Contested claims
A contested claim is when you and someone else are claiming a benefit that only one person can claim. You have 60 days to appeal to a Veterans Law Judge at the Board of Veterans’ Appeals in Washington, D.C. A judge who’s an expert in Veterans law will review your case.
How much time do I have to request a Board Appeal for a contested claim?
You have 60 days from the date on your decision letter to request a Board Appeal.
Are there different types of Board Appeals?
Yes. You can request 1 of the 3 types of Board Appeals listed here. When you fill out your form, you’ll need to select the type you want.
A Veterans Law Judge reviews all Board Appeals. But only some types of Board Appeals allow you to submit new evidence or have a hearing with a Veterans Law Judge.
Direct Review
If you choose Direct Review, a Veterans Law Judge will review your appeal based on the evidence that’s already part of your case. You can’t submit new evidence, and you can’t have a hearing.
The Board’s goal is to send you a decision within 365 days (1 year).
Evidence Submission
If you choose Evidence Submission, a Veterans Law Judge will consider new evidence together with evidence that was already part of your case when we made our most recent decision on your claim. You must submit new evidence with your Board Appeal or within 90 days of the date we receive your request for a Board Appeal.
The Board’s goal is to send you a decision within 550 days (1.5 years).
Hearing
If you choose Hearing, you’ll meet with a Veterans Law Judge. You can choose to add new evidence, but you don’t have to. You can submit new evidence at the hearing or within 90 days after the hearing.
We’ll transcribe your hearing (write down the conversation you have with the Veterans Law Judge) and add the transcript to your appeal file.
You can choose to speak with the Veterans Law Judge in 1 of these 3 ways:
- Virtual tele-hearing using your computer or mobile device
- Videoconference hearing at a VA location near you
- In-person hearing at the Board in Washington, D.C. (you’ll need to pay any travel costs)
The Board’s goal is to send you a decision within 730 days (2 years).
How do I request a Board Appeal?
You can request a Board Appeal in any of these 5 ways.
Option 1: Online
You can request a Board Appeal online right now.
Option 2: By mail
Fill out a Decision Review Request: Board Appeal (Notice of Disagreement) (VA Form 10182).
Send your form and any supporting documents to this address:
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
PO Box 27063
Washington, D.C. 20038
Option 3: In person
Fill out a Decision Review Request: Board Appeal (Notice of Disagreement) (VA Form 10182). Then bring your form and any supporting documents to a VA regional office.
Find a VA regional office near you
Note: You can choose to get a copy of this form at a VA regional office instead of downloading it. Or call us at 800-827-1000 (TTY: 711) to request a form. We’re here Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET.
Option 4: By fax
Fill out a Decision Review Request: Board Appeal (Notice of Disagreement) (VA Form 10182).
Fax your form and any supporting documents to
Option 5: With the help of a trained professional
An accredited attorney, claims agent, or Veterans Service Organization (VSO) representative can help you fill out and submit the form to request a Board Appeal.
What happens next?
If the Board agrees to review your case, you’ll get a letter telling you that the Board has added your case to the docket. The docket is the list of cases for the Board to review.
You don’t need to do anything while you wait for a decision (or a hearing if you requested one) unless the Board sends you a letter to ask for more information.
Find out more about what happens after you request a decision review
If you receive VA emails or texts, we’ll send you updates about the status of your Board Appeal. You can also check your status online.
Check your VA claim, decision review, or appeal status
You can update your phone number and email address in your VA.gov profile.
What if I get a Board Appeal decision that I don’t agree with?
You can appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. You have 120 days from the date on your decision letter to file a Court Appeal.
Note: You would have to file a Court Appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals, not with VA.
Find out how to file a Court Appeal on the Court of Appeals website