of the decision.

Board Appeal (VA Form 10182)

Appeal directly to the Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA). Three options here: direct review, evidence submission, or a hearing with a Veterans Law Judge. This is the longest route — BVA dockets are backlogged — but it's your path to a binding legal decision. Must file within one year.

Common Mistakes

After looking at thousands of claims and talking to veterans at every stage of the process, these are the errors I see over and over again. Every single one is avoidable.

1. Not Filing an Intent to File First

I already covered this, but it bears repeating. Every week you spend preparing your claim without an ITF on file is a week of back pay you won't get. It takes three minutes. Do it today.

2. Submitting Without a Medical Nexus

"I hurt my back in the Army and my back still hurts" seems obvious. It isn't — not to the VA. Without a medical professional explicitly connecting your current condition to your service, the VA can (and will) deny you. A nexus letter or a favorable C&P opinion is how you bridge that gap.

3. Being Tough at the C&P Exam

This one makes me angry because it's the military's own culture working against its veterans. "I manage it." "It's not that bad." "Others have it worse." Stop. The examiner writes down what you say. If you say "it's manageable," that's what goes in the report. Describe your worst days honestly.

4. Not Claiming Secondary Conditions

You're service-connected for a bad back. You developed depression because chronic pain wrecked your quality of life. You developed radiculopathy shooting down your leg. Those are secondary conditions with their own ratings. Most veterans don't think about what their service-connected conditions have caused — and they leave ratings on the table.

5. Giving Up After a Denial

A denial isn't a verdict. It's feedback. The decision letter tells you exactly what was missing. Read it, fix it, and refile. The AMA system is designed to let you correct course. Some of the highest-rated veterans I know were denied on their first try.

6. Filing by Mail When You Don't Have To

Paper claims go into a scanning queue, then into a processing queue. They get lost, misfiled, and delayed. File online through VA.gov. You get instant confirmation, a tracking number, and the ability to upload evidence directly to your file. There is almost no reason to file by mail in 2026.

7. Not Getting Your Own Copies of Everything

Don't trust the VA to have your records. Don't trust the VA to request them correctly. Get your own copies of your service treatment records, your VA medical records (through the Blue Button on My HealtheVet), your private records, everything. If you didn't submit it yourself, you can't be sure it's in the file.

Frequently Asked Questions