Top 10 Reasons Your VA Claim Gets Denied

–   Donnel Beckles, Managing VA Advocate, Veterans Help Group

Donnel Beckles is a top Veterans Advocate and a member of the National Organization for Veterans Advocates. Donnel is accredited to practice VA law by the Department of Veterans Affairs. He has put his wealth of knowledge and expertise in VA disability law to work for thousands of disabled veterans and their survivors. 

He’s sharing some of that knowledge here, with a list of the top 10 reasons he’s seen veterans disability benefits claims denied. 

1. The veteran made a technical error, such as submitting the wrong form, filling out the form incorrectly,  or using an outdated version.

2. The veteran filed for benefits too late. While you can claim VA disability benefits at any time during your disability, some veterans battling cancer or other conditions that can be overcome wait too long to file–if you’ve successfully completed treatment and are back on your feet, you likely won’t be eligible anymore

3. The veteran didn’t provide sufficient information about the extent and impact of the disability, such as an effective personal statement and “buddy letter.” 

4. The medical evidence the veteran and the veteran’s physician submitted isn’t clear, isn’t thorough enough to establish a disability, or doesn’t include a specific diagnosis that would entitle them to VA disability benefits.

5. The veteran failed to establish a service connection. Being disabled isn’t sufficient to get a VA disability rating and qualify for benefits. You must demonstrate that your disability is connected to your military service. While some conditions are presumed service-connected for some veterans, you will typically need to provide a “nexus letter” establishing the connection.

6. The veteran has failed to cooperate with the process, such as providing any additional requested information promptly or failing to attend the Compensation & Pension (C&P) examination.

7. The veteran left out secondary conditions when filing, resulting in an insufficient showing of service-connected impairment.

8. The veteran had a pre-existing injury or condition and did not clearly establish a service-connected aggravation of the condition.

9. VA either failed to properly apply the law to the facts of the case, or VA overlooked winning evidence already in its possession.

10.  The veteran gave up too easily, accepting the all-too-common initial denial instead of requesting higher-level review, filing a supplemental claim, or requesting a Board appeal hearing.

Number 10 is an overarching error that can help avoid all of those listed above trying to go it alone. The VA disability claim and appeals processes are complicated, and your submissions and evidence must conform to very specific requirements. Working with an experienced Veterans Advocate like Donnel can make all the difference in putting together a clear, thorough, effective claim package or appeal. To learn more about how we can help, call 855-855-8992 or fill out the contact form on this site.

For more than a decade, Donnel Beckles has been a leading voice for those seeking disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Since 2016, he has led Veterans Help Group, one of the most successful VA disability advocacy organizations in the United States. He has helped veterans and their dependents secure tens of millions of dollars in benefits.