The Veterans Disability claims process can be confusing and overwhelming at a time when you are already dealing with an injury or illness, but you deserve to be compensated for your physical or psychological impairment. If you have an injury or disease that happened while on active duty, or was made worse by active military service, then you are entitled to tax-free disability benefits.
You can apply by filling out VA Form 21-526, Veterans Application for Compensation or Pension. Attach any dependency records, such as your marriage certificate or your children’s birth certificates, as well as medical evidence, such as doctor and hospital reports. Be sure to fill in questions accurately and completely in order to speed the process. When you have all the necessary documents and have completed the application, you can mail or take the application to the closest VA regional office.
You can also go through the Veterans Disability claims process entirely online using the Veterans Online Application, or VONAPP. You can attach up to 5 electronic files. It can be helpful to group documents together in order to ensure that you can provide all the necessary information, but the total of all the attachments must be one megabyte or less. Accepted file types include .doc, .xls, .gif, .jpeg, .jpg, .bmp, .tif, .txt, and .pdf. If you have trouble with this, you can fax the documents. To get a fax number for the VA regional office that is handling your claim, contact the National Call Center at 1-800-827-1000.
Once you have successfully submitted through VONAPP, you will receive an automatic email notice letting you know that the Veterans Disability claims process has started for you. You will receive another email when the VA has downloaded your application informing you which VA office is processing your claim. If you have any questions about the claim, you can contact this office.
Do not submit both a mail and online application, or it could cause confusion about the claim. You should always keep a copy of all completed forms and materials that you provide to the VA for your records. This can be beneficial in case you are denied disability benefits or if the documents are lost.
Get Personalized Advice about the Veterans Disability Claims Process
From here, your paperwork goes through 8 levels of command and 16 different information systems. It may take months or years to hear back. If you still have questions, you can contact the VA on their website, by visiting the closest regional office, or by telephone at 1-800-827-1000.
If you want guidance specific to your situation, if you have been denied disability benefits, or if your claim has been delayed, contact our offices toll-free at 800-562-9830 to get professional legal assistance from one of our veteran disability lawyers. Marc Whitehead has helped thousands of people to get through the Veterans Disability claims process.