How to Apply

How you apply for VA Disability Compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) depends on if you are still in the military or if you have already been discharged. Note: Applying for VA Disability Compensation is also called “filing a claim” for benefits. And the VA calls your application a “claim.” On DB101, we use both terms (“apply/application” and “claim”).

Pre-discharge Claims

If you have a service-connected condition and are still in military service, you can file a claim before you leave the military:

• If you have 90 to 180 days left on active duty, you can apply through the Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) program. This means the VA is likely to make a faster decision, and if you qualify, you might get benefits sooner. To use BDD, you must be available to go to VA exams when needed in the 45 days from the date you submit your claim. Learn more about BDD and how to file through BDD if you’re stationed overseas.
• If you have less than 90 days left on active duty, or your case requires special handling, or you want to add more medical conditions to your initial pre-discharge claim, you need to follow the steps for post-discharge claims described below, but you can start the process before your discharge date. Learn how to file a claim less than 90 days before discharge.
• If you are wounded, injured, or ill and can’t perform your duties, your doctor will refer you to the Integrated Disability Evaluation Systems (IDES) to file your claim and get services. Learn more about IDES.

Claims After Military Discharge

If you have already left military service, there are several ways to apply for VA disability benefits. You can:

• File online, or
• Download VA Form 21-526EZ, print it out, complete it, and submit it
  • By mail to:
    Department of Veterans Affairs
    Claims Intake Center
    PO Box 4444
    Janesville, WI 53547-4444
  • In person at the VA's Phoenix Regional Office, or
  • By fax to 1-844-531-7818 if you are in the U.S., or 1-248-524-4260 if outside the U.S.
• Work with an accredited representative who will help you file your claim by one of the above methods.

Learn about evidence requirements so you know exactly what you need. Turn in copies (not your original documents, evidence, or records), and make sure to keep your own copy of everything you submit. If you mail anything to the VA, pay extra to get a tracking number and a record of when it was delivered.

You will need to submit or give the VA permission to gather:

• Your DD214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) or other separation documents
• Your service treatment records
• Medical records related to your illness or injury, like doctor’s reports, X-rays, and medical test results

You can also submit supporting statements from family, friends, coworkers, clergy, or law enforcement officers that tell how and when your disability happened or how it got worse.

The VA explains how to upload your evidence online and lists additional forms you might need to file to support your claim or for specific types of conditions.

The VA also has Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs) that help you submit medical evidence from your health care providers. These downloadable forms make sure the VA gets exactly the information needed to process your claim. The VA provides a list of all DBQ forms that are available to the public. Note: The VA does not pay for the cost of completing or submitting DBQs.

Other Times You Might File a Claim

In addition to your original claim for Disability Compensation, you may need to submit other claims. This can include:

• Asking for more compensation for a disability that the VA has already agreed is service-connected and that has gotten worse
• Filing a claim for a new disability that’s linked to a service-connected disability you already have
• Asking for help with special needs linked to your service-connected disability, or
• Other circumstances.

The VA explains these types of VA disability claims and when to file. You can also file a claim for special compensation for things like a specially equipped vehicle or clothing damaged by your prosthetic or orthopedic device.

Getting Help with Your Application and Claim

Applying for VA benefits can be hard: you need to know about the benefits the VA offers; understand the laws, regulations, and policies that govern them; and know what evidence you need to send in with your application. Even if the VA approves your application, you still need to figure out if the VA has granted you everything you should be getting. This article is not a substitute for getting qualified and trained help.

Many veterans have successfully applied for and gotten the benefits they claimed on their own. To do this, they spent time learning everything about how the VA works. If you have the time and education needed to understand the VA, this is an option.

However, if you find the VA’s rules and programs confusing, you can get help from:

• Accredited Service Officers, employees of a recognized veterans service organization or a state or county department of veterans affairs who have been trained and are accredited and authorized by the VA to represent claimants (people applying for veterans benefits). Service officers do not charge for their services.
• Accredited Claims Agents, non-attorneys who have been authorized by the VA to represent claimants. Claims agents may charge you a fee for some services.
• Accredited Attorneys, attorneys authorized by the VA to represent you. They typically charge fees.

You can search the VA website for accredited representatives, claims agents, and attorneys.

No matter who helps you or represents you, make sure it’s a person you trust who knows what they’re doing. Ask other veterans in your area if they know good, accredited service officers, claims agents, or attorneys. Do not settle for a substandard representative. If you get a representative, you are not happy with, you can change your representative at any time.