How Veterans Can Check Their VA Claim Status
CCK Law: Our Vital Role in Veterans Law
By checking the status of your VA claim, you know what stage of the appeals process your claim is in and can help you avoid missing deadlines and better understand how the VA claims and appeals process works.
The length of the VA claims and appeals process can vary tremendously based on many factors, including the number of issues for which a veteran is filing a claim, the complexity of the case, and whether the veteran is in the old appeals system (i.e., the legacy appeals system) or the current appeals system (created by the Appeals Modernization Act, or AMA).
In this article, CCK Law will discuss:
- The claims and appeals process
- How veterans can check the status of their VA claim or appeal
- VA claim wait times
- And more
8 Steps That VA Disability Claims Follow
Generally, these are the eight steps that disability claims follow:
- Claim Received. Your claim is moved to this stage once it has been received by VA.
- Under Review. A Veterans Service Representative is reviewing your claim to determine if there is a need for additional evidence. This includes the results of your Compensation and Pension Exam, which VA will schedule.
- Gathering of Evidence. If the Veterans Service Representative deems that your claim requires additional evidence, he or she will request it from the appropriate sources.
- Review of Evidence. All evidence is received and is under review.
- Preparation for Decision. At this stage, the Veterans Service Representative has recommended a decision and is preparing documents detailing that decision.
- Pending Decision Approval. The Veterans Service Representative’s decision is reviewed, and a decision is made.
- Preparation for Notification. Your decision is being prepared for mailing.
- Complete. The award or decision is sent to you via U.S. mail, along with the details surrounding this decision.
How Veterans Can Check Their VA Claim Status
VA allows veterans to check the status of their claims throughout the claim stream in three ways:
- By visiting a local VA regional office
- By calling VA’s national toll-free phone number at 800-827-1000, hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8 A.M. to 9 P.M. Eastern Time. It is recommended to call early in the morning to avoid wait times of 30+ minutes
- Or by logging into VA.gov and using VA’s appeals tracker
Online VA Appeals Status Tool: eBenefits
E-Benefits is a secure web portal created by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense in an effort to provide veterans, service members, and their families with self-service capabilities in managing VA and military benefits. However, the eBenefits portal is being phased out. Nonetheless, this portal previously allowed veterans, service members, and their families an array of self-service functions such as checking the status of a VA claim.
VA has moved most applications and tools from eBenefits to VA.gov. For more information on this, visit eBenefits.va.gov.
Checking VA Claim Status: VA.gov
To check the status of a VA claim using VA.gov, veterans will need to sign in with their existing Login.gov, ID.me, DS Logon, or My HealtheVet account. Veterans who do not yet have a login can create a Login.gov or ID.me account.
After logging in, veterans can find a list of their claims, decision reviews, and appeals. Veterans can check their statuses in the list or select a claim, decision review, or appeal to see the full details. They can also see the following:
- Evidence that the veteran has filed online to support their initial claim
- Any additional evidence VA has requested
- Their claim, decision review, or appeal type
- The claimed issues/conditions
Veterans can also use the tool to upload evidence for an initial claim (but not for a decision review or appeal) and download decision letters for certain types of claims. Certain types of documents will not appear online, such as documents sent by mail or fax, documents submitted in person, or restricted documents to protect the veteran’s or someone else’s privacy.
Importantly, under the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA), veterans will have one year to appeal unfavorable VA decisions. However, there are exceptions to this timeframe. For example, if veterans receive an unfavorable Board decision and choose to appeal to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC), they must do so within 60 days of judgment.
If veterans do not appeal within the timeframes outlined above, their decisions will become final. When a decision becomes final, veterans will lose their effective dates since the claim will no longer be continuous.
VA Claim Wait Times
Similar to the Legacy Appeals system, VA does not operate under any mandated deadlines. However, VA proposed several time frame goals regarding the processing of decisions under AMA. Namely, in both the supplemental claim and higher-level review lanes, VA set forth a 125-day goal for issuing decisions.
With regard to the direct docket within the Board lane, VA set forth a 365-day goal for issuing decisions. While both the hearing and evidence dockets are subject to longer wait times, VA intends to provide regular wait time predictions so that veterans can remain informed and up to date on the status of their appeals. As of Fiscal Year 2025, VA has been taking 94.8 days on average to make decisions on veterans’ initial claims.
Other Ways to Check Your VA Claim or Appeal Status
If veterans are unable to check the status of their claims and appeals on their own, they should consider requesting help from their representative, if applicable. There are several ways in which representatives can check the status of veterans’ claims and appeals, including the following:
Issues on Claim/Appeal (in VA.gov account)
Click on the “Issues” tab to view:
Current issues on appeal
Previously closed issues (granted, denied, or withdrawn)
If help is needed, veterans can contact:
VA-accredited claims agents
Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs)
VA-accredited attorneys
Calling the VA’s Toll-Free Number
Dial 1-800-827-1000
Follow the recorded instructions
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (ET)
Tip: Call early in the morning to avoid long wait times
Visit a Local VA Regional Office
Veterans can inquire in person at a VA Regional Office
Bring a valid photo ID, Social Security number, and VA claim number
A front desk representative will assist with the claim or appeal status
Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS)
An online database of veterans’ electronic claims files
Accessible to VA adjudicators and veterans’ representatives
Shows all documents in the claim file in real-time
Helps representatives stay current and provide accurate updates
Call CCK Law Today
If you need help with your VA compensation appeal, then CCK Law may be able to help. Since 1999, we’ve helped tens of thousands of veterans get the benefits they deserve. Call us today at (800) 544-9144 for a free case evaluation with a member of our team.
