Lnc How Long Does It Take to Do a Medical Review
Today, we will explore the VA Fully Developed Claim Timeline 2022 in-item, as well equally the factors that tin bear on how long it takes the VA to effect a rating determination on your claim.
After you've filed for disability benefits, it's natural to wonder: "How long does a VA claim have?"
The answer depends on whether you lot've submitted a VA Fully Adult Claim (FDC) or a Standard Merits (Non-FDC), as well equally a variety of other factors we deep-dive below.
The VA publishes its claims processing timelines, and in general, you can expect to receive a VA rating decision within ninety to 120 agenda days (3-iv months) from showtime to end.
Yet, VA disability claim determination timelines can vary drastically—from just a few days to two years or more.
Why is that?
Well, there are a variety of factors that tin affect the VA disability claim timeline, so let's accept a minute to explore them thoroughly.
Yous might likewise similar the following blog posts:
- The 8 Step VA Inability Claim Process Explained
- VA Claim Stuck on Gathering of Show? Try This!
- How to Increment Your VA Rating and Have Information technology Canonical Faster
- Top ten Easiest Thing to Merits for VA Disability This Year [2022]
What Factors Impact How Long a VA Claim Takes?
There are several factors that can impact how long it takes the VA to process your claim, including:
- Initial claims typically take longer because a Claims Assistant at the VA must asking your Service Handling Records (STRs) and your personnel file.
- The total number of inability atmospheric condition you've filed for. The more conditions you file for, the longer your claim will take for a rating determination.
- Whether you filed a VA Fully Developed Claim (FDC) or a Standard Claim (Non-FDC). Standard Claims require further evolution by a Veteran Service Representative (VSR) such as obtaining private treatment records, personnel records, etc.
- The capability and completeness of your medical show for VA rating purposes. If the medical testify isn't clear, a VSR is required to perform farther claim evolution, which can delay your claim.
- How presently y'all are contacted and scheduled for Compensation and Alimony (C&P) exams. Also, some inability conditions crave an in-person examination, whereas others can be washed virtually via telehealth or via records review only – called an ACE Exam.
- If your C&P exam results are acceptable for rating purposes. For example, if the VA Rater needs to go dorsum to the examiner for their rational or if the examiner failed to consummate the DBQ correctly.
- The VA Claims Backlog, which tin can bear on how soon a VA Rater gets assigned to your example.
- If you file a VA claim for PTSD, and do Non have a gainsay medal, your claim will take longer because the VA must effort to verify your stressor through the Joint Services Record Enquiry Center (JSRRC).
- If you have submitted a "specialty" VA claim that tin can merely be worked at certain Regional Offices. For example, claims for Burn Pit Exposure, Radiation Exposure, and Contaminated Water.
- If your claim is picked up for "Quality Review" past the VA. Every Veteran Service Representative (VSR) and Rating Veteran Service Representative (RVSR) has v VA claims per calendar month randomly pulled for a quality review assessment.
What Evidence Do I Need to Submit to Get My VA Disability Claim Approved?
To get your VA claim approved, you demand to show three essential elements:
- #i. Medical diagnosis of a disability condition (this can be in Service Treatment Records (STRs), VA medical records, OR any individual records, only information technology needs to exist in a medical record somewhere). Information technology does help to take a "current" medical diagnosis inside the past 12 months, although information technology's non required.
- #ii. Your inability status was caused or made worse by yourActive-DUTY military service ("Nexus") OR it'south proximately due to or aggravated by ANOTHER service-connected disability rated at 0% or higher for secondary service connectedness.
- #3. Current symptoms of the disability condition, which we call "Severity of Symptoms." How severe are your symptoms and how is your disability condition negatively impacting your work, life, and social functioning?
#1. Medical Diagnosis
First, you MUST have a medical diagnosis of a disability condition in a medical tape.
The medical diagnosis does Not need to exist in your Service Treatment Records (STRs), only it must be somewhere, in either VA medical records or individual handling records.
If y'all think you have a disability status, but don't yet have it medical diagnosed, GET YOUR Butt TO THE DOCTOR!
Without a medical diagnosis, you're dead-in-the-h2o, and your VA disability merits will be denied.
The #1 best fashion to evidence you have a medical diagnosis of a disability is to upload medical records (this can be in VA medical records or private treatment records) showing a current medical diagnosis in support of your VA Fully Developed Claim.
#2. Nexus for Service Connection
2nd, you must be able to prove to the VA that your disability condition (if medically diagnosed) was caused or fabricated worse past your active-duty war machine service (this is the "Nexus," which means link or connection)OR information technology's proximately due to or aggravated by ANOTHERservice-connected inability rated at 0% or higher for secondary service connectedness.
The #1 all-time way to prove service connexion to the VA is to go an Independent Medical Stance, aka, Medical Nexus Alphabetic character from a private healthcare provider.
If yous've ever logged into youreBenefits account, clicked the "Disabilities" tab on the left-hand side of the screen, and seen various disability weather condition that say, "Not Service Connected," the VA denied service connectedness.
