What happens after your approved for disability

Learn about the VA claim process and what happens after you file your claim. Find out how long it takes, on average, to process a VA disability claim.

How long does it take VA to make a decision?

104.8 days

Average number of days to complete disability-related claims in November 2022

The amount of time it takes to review your VA disability claim depends on:

• The type of claim you filed
• How many injuries or disabilities you claimed and how complex they are
• How long it takes us to collect the evidence needed to decide your claim

What should I do while I wait?

You don’t need to do anything unless we send you a letter asking for more information. If we schedule any exams for you, be sure not to miss them. You can check the status of your claim online. The timeline you see there may vary based on how complex your claim is.

Track the status of your claim

What happens after I file a VA disability claim?

1. Claim received

   We’ll let you know when we receive your VA disability claim.

   • If you file your claim online, you’ll get an on-screen message from us after you submit the form.
   • If you mail your application, we’ll send you a letter to let you know we have your claim. You should get this letter about one week, plus mailing time, after we receive your claim.

2. Initial review

   We'll review your claim. It’ll move to step 3 if we don’t need any more evidence to support it.

3. Evidence gathering, review, and decision

   During this step, we'll do 3 things:

   • Ask for evidence from you, health care providers, governmental agencies, or others
   • Review the evidence
   • Make a decision

   If we need more evidence during the review, your claim may return to this step more than once.

4. Preparation for notification

   We’ll get your entire claim decision packet ready to be mailed.

5. Claim complete

   We’ll send you a packet by U.S. mail that includes details of the decision on your claim. Please allow 7 to 10 business days for your packet to arrive before contacting a VA call center.

   If you got a decision notice from us that confirms your disability rating (the rating that measures the severity of your disability), you may be able to get disability compensation or benefits. Find out what benefits you can get.

   Disability compensation may include financial compensation (payments) as well as other benefits—like health care or job training.

   If you haven’t gotten your decision notice:

   • Check your status, or
   • Contact your nearest VA regional office, or
   • Call us at 800-827-1000, or
   • Contact us online through Ask VA

   When will I get my first payment?

   If your decision notice shows at least a 10% disability rating, you’ll get your first payment within 15 days. We’ll pay you either by direct deposit or check. If you don’t get a payment after 15 days, please call the Veterans help line at 800-827-1000, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET.

   What if I disagree with my disability rating?

   If you disagree with your disability rating, you can file an appeal. You’ll need to do this within 1 year of getting your decision notice.
   Learn about how to file an appeal

   How do I get other benefits?

   • For health care: If you served on active duty and didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge, you may be able to get VA health care. This includes access to VA doctors and care, plus medical equipment, prosthetics, and prescriptions.
     Apply for VA health care
   • For life insurance: If you’re in good health other than your disability caused by service in the military, you can buy Service-Disabled Veterans’ Insurance (S-DVI)—a government life insurance policy.
     Apply for S-DVI online. Or, call 800-669-8477, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET.
   • For education benefits: You can get VA support for college or job training under special programs. Or, talk with a VA education counselor to find out what benefits you may be able to get.
     Learn about education benefits
   • For dependent benefits: If you’re 30% or more disabled due to a disability caused by service in the military, you can get financial support and benefits for your qualified dependents.
     Learn more about adding dependents to your disability benefits
   • For other benefits: Check with your local or state VA offices for other benefits you may be able to get—like help with buying a home or making changes to your home to make it more accessible, or help with getting a job.
     Find your state’s Veterans Affairs website

   How do I get benefits that cover specific disabilities?

   • If you have a 100% disability rating, you may be able to get:
     • Dental care, and
     • Access to commissaries and exchanges
   • If you can’t work due to your disability caused by service in the military—even without a 100% rating—you can apply for Individual Unemployability.
     Learn about Individual Unemployability
   • If you need special clothing because of your injuries, you may be able to get money to buy new clothes.
     Learn about the annual clothing allowance benefit

   Keep in touch

   It’s important to update your information with VA when you have a new address, a change to your marital status, or any other life change that could affect your rating or payment. If your disability gets worse, you can file a claim for an increase in benefits.

   What's the highest disability payment?

   The current maximum amount for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits (SSDI) is $3,148 per month. The average disability payment for a disabled worker receiving SSDI is $1,358 per month.

   What is the most back pay for Social Security?

   Fifteen months elapsed from the time you became disabled — what the SSA calls your “onset date” — to when your claim was finally approved. By law SSDI benefits have a five-month waiting period — they start the sixth full month after the onset date — so you're entitled to 10 months of past-due benefits.

   What is the most hours you can work on disability?

   Social Security typically allows up to 45 hours of work per month if you're self-employed and on SSDI. That comes out to around 10 hours per week. The SSA will also see whether or not you're the only person working for your business. You must not be earning SGA, along with not working too many hours.

   What is the lowest SSDI payment?

   The benefit amounts are not based on the recipient's historical earnings but set by the federal government. In 2022 the federal SSI benefit rate is $841 for an individual and $1,261 for a couple.