VA Disability Claims Process

This page will walk through the VA disability claims process from first intent to final rating decision and beyond — covering how to protect your effective date, what evidence to gather, how to prepare for a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam, how combined ratings actually work mathematically, and what to do when you disagree with the VA’s decision. It will also point to VSO resources that can file and manage claims on your behalf at no cost.

Topics to cover

Intent to file — what it is, how to file it (phone, online, paper), why it protects your effective date while you gather evidence
Gathering evidence and nexus letters — service treatment records, private medical records, buddy statements, what a nexus letter must say and why it matters
C&P examination preparation — what examiners are looking for, how to describe your worst days accurately, what not to do
Disability rating combinations — how the VA uses the “whole person” method (not simple addition), examples that show why 60% + 40% ≠ 100%
Supplemental claims — adding new and relevant evidence to a previously denied claim, the one-year window after decision
Higher-Level Review (HLR) — what it is, what the reviewer can and cannot consider, when to use it vs supplemental
Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA) — three lanes (direct, evidence submission, hearing), realistic timelines, what changes at this level
VSO resources — DAV, American Legion, VFW, state VSOs, and how to get free representation