Veterans who have been denied for VA Disability Compensation Benefits, which are monetary benefits paid to veterans who were injured during their service or whose service aggravated an existing injury, will soon have new ways to appeal the denial of their claims. Starting February 19, 2019, a veteran who has been denied VA Disability Compensation will have three options:
1) file a Supplemental Claim and introduce new evidence to support their case. The case will be reviewed by a specialist in the regional office, who will make a final decision.
2) request that the case be reviewed by a senior claims adjudicator to find clear errors and mistakes in statutory interpretation. If the senior claims adjudicator finds an error, they can force the case to be corrected.
3) appeal directly to the Board of Veterans Appeals. With this option, the veteran can request either a hearing or direct decision. This option will take the longest because of the required legal preparation.
VA officials hope that these options will decrease the time it takes to process Disability Compensation claims. Veterans who already have a case currently pending can choose one of the above options or remain in the current system.