Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Updates – New for April 2024

Below is the April 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Our newest report analysis reveals how pending VA claims numbers changed during the last 30 days. Veterans and military families that apply for benefits can also learn how long it takes to receive a determination decision.  

April 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics: Claims Inventory Status

The April 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report lists all outstanding benefit applications the VA still needs to review. It includes every new claim for VA disability, pension, and survivor’s benefits, but no appeals. Thankfully, April’s report shows the claims inventory continuing its six-month shrinking trend:

• As of April 6, 2024: 975,947
• As of March 2, 2024: 996,774
• Difference: -20,827
• Daily churn: -947 claims

Recently filed a benefits claim with the VA? You’ll wait 154 days (at least 5 months) for a determination decision.

Here’s how the April 2024 claims inventory breaks down:

• 26% are from vets seeking benefits for the very first time
• 73% are VA supplemental claims
• 1% are Blue Water Navy claims for conditions that arise from Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War

April 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics: Claims Backlog Status

Claimed more than 125 days old in the April 2024 veterans disability benefits report count as “backlogged” applications. As you can see below, backlogged claims fell 10% since last month’s report came out:

• As of April 6, 2024: 330,645
• As of March 2, 2024: 368,574
• Difference: -37,929 claims
• Daily churn: -1,724 claims cleared from the backlog

The April 2024 veterans disability benefits report shows disabled vets have a 50% chance of falling into the backlog. Where you live can make a difference in how long you’ll wait, so we broke those states out for you below.

The following states currently have the slowest VA disability claim review times:

• Vermont –183 days
• Maine – 182.4 days
• Connecticut – 178.3 days
• Wyoming – 176.6 days
• South Dakota – 173.7 days
• Kentucky – 172.4 days
• North Dakota – 172.2 days
• Montana – 171.8 days
• Mississippi – 171.5 days

However, these states and territories had the fastest VA claim reviews for April 2024:

• Washington, D.C. – 138 days
• Minnesota – 145.8 days
• Puerto Rico – 147.3 days
• Rhode Island – 148 days
• Colorado – 148.5 days
• Florida – 148.9 days
• North Carolina – 149 days

How to Get Free Expert VA Claim Help Now

The VA admits that it gets at least 15% of claim reviews wrong. That means at least 1 in 6 vets must file appeals to get all the money they deserve each month.

We can connect you with a VA-accredited attorney to either handle your appeal or help file your initial claim. This service is always free and never requires you to do anything else after your VA claim review is complete.

DisabilityApprovalGuide.com has connected 10,000 disabled veterans with attorneys for free claim evaluations. If an attorney doesn’t help you gain more VA income, then you pay $0. But if your case against the VA wins, then you only pay one small fee.

Want free, VA-accredited claim help? Click the button below to start your free online benefits quiz and see if you may qualify:

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March 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report

Let’s review the March 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In our analysis below, you’ll learn how pending VA claims numbers changed during the last 30 days. These monthly snapshot reports reveal how the VA’s newest numbers may impact veterans and military families currently waiting on benefits.

March 2024 Claims Inventory Status

The March 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report lists all outstanding benefit applications currently waiting on the VA’s review. It includes every application for VA disability, pension, and survivor benefits requesting ratings or approval for payment. March marks the 5^th month the VA’s claims inventory category shrank since hitting a record high in October 2023:

• As of March 2, 2024: 996,774
• As of February 3, 2024: 1,013,915
• Difference: -17,141
• Daily churn: -857 claims

Applying for VA benefits this month? You’ll wait about 154 days (6 months) for a response back about your claim. This is because of the large influx of PACT Act claims filed during the past year. In fact, those supplemental claims make up 44% of this month’s VA claims inventory category.

PACT Act conditions are “VA presumptive disabilities.” This means the VA automatically approves claims that include recent medical records for these specific health conditions.

