In 2009, the VA allowed Veterans to view their claim or appeal status on the eBenefits portal. The VA has been migrating this feature slowly to the VA.gov website. This should make checking claims easier once the process is complete.
To check your claim with VA.gov, log in then go to your main dashboard. You should see four ‘blocks.’ The block on the far right deals with your claims. Find the claim for which you want to check the status, then click on it. A new page will open. This page contains three options you can check regarding your claim or appeal.
We’re going to go through each of these three breakdowns, so you know what you’re looking at when you view your claim or appeal details.
Check an Individual Claim Status
The first option on your individual claim page is STATUS. This section shows which of five process steps in the life of a claim (or appeal) that your claim is in currently. These steps are:
- Receiving
- Processing the appointment
- Uploading information
- Reviewing documents
- Making decisions
View the Claim Files
The second area you can view for an individual claim is FILES. In this section, you can see all the relevant documents for that claim. If you need to add files to your claim or appeal, you can upload those files in this section on VA.gov.
Find Important VA Claim Details
The DETAILS section identifies the type of claim you have filed, whether it is a request for a rating increase or a new claim. You may have multiple types of disability claims with the VA. This section will break down, according to individual disability claims, everything in that claim.
In this section, you can also find the date the VA received the claim. This date is essential for payment purposes, especially if you did not file an SF Form 21-0966 Intent to File.
Finally, if you are working with a VSO or volunteer representative from the DAV or VFW, this information will be listed at the bottom of the section.
Conclusion
Checking on the status of your claim and/or appeal is an important task that every veteran should do. But that’s only good if you understand the information you see.
If you need assistance understanding your claim status or appeal status, don’t hesitate to give one of our veterans a call at Strategic Veteran. We are a free resource for veterans by veterans. Call us today at 800-761-9004.