The VA is telling you they couldn't find a "Nexus" for service-connection on at "at to the lowest degree as likely as non" basis, which is a required chemical element past police force to be eligible for VA inability benefits.
Judge what veterans?
The VA makes mistakes every day, all day, and they're trying to help you, but you've got to aid them, too!
#iii. Severity of Symptoms
Third, your terminal VA rating percentage for a particular disability comes down to your "Severity of Symptoms."
Generally, the more severe your symptoms, the higher the VA rating percentage you'll receive for that disability.
Y'all can see what I mean by paying close attention to the symptoms and keywords tied to diverse VA disability rating percentages in 38 CFR, Part four, Schedule for Rating Disabilities.
When writing your personal statements andbuddy messages, you want to explain in patently English your current symptoms of the disability condition into the present 24-hour interval, aka, "Severity of Symptoms."
The #ane all-time way to prove your current severity of symptoms is to write a personal argument in support of your claim and don't agree annihilation dorsum – you've got to tell the VA how y'all are on your very worst days. Medical prove (with symptoms clearly documented) and Buddy Messages are very helpful, too.
Specifically, you need to talk about how your disability status is limiting/affecting your piece of work, life, and social functioning.
Okay, at present that you know about the essential elements for your VA claim, let'southward jump into the VA fully developed merits timeline this year.
What is the VA Disability Claim Timeline?
If y'all submit a VA Fully Developed Claim (FDC) in 2022—significant—all the evidence is uploaded in support of your claim, y'all'll likely get a claim decision in 90-120 days (iii-4 months) from submission to honour.
Filing a VA Fully Developed Merits (FDC) online at VA.gov is preferred over a Standard Claim (Not-FDC).
Why?
Two things:
#i. You maintain control of your claim and the prove submitted to the VA, AND
#2. Your claim will be decided faster and more accurately because the VA doesn't need to look elsewhere for medical evidence or personnel records because you've already uploaded everything in back up of your claim.
What is the VA Fully Developed Merits Timeline 2022?
If you file a Fully Developed Claim online, which we highly recommend, the VA will follow an 8 step process to review and rate your claim:
- Pace #1: Merits Received: 7 to xiv days
- STEP #2: Under Review: seven to 21 days
- Step #three: Gathering of Evidence: 30 to 60 days
- STEP #4: Review of Prove: 7 to fourteen days
- STEP #v: Preparation for Decision: seven to 14 days
- Pace #half-dozen: Awaiting Decision Approval: 7 to 14 days
- STEP #7: Preparation for Notification: 7 to 14 days
- Stride #eight: Conclusion Notification Sent: 7 to 10 days
How Long Does a VA Disability Merits Take?
If yous submit a Fully Developed Claim (FDC)—meaning—all the prove is uploaded in support of your claim, you'll probable go a VA rating decision in 3-4 months from start to stop.
Even so, VA merits determination timelines vary wildly from a few days to two years or more.
You should too be enlightened of the current VA claims excess, which can touch on how soon you'll go a VA rating conclusion.
For example, the total number of pending claims has reached 630,000+, which is the highest number since early 2014 whereas the total number of backlogged claims just striking 260,000+, which is the highest number since early 2015.
What is the Timeline From C&P Exam to Decision 2022?
In 2022, you can look to receive a VA rating decision inside iv to half-dozen weeks after your last C&P examination.
If information technology's been longer than 6 weeks, pick up the telephone, call the VA hotline, and ask to speak to a VA representative at 1-800-827-g.
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Brian Reese
Founder & CEO
Brian Reese is VA benefits skilful, writer of the #one Amazon Bestseller Yous Deserve Information technology: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Veteran Benefits You lot've Earned, and founder of VA Claims Insider –"The Almost Trusted Proper noun in Education-Based Resources for Veterans."
His frustration with theeight-step VA disability claims process led him to create"VA Claims Insider," which provides U.S. armed forces veterans with tips, strategies, and lessons learned for successfully submitting or re-submitting a winning VA inability bounty merits.
Brian istoo the CEO ofMilitary Disability Made Piece of cake, which is the globe'south largest gratis searchable database for all things related to DoD disability and VA disability claims and has served more than 4,600,000 military members and veterans since its founding in 2013.
His eBook, the"9 Secrets Strategies for Winning Your VA Disability Claim" has been downloaded more than 300,000 times in the past iii years and is the #one rated gratis VA inability claims guide for veterans.
He is asometime active duty Air Strength officer with extensive feel leading hundreds of individuals and multi-functional teams in challenging international environments, including a combat bout to Afghanistan in 2011 supporting Functioning ENDURING Liberty.
Brian is a Distinguished Graduate of Management from theU.s. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO and he holds an MBA from Oklahoma State University'due south Spears School of Business, Stillwater, OK, where he was a National Honor Scholar (Height 1% of Graduate School course).
Source: https://vaclaimsinsider.com/va-fully-developed-claim-timeline/