March 2024 Claims Backlog Status

The March 2024 veterans disability benefits report’s backlog includes any claims still under review after 125 days. We noted another 7% drop in backlogged claims compared to February’s report:

• As of March 2, 2024: 368,574
• As of February 3, 2024: 397,323
• Difference: -28,749 claims
• Daily churn: -1,437 claims cleared from the backlog

A little less than 2 in 5 claims today fall into the VA’s backlog (37%). The vets most affected by longer wait times for VA benefits include:

• Blue Water Navy veterans who served in Vietnam filing Agent Orange claims (more than 85% are backlogged)
• Recently discharged veterans filing initial VA disability compensation claims (more than 51% arebacklogged)
• Family members of deceased veterans filing survivor benefit claims for the very first time (49%)

The VA tracks claim appeals separately, so they’re not in the March 2024 veterans disability benefits report. However, here’s what the most recent AMA report shows us:

• Direct review appeals take 639 days, on average (21 months)
• Appeals with new medical evidence for review take 697 days to process (23 months)
• Hearings take 729 days from your original filing date to render a decision (about 2 years)
• Legacy appeals take a little more than 5 years to finish, on average

February 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report

Join us as we review the February 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This monthly report reveals how outstanding VA claims numbers changed during the last 30 days. Below, we’ll explain how the VA’s latest numbers may impact veterans and military families currently applying for benefits.

February 2024 Claims Inventory Status

All benefit applications the VA has currently under review show up in the February 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report. This statistical snapshot lists all disability, pension, and survivor benefits that either need ratings or the VA’s approval for payment. We are happy to note that the claims inventory shrank more than 3% compared to January’s report:

• As of February 3, 2024: 1,013,915
• As of January 6, 2024: 1,048,765
• Difference: -34,850
• Daily churn: -1,742.5 claims

Applying for VA benefits this month? You’ll wait about 152 days for a response back about your claim.

The VA currently takes at least 150 days to review each veteran’s claim. That means 6 months from your filing date is the likely soonest you can get VA benefit payments.

According to the February 2024 veterans disability benefits report, these states take at least 6 months to approve claims:

• Vermont – 164 days
• Wyoming – 164 days
• New Mexico – 163 days
• North Dakota – 162 days
• Montana – 162 days
• Mississippi – 161 days

And these states process VA disability cases faster than the rest:

• Colorado – 140 days
• North Carolina – 144 days
• Virginia – 145 days
• Alaska – 145.5 days
• Rhode Island – 146 days
• Maryland – 147.5 days
• Florida – 148 days

February 2024 Claims Backlog Status

Next, let’s review the February 2024 veterans disability benefits report’s backlog update. The word “backlog” refers to any claims more than 125 days old that the VA hasn’t finished reviewing yet. Thankfully, the VA’s backlog for February shrank almost 5% compared to last month’s near-historic high:

• As of February 3, 2024: 397,323
• As of January 6, 2024: 417,855
• Difference: -20,532 claims
• Daily churn: -1,027 claims cleared from the backlog

About 1 in 3 (32.6%) of this month’s backlogged claims are initial applications for pension, VA disability, and survivor benefits. The following veterans are most likely to fall into February’s VA backlog:

• 45% served in either Iraq or Afghanistan
• 25% served during Vietnam
• 19% served during the Gulf War
• 10% served between the end of Vietnam and the start of the Gulf War
• Less than 1% served in other wartime service eras (Korea, World War II)

January 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis

The January 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is here, with our analysis. This monthly VA report showing how outstanding claims numbers changed during the last 30 days. Below, we’ll explain how the VA’s current numbers may impact veterans waiting on claim approval.

January 2024 Claims Inventory Status

All VA benefit claims waiting on the agency’s review appear in the January 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report. It gives you a brief update on all disability, pension, and survivor benefits that need ratings or the VA’s approval for payment. Since 2023 ended, the VA cleared more than 30,000 claims from its inventory:

• As of January 6, 2024: 1,048,765
• As of December 2, 2023: 1,079,564
• Difference: -30,275
• Daily churn: -1,540 claims

While the VA’s working hard to reduce its claims inventory, it’s still hovering at historic highs compared to recent years. For comparison, VA claims increased 48% since January 2023. That means veterans filed more than 339,000 new VA claims in 12 months, primarily due to August 2022’s PACT Act.

