Success Tips

Being successful at winning your claim requires adherence to certain principles. These principles were derived from the experience of many other veterans who tried to get benefits from the VA. Follow these tips and enhance your ability to win your claims.

1.  See the Doctor: If you have any medical issues go see the doctor and get it documented.  We’ve all been there when we were serving where we didn’t go to see the doctor because we thought it was something minor. That minor thing turned out to be a major problem later on after we leave the service and now looking to file for benefits. So, regardless of what you think now, go see the doctor and get it on the record.

2.  Use the “Intent-to-File” option: You can file an “intent-to-file” claim which gives you one year to put together and submit your claim. This is important because it establishes the date at which you will start getting paid if your claim is approved.

3. File your claim in a timely manner.  The sooner you file the sooner you can get approved and start collecting benefits. Filing at a later date means that you’re losing out on possible benefits because benefits are only retroactive to one year.

4.  Fully Developed Claim: Provide complete information for your claim so that you can have a fully developed claim. Fully developed claims are processed faster. This includes Injury Statement, DD-214, NEXUS Statement from your doctor, Medical records, and Buddy Letters. 

5.  Secondary Conditions: Don’t forget to claim benefits for secondary conditions. Secondary conditions are conditions that you have as a result of something else. For example, knee injury could lead to a secondary condition of back pain. Secondary conditions add to your main condition will get you a higher rating.

6.  Relevant Evidence: Only submit relevant information and evidence about your claim. Don’t submit your entire medical record. Take out the documentation that is relevant to the specific claim that you’re making. This will speed up your claim because the Rating Officer (RO) won’t have to devote extra time to sifting through your entire medical history.

7.  Attend your scheduled C&P exam appointments: When you get a C&P appointment make every effort to attend it. You shouldn’t try to change it. Changing it will result in delaying your claim decision. In some instances, it could result in a denial. This has happened to many people.

8.  Check Status: Check the status of your claim regularly so that you can read your decision letter soonest. If your claim is denied you will have a limited time to appeal.

9.  Active Duty Personnel: If you are still on active duty and thinking about getting out and filing a claim, go through the Benefit Delivery At Discharge (BDD) program at your installation. This is also referred to as “Quick Start” claim or “Pre-Discharge” claim. To qualify you must have between 60 and 180 days left on active duty. The VA will take your claim and get you examined before you go home. Normally, decisions are available about two months after you separate or retire.

10. Service Connection likelihood: If you are out of service for less than a year, and you think you might have a claim, go ahead and apply.  Service connection is more likely when filed within a year.

11. Don’t need the money now: Even if you don’t think you need the money now you should still file a claim if you have an injury. Don’t wait until you need the money to do so. 

12. Time Limit to File: There is no time limit to file a claim.  If you’ve been out of the service for an extended period of time you can still file a claim.

13. Help: Use professional representation such as accredited attorneys, claims agent or Veteran Service Organization (VSO) to give a boost to your claim.

14. Doctor’s Notes: Whenever you visit your doctor [military/private] get a copy of the record of your visit and also get a copy of the “Doctor’s Notes”. The “Doctor’s Notes” is where the doctor makes detail notation about your condition and treatment that is not available on the normal medical document that you would get. You have to specifically ask for it. This is what the VA uses to evaluate your claim.