Choosing a decision review option
If you disagree with a VA benefit decision, you can choose from 3 decision review options to continue your case: a Supplemental Claim, a Higher-Level Review, or a Board Appeal. Keep reading on this page to find out which option is right for you.
Which decision review option is right for me?
Option 1: If you have new evidence
File a Supplemental Claim if you have new and relevant evidence that we didn’t consider before. We can help you gather any new evidence you identify (such as medical records) to support your claim.
A reviewer will decide if this new evidence changes the decision.
To file a Supplemental Claim, fill out VA Form 20-0995.
Get VA Form 20-0995 to download
Learn more about Supplemental Claims and how to file
For disability compensation claims, you can also file a Supplemental Claim online.
File a Supplemental Claim online
Note: You can also submit new evidence with certain types of Board Appeals. Keep reading on this page to learn about Board Appeals.
Option 2: If you believe there’s an error in your case—and you don’t have new evidence
Request a Higher-Level Review if you believe there’s an error with the decision on your claim.
A higher-level reviewer will review the decision. This reviewer will consider the same evidence as before. They can’t consider any new evidence.
Note: You can request an optional, one-time, informal conference with a higher-level reviewer to identify specific errors in the case. If you request an informal conference, this may delay the review.
To request a Higher-Level Review, fill out VA Form 20-0996.
Get VA Form 20-0996 to download
Learn more about Higher-Level Reviews and how to request a review
For disability compensation claims, you can also request a Higher-Level Review online.
Request a Higher-Level Review online
Option 3: If you want the Board of Veterans’ Appeals to review your case
Request a Board Appeal if you want a Veterans Law Judge at the Board of Veterans’ Appeals to review your case.
When you fill out the form, you’ll need to request the type of review you want from the Board:
- Direct Review, if you don’t want to submit evidence or have a hearing
- Evidence Submission, if you want to submit additional evidence without a hearing
- Hearing, if you want to have a hearing with a Veterans Law Judge (with or without new evidence)
You can request a Board Appeal online right now.
You can also request a Board Appeal by filling out VA Form 10182.
More questions you may have about your options
You can request a decision review for any VA benefit decision you disagree with.
Here are some examples:
- Compensation benefit decisions (such as decisions on service connection, an earlier effective date, or a higher evaluation for a service-connected condition)
- Fiduciary decisions
- Education benefit decisions
- Veteran Readiness and Employment benefit decisions
- Home loan (or loan guaranty) decisions
- Life insurance decisions
- Decisions about housing assistance, automobile allowance, adaptive equipment, and clothing allowance
You can also request a decision review for health care benefit decisions like these:
- VA health care eligibility decisions (including for family member health care programs)
- Family caregiver program benefit decisions
- Decisions about health care-related travel reimbursement
Yes.
If you disagree with a decision that your VA care team makes about your treatment or care, you can request to have other medical professionals review that decision. You can also request a review of a decision made by a non-VA provider in our community care network.
This type of decision review follows our Clinical Appeals process.
Learn how to request a Clinical Appeal of a medical treatment decision
For Higher-Level Reviews and Board Appeals, the deadline is 1 year from the date on your original decision letter.
If you miss the deadline for these review types, your options will depend on the benefit type. For disability compensation and some other types of claims, you’ll need to submit a Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence. For certain benefits, like the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC), you can submit a new application.
This depends on the type of benefit. Here are our goals for benefits that aren't related to health care.
- For Supplemental Claims: Our goal is an average of 125 days (4 to 5 months).
- For Higher-Level Reviews: Our goal is an average of 125 days (4 to 5 months).
- For Board Appeals: Our goal is to process appeals on the Direct Review docket within an average of 365 days (1 year). Our goal averages are longer for appeals on the Evidence Submission and Hearing dockets.
You can request another review, depending on the type of decision you receive:
- After you receive a Supplemental Claim decision, you can request another Supplemental Claim, a Higher-Level Review, or a Board Appeal.
- After you receive a Higher-Level Review decision, you can request a Supplemental Claim or a Board Appeal.
- After you receive a Board Appeal decision, you can request a Supplemental Claim or appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.