The 1 year rule that protects your back pay

One year, three reviews, and the claim sharks to avoid on the way.

Your three reviews

One question tells you which review to file

"I have new evidence VA never saw"

Supplemental Claim

VA Form 20-0995

"VA made a mistake with what it already had"

Higher Level Review

VA Form 20-0996

"I want a judge to decide"

Board Appeal

VA Form 10182

Two more checks. A condition on the PACT Act presumptive list does not require you to prove the service connection, which is usually the hardest part. And if your conditions keep you from working, ask about TDIU, which pays at the 100% rate even with a lower combined rating.

Protect yourself

Claim shark red flags

Thousands of dollars up front for filing help
No VA Form 21-22 or 21-22a for you to sign
A promised rating. Nobody can promise one.

Anyone demanding thousands up front, or a percentage of your back pay, is the scam these flags point to. You can file every one of these reviews yourself.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals issues more than 100,000 decisions a year and grants at least some relief in more than a third of them. Source: Board of Veterans' Appeals.