How to File a VA Disability Claim: Step-by-Step Guide

This guide is based on official sources listed below. It is general information, not legal or medical advice.

This guide is for veterans who need to file a claim for VA disability compensation.

It walks you through who can file, how to start, what evidence you need, and where to get help.

Who can file a claim

To be eligible, you must have a current illness or injury that affects your mind or body, and you must have served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training.

Beyond that, at least one of these must be true: you got sick or injured while serving, you had a condition before service that got worse because of service, or you have a disability related to your service that showed up after you left the military.

For some conditions, called presumptive conditions, the VA automatically assumes your service caused them, so you do not need to prove that link; you only need to meet the service requirements for the presumption. One example is a chronic illness that appears within one year after discharge.

When to file

You can file your first claim, called an original claim, up to 180 days before you leave active duty.

If you have 180 to 90 days left on active duty, you may file through the Benefits Delivery at Discharge, or BDD, program, which can speed up the claim decision so you get your benefits sooner.

Once fewer than 90 days remain in your service, the BDD program is no longer an option, yet submitting your claim prior to discharge is still permitted; it will then be handled post-separation as either a fully developed or standard claim.

If you already have a rated service-connected disability that has gotten worse, you can file an increased claim for more compensation, and you will need to submit up-to-date medical evidence that can support the worsening.

How to start your claim

Starting a disability compensation claim form online with an identity-verified account automatically notifies the VA of your intent to file.

Ways to file

You can file a claim online. You can also file by mail using VA Form 21-526EZ and sending it to Department of Veterans Affairs, Claims Intake Center, PO Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444. You can also file in person at a VA regional office.

Evidence you need to submit

To submit a supporting statement, you can use VA Form 21-4138 or a Lay or Witness Statement on VA Form 21-10210.

Your local VA medical center or a VA contractor schedules the exam by mailing you a letter with the date and time.

Getting help with your claim

An accredited attorney, claims agent, or Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative can help you file a claim.

VSO representatives provide their services for free, while accredited attorneys and claims agents may charge fees.

To appoint a VSO representative, fill out VA Form 21-22. To appoint an accredited attorney or claims agent, fill out VA Form 21-22a.

Where to get help

If you are in crisis, the Veterans Crisis Line provides free, confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You do not have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to use it. To reach the crisis line, dial 988 and then press 1, or send a text to 838255.

For the final word on your own situation, contact the VA directly and speak with an accredited representative or a qualified professional.

How to File a VA Disability Claim