Filing a VA disability claim is one of the highest-return activities a veteran can do. A 70% rating is worth over $21,000 per year in tax-free compensation. A 100% rating is worth over $44,000 per year. Yet most veterans file incomplete claims, underrate their conditions, or miss conditions entirely. This step-by-step checklist covers the complete process from the day you separate to the day you receive your rating decision.
File Before You Separate
The Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) program allows you to file your VA disability claim 90-180 days before your separation date. Your rating decision arrives shortly after separation instead of waiting 100-150 days post-separation. This is the most important timing decision in the entire claims process.
Pre-Separation Checklist
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File Intent to File (ITF) immediatelyFile at va.gov/decision-reviews/intent-to-file. Takes 5 minutes. Locks in your effective date — all compensation goes back to this date if approved. File this the day you decide to claim, not the day you submit the full claim.
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Get your service treatment records (STRs)Request your complete medical records from your branch. These are evidence for your claim. If you cannot access them, VA can request them — but it slows processing. Get them yourself for faster results.
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Document EVERY condition — don't self-editList every physical and mental health condition that started, worsened, or was aggravated during service. Common omissions: tinnitus, hearing loss, sleep apnea, back pain, knee pain, PTSD, depression secondary to physical pain. Over-claiming costs you nothing but time. Under-claiming costs you money for life.
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Enroll in BDD (90-180 days before separation)File at va.gov/disability/how-to-file-claim. Select "Benefits Delivery at Discharge." You must have 90-180 days before separation, be available for VA medical exams, and have a known separation date.
Building Your Claim
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Identify service connection for each conditionThree ways to establish service connection: (1) direct service connection — condition started during service, (2) secondary service connection — condition caused by a service-connected condition, (3) presumptive service connection — condition presumed connected to your service based on when/where you served (Gulf War illness, Agent Orange, burn pit presumptives under PACT Act).
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Gather buddy statements for subjective conditionsFor PTSD, chronic pain, and other conditions where medical records may not fully document symptoms, buddy statements from people who served with you or know you personally can fill the gaps. VA Form 21-10210.
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Get a nexus letter for non-obvious connectionsA nexus letter is a medical opinion from a qualified provider stating your condition is "at least as likely as not" related to your service. Needed for conditions not automatically service-connected. Your VA primary care provider or a private physician can write one.
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Get a VSO to review before submittingDAV, VFW, American Legion, and other accredited VSOs provide free claims review. An experienced VSO can identify missing conditions, weak evidence, and secondary condition opportunities before you submit. This is free and can significantly increase your rating.
The C&P Exam
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Prepare for the C&P exam specificallyThis exam is not a treatment visit — it is a rating exam. Describe your worst days, not your average days. Be completely honest about functional limitations. For musculoskeletal conditions, do not warm up before range of motion measurements. Bring your personal statement describing how the condition affects your daily life and work.
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Request and review the DBQ (disability exam form)You have the right to see the C&P examiner's report. Request it through va.gov after the exam. Review for accuracy — errors in the DBQ directly affect your rating. If you find errors, submit a rebuttal statement before the rating decision.
After the Decision
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Review the rating decision carefullyCheck that every condition was rated, service connection was correctly established, and the rating percentage matches the evidence. Common errors: wrong diagnostic code used, missed conditions, incorrect effective date.
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File supplemental claim if anything was missed or rated too lowWithin one year of the decision, you can file a Supplemental Claim with new evidence, a Higher-Level Review, or Board of Veterans Appeals appeal. The one-year window preserves your original effective date for any upgraded rating.
Understand What Your Rating Is Worth
See the exact compensation for every rating level, what benefits unlock at each tier, and how CRDP works if you're also a military retiree.
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