The VA currently takes at least 150 days to review each new claim. That means 6 months from your claim filing date is the likely soonest you can get VA benefit payments.

January 2024 Claims Backlog Status

Up next are backlogged claims in the January 2024 veterans disability benefits report. The word “backlog” refers to any claims the VA is still working on more than 125 days after you file. Compared to this time last year, the VA’s backlog more than doubled in size:

• As of January 6, 2024: 417,855
• As of December 2, 2023: 318,221
• Difference: +99,634 claims
• Daily churn: +4,982 claims added to the backlog

It’s also the highest backlog number we’ve seen from the VA since summer of 2014. Today, about 40% (2 in every 5) of VA claims end up in the agency’s backlog category. Here’s how those numbers break down:

• 67% are supplemental claims for either new or worse disabilities or requesting a higher VA rating
• 31% are initial pension, VA disability, or survivor benefits claims
• 2% are Blue Water Navy claims for Agent Orange exposure during service

Veterans who served during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts filed 46% of January’s backlogged VA claims.

December 2023 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis

We’ve completed our analysis of the December 2023 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Every month, the VA issues a new report showing how claims numbers from veterans changed during the last 30 days. Below, we’ll explain how the VA’s newest numbers may impact veterans and their families who rely on these benefits.

December 2023 Claims Inventory Status

All VA benefit claims currently under review appear in the December 2023 veterans disability benefits statistics report. This monthly update lists applications for disability, pension, and survivor benefits that need ratings or the VA’s approval for payment. Based on this latest report, the VA’s claims inventory shrank nearly 2% between November 4 and December 2, 2023:

• As of December 2, 2023: 1,079,564
• As of November 4, 2023: 1,096,839
• Difference: -17,275
• Daily churn: -864 claims

Today, it takes the VA at least 148 days to review each veteran’s claim. That means the soonest you can get VA disability compensation or pension payments is 6 months from your filing date.

Appealed claims aren’t listed in the December 2023 veterans benefits report. However, here’s how long it takes to process different types of appeals in the November 2023 AMA metrics report:

• 605 days for direct review requests (i.e., appeals that don’t include new medical evidence for the VA to consider)
• 697 days for appealed claims with new medical evidence for the VA to review
• 713 days for appeals hearings in front of an administrative law judge

Now, some good news: The VA approved 55% of supplemental claims filed so far in 2023!

December 2023 Claims Backlog Status

Now, let’s look at backlogged claims in the December 2023 veterans disability benefits report. Any applications the VA still hasn’t finished processing after 125 days ends up in the backlog category. Unfortunately, we saw a big bump in backlogged claims for the last month of this year:

• As of December 2, 2023: 318,221
• As of November 4, 2023: 301,408
• Difference: +16,813 claims
• Daily churn: +841 claims added to the backlog

Nearly half (47%) of December’s backlog involves claims from vets who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Another 1 in 4 claims (24%) come from Vietnam War vets.

Gulf War vets make up about 1 in 5 (19%) backlogged claims this month. Finally, 1 in 10 (9%) claims in this month’s backlog come from peacetime veterans. These are former military members who served between the end of Vietnam and the start of the 1990s Gulf War.

Claims from Korea, World War II and other service era veterans make up less than 1% of December’s claims backlog.

November 2023 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis

Let’s dive into the latest VA claims data from the November 2023 veterans disability benefits statistics report. Once per month, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reports how VA claims numbers changed during the past 30 days. Learn how the VA’s latest report numbers may impact veterans and families waiting on benefits below.

