Waiting times VA compensation are described below. Veterans may experience long waiting times before they receive those benefits.
What Should I do first?
Before you file a claim, its often helpful to obtain copies of your medical and service records, but this is not required. The VA may process the claim faster if you have all of your records when you apply for benefits. Waiting times VA compensation will be reduced if these records are already available.
Can my claim be expedited?
The veteran may expedite their claim at the Regional Office level if they have a terminal illness, extreme financial hardship, or are a former prisoner of war. Veterans should submit a Notice of Disagreement when they are denied benefits.
How long does it take to get a Statement of the Case or Board Decision?
It can take around 419 days to receive a statement of the case “decision” after filing your first appeal or “Notice of disagreement”. This is an average and depending on which office processes this time could be more or less. Similarly, the Board of Veterans Appeals (“Board”) takes a long time to issue a decision too. However, the Veteran can expedite the claim if they are over the age of 75, has a serious illness, or has severe financial hardship. Requesting a hearing generally slows down the Board’s decision. Veterans should request a video hearing if they are concerned about time, as an in-person hearing takes longer. Alternatively you can request a hearing at the NOD level or create a “lay statement” whereby you attest to anything you would say in a hearing in an affidavit or letter format. The Board travels around the country for in-person hearings, and it might take years for them to visit your area. Unfortunately, the Board may take years to decide the case. Veterans should understand that they might be waiting over three or four years to hear back from the Board.
CAVC
Veterans can appeal their BVA decision to the Court of Veterans Appeals (“CAVC”). The CAVC issues a decision much faster than the Board, however we don’t recommend handling a CAVC an appeal without a qualified attorney.
The VA will expedite a veteran’s case if the CAVC remands it back to the Board. Gather evidence to help your case if you know it will be remanded. Veterans should follow up with the Regional Office every 30-45 days after their case is remanded to make sure the Regional Office is moving the case forward. Your attorney can file a special document, called a writ of mandamus, which educates the Board or Regional Office on the rules requiring expeditious treatment. Unfortunately, it sometimes takes years to receive VA benefits. When going through this process, please know that you may be waiting several years to finally get a decision. We provide useful advice on this site to give you the best chance of winning by presenting the best evidence and legal support to win your claim(s).
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