SERVING

Those That

SERVED

Fully Developed Claim

  • If you are or were a National Guard / Reserve member: include all service medical and personnel records in the custody of your unit (Collecting and submitting these will expedite your decision because they are difficult for VA to collect.)

     

Don't Forget To:

      

1.  Upload the documents you gathered to eBenefits

  • Scan the documents
  • Under the Upload Documents tab, select Manage Files
  • Upload your documents

        

2.    Verify you have No More Evidence

  • If you have additional evidence to collect and submit, SAVE your record now. You have one year to collect and upload additional evidence.  During this time, a VSO can log-on, view your application online and provide guidance on filing an FDC before you submit the claim.  When you have finished uploading your evidence you are ready to

     

“Click Submit”

  

   

   

  

   

  

   

   

  

  

  

    

MORE ABOUT COLLECTING AND SUBMITTING EVIDENCE

   

To get the fastest, most accurate claims decision, collect and submit the following evidence along with your online application: 

1.     Private health care:  It’s important to collect and send all of your relevant private medical records.  This reduces the time it takes VA to request and wait for these documents from your private physician.

          

2.    Statements from friends and family:  These optional statements may be useful to describe when onset of your disability, details about the injury or event that caused your disability (if they were there and saw it), and the disability’s impact on you.  These types of statements are especially helpful if the disability or event or injury that caused the disability is not recorded in your military records.

           

3.    Personal statements:  You are your own best advocate. While VA and VSOs stand by ready to assist, both need to hear from you why you think you should be service-connected, especially if the incident or condition is not recorded in your military records.

     

Once you have collected all your supporting evidence, log back into eBenefits and upload all your documents. There is no limit to number of documents you can upload, but each file must be 5 megabytes or smaller (about 150 black and white pages at 300 resolution).  Once you verify that you have no more evidence, VA can start processing your claim right away. If you do submit more evidence after you submit the claim, VA will remove your claim from the FDC program and process it through our regular channels

    

Know the Difference Between the FDC & DRC

   

For instance, the DRC stipulates that veterans must work exclusively with a veterans service organization to submit a claim.  The DRC requires all medical exams and federal records to be included in the claim at the time of the final submission. Also, the DRC is open to veterans filling certain kinds claims for direct service-connection disabilities, presumptive service connection disabilities, secondary service connection disabilities, and an increased evaluation. The veteran must have previously filed a claim for disability compensation, received a decision and not reentered a subsequent period of military service. Additionally, the veteran must not have any appeal pending for any of the conditions they would like to claim under DRC program.