If you disagree with all or part of the decision rendered by a local VA office or VA medical center, you have options.
- Don't delay! You have one year from the date of the letter notifying you of the decision on your claim.
- Follow the instructions included with the letter notifying you of the decision on your claim, or better yet, contact a Veterans Service Officer and let them help you through the process.
The two most common reasons people appeal are: (1) VA denied benefits for a disability you believe is related to service; or (2) you believe that your disability is more severe than VA rated it.
Grant
If an issue is granted, you will receive a decision from your local VA office implementing the decision by the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.
Remand
Remand means that one or more issues in your appeal is sent back to a local VA office to perform further evidence collection or for other procedural reasons. Your appeal will return to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals when the local VA office complies with the Board’s remand instructions.
A remand usually occurs when the Board of Veterans’ Appeals finds that it does not have enough information about an issue in your appeal to make a decision (for example, additional medical records and/or a new VA examination are needed).
Deny
If an issue is denied and you want to pursue further action, you may:
- File a Supplemental Claim with New and Relevant evidence; or
- File a Notice of Appeal with the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.
We strongly recommend that before beginning this process you contact a Veterans Service Officer and let them help you through the process.
You may also request an optional hearing before a Veterans Law Judge who works at the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.
If you disagree with a VA decision and wish to appeal, please contact a Veterans Service Officer who can help you through this potentially confusing process.