November 2023 Claims Inventory Status

Our November 2023 veterans disability benefits report shows all VA benefit applications currently under review. It lists all pending claims for disability, pension, and survivor benefits the VA must approve for payment or assign ratings. On November 4, the VA’s claims inventory finally began to shrink for the first time since July 2022:

• As of November 4, 2023: 1,096,839
• As of October 7, 2023: 1,098,487
• Difference: -1,648
• Daily churn: -82.4 claims

Since January 2023, the VA’s received a little less than 400,000 claims from veterans and their families. Today, veterans applying for benefits wait a little less than 150 days for the VA’s response. That’s at least 5 months!

Below are the slowest states and territories to process VA disability claims in the November 2023 veterans benefits report:

• Wyoming (177 days)
• Kansas (164 days)
• Oregon (163 days)
• District of Columbia (162 days)
• Nevada (158 days)
• Puerto Rico (158 days)
• North Dakota (157 days)
• Alaska (156 days)
• Pennsylvania (153 days)

And the following are the fastest states to process VA disability claims:

• Vermont (120.4 days)
• Delaware (127 days)
• Montana (128 days)
• Connecticut (130.5 days)
• Colorado (131.5 days)
• Virginia (132 days)
• Washington (132.6 days)
• Oklahoma (133 days)
• Hawaii (133.5 days)

As you can see, it’s impossible right now for the VA to process any claim in less than 4 months.

November 2023 Claims Backlog Status

The VA’s backlog holds all claims more than 125 days old in the November 2023 veterans disability benefits report. Thankfully, the backlog’s growing at a much slower pace than the overall VA claims inventory:

• As of November 4, 2023: 301,408
• As of October 7, 2023: 306,747
• Difference: -5,339 claims
• Daily churn: -267 claims cleared from the backlog

A little less than 2 in every 3 claims in this month’s backlog are supplemental in nature. In other words, the vets who filed these claims already get paid some VA benefits each month.

November 2023’s VA claims backlog breaks down in the following ways:

• 41% are for PACT Act presumptive disabilities
• 26% are AMA supplemental claim decision review requests
• 15% are for VA disability compensation and list no more than 7 conditions that need ratings
• 11% are VA disability claims with at least 8 unrated conditions
• 3% are survivor’s benefit claims from eligible family members
• 2% are Agent Orange-related claims
• 1% are veteran’s pension claims

October 2023 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis

We have the latest VA claims data from the October 2023 veterans disability benefits statistics report. Each month, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reports on how claims for VA benefits changed during the past 30 days. Learn how the VA’s newest numbers may impact veterans and their families below.

October 2023 Claims Inventory Status

Any claims waiting on ratings or payment approval from the VA appear in the October 2023 veterans disability benefits report. This report includes updates on disability, pension, and survivor benefit applications still waiting on the VA’s review. On October 7, the VA’s claims inventory just a little less than 1.1 million total pending applications:

• As of October 7, 2023: 1,098,487
• As of September 2, 2023: 1,077,288
• Difference: +21,199
• Daily churn: +1,060 claims

Today, veterans filing claims will wait anywhere from 138-141 days to get a response back from the VA. Almost 3 in 4 applications in this month’s report are supplemental claims. Among supplemental claims, most (64%) involve new presumptive disabilities authorized for payment under last year’s PACT Act.

Here’s what else the October 2023 veterans disability benefits statistics report tells us:

• 144 days, on average, to review each new VA disability compensation claim.
• Connecticut is fastest for VA disability claims (125 days); Washington, D.C. is slowest at 173 days, on average.
• 127 days to review VA pension claims, on average, so far this year.

October 2023 Claims Backlog Status

The VA’s backlog holds all claims more than 125 days old in the October 2023 veterans disability benefits report. Thankfully, the backlog’s growing at a much slower pace than the overall VA claims inventory:

• As of October 7, 2023: 306,747
• As of September 2, 2023: 282,220
• Difference: +1,226
• Daily churn: +61 claims added to the backlog

If you