Types of disability claims and when to file
Find out when you can file your first claim for service-connected benefits. And learn what to do if you want to request more benefits or have new evidence to support a claim we denied in the past.
Learn when to file claims
Original claim—file your first claim for disability compensation
We refer to the first claim you file for a disability as your original claim.
You can file a claim up to 180 days before leaving the service:
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If you have 180-90 days left on active duty, you may be able to file a pre-discharge claim through the Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) program. This may help speed up the claim decision process so you can get your benefits sooner.
Find out how to file a pre-discharge claim -
If you have less than 90 days left on active duty, you can’t file your claim through the BDD program. But you can still file before you’re discharged, and your claim will be processed after separation as a fully developed or standard claim.
Learn more about gathering evidence for standard and fully developed claims
You can also file a claim for a disability that appears after discharge:
This is called a postservice claim. There’s no time limit on filing a postservice claim. But you should know that the process may become more complex the longer you wait.
Learn more about disabilities that may be related to your active-duty service but may not appear until after you’ve left the military:
Increased claim—file a claim for more compensation for a disability that we’ve already determined to be service connected and that’s gotten worse
You can file a claim for increased disability compensation if you have a rated service-connected disability that’s gotten worse. You’ll need to submit up-to-date medical evidence that shows your disability has gotten worse.
You can file an increased claim to request these changes:
- An increase in your disability rating
- More financial support
New claim—file a claim for added benefits or other benefit requests related to an existing service-connected disability
You can file a new claim to request these changes to your benefits:
- More financial support
- Special monthly payments
- A shift to Individual Unemployability status (a status given to Veterans who are unable to work because of a disability)
Learn more about Individual Unemployability
Our decision on your new claim will be based only on new evidence (like a doctor’s report or medical test results) that you give us to support your claim. We won’t consider any evidence you may have given us related to past claims.
Secondary service-connected claim—file a claim for a new disability that’s linked to a service-connected disability you already have
You can file a secondary claim to get more disability benefits for a new disability that’s linked to a service-connected disability you already have.
Here are some examples of when you might file a secondary claim:
- You develop arthritis that’s caused by a service-connected knee injury you got while on active duty.
- You develop heart disease that’s caused by the high blood pressure we already concluded was connected to your service.
Special claim—file a claim for special needs linked to your service-connected disability
You can file a special claim to request compensation for special needs.
Here are some examples of special needs:
- A specially equipped vehicle if your service-connected disability prevents you from driving, or
- Temporary payments if you’re recovering from surgery or other treatment and unable to move, or
- Increased payments if you can’t work because of your service-connected disability
Learn more about special claims
Find out how to file a claim for disability compensation
Supplemental Claim—provide new evidence to support a disability claim that was denied
You can file a Supplemental Claim if you meet all of the requirements listed here.
You must meet both of these requirements:
- We decided your claim in the past, and
- Your claim isn’t a contested claim
And you must meet at least one of these requirements:
- You have new and relevant evidence to submit, or
- You’re requesting a review of your claim based on a change in law (such as the PACT Act)
For example, you might file a Supplemental Claim if you were treated for pain in your elbow while on active duty, but you were denied disability benefits because your VA health exam didn’t find a problem. Then 2 years later, an X-ray of your elbow showed signs of arthritis (a painful swelling and sometimes wearing down of a joint). In this case, you would need to send your new exam and X-ray results to us as new evidence related to the claim.