How to file a VA disability claim

Understand the basic eligibility questions

VA generally looks for a current condition and a connection to military service. That connection may involve an illness or injury that began during service, a condition made worse by service, or a qualifying presumptive condition. Discharge and service requirements also apply.

A condition can be real and serious even when it is not visible. The goal is to document your own history and limitations accurately. A diagnosis alone does not establish every element of a claim.

Gather useful evidence

• Service treatment and personnel records relevant to the event or exposure.
• Current medical records describing the condition and its impact.
• Relevant private treatment records, or authorization for VA to request them.
• Accurate statements from people with firsthand knowledge.

Organize the evidence by condition and date. Explain gaps honestly. Never invent an incident or copy someone else’s symptom description as if it were your own.

Submit through the official VA process

You can file online, by mail, in person, or with an accredited representative. VA Form 21-526EZ is the application for disability compensation and related compensation benefits. Check the current VA instructions before submitting.

If you need time to collect records, an intent to file may protect a potential earlier effective date. Keep confirmation of the submission and track the deadline for completing the claim.

After you submit

Monitor requests for evidence and examination appointments. Keep your contact details current. A compensation and pension exam may be needed, but not every claim requires one. Save copies of what you submit and read the eventual decision letter carefully, including reasons for any denial and review options.

A VA-accredited VSO representative can help with a claim without charging a fee. Use our accredited-help guide to locate official assistance.

Identify the kind of claim you are preparing

Before collecting a large folder of records, write a sentence describing the request: a first claim, an increase for an already service-connected condition, or a new condition related to an existing service-connected disability. If VA already denied the same issue, examine the decision-review options rather than assuming a new original application is the right route.

The evidence needed differs by claim type. For example, an increase focuses on a change in severity, while a secondary claim involves a connection to an established service-connected disability. VA’s evidence guide explains these distinctions. Use it with an accredited representative when the correct route is unclear.

Make a one-page evidence map for each condition

For instance, a private note might say, “Orthopedic visit in March; request the report from the clinic.” That is more useful than an unlabelled pile of attachments. A statement from someone who observed an event should describe what they actually saw, not repeat a diagnosis they cannot support.

Service status can matter for Guard and Reserve claims

If the event occurred during Guard or Reserve service, identify the duty period and its status. Active duty, active duty for training, and inactive duty training have different eligibility rules. Orders, service records, and any relevant line-of-duty documentation can help your representative understand the circumstances.

Do not assume that every injury or illness during years of membership is treated the same way. Note the specific date and duty status beside the event in your evidence map. The official evidence guide discusses training-related claims.

A final check before pressing submit

• Read the application as a whole: names, dates, conditions, and attachments should agree.
• Label records clearly enough that you can identify them again later.
• Separate facts you know from approximate dates or information you still need to confirm.
• Check your intent-to-file deadline, if applicable; gathering records does not extend it.
• Save the submission confirmation and a copy of the completed application.

Afterward, keep an action list for evidence requests and appointments. Our C&P exam guide can help you prepare a truthful account of your symptoms. The disability calculator can show what supplied percentages combine to, but it cannot decide which conditions are compensable or predict the outcome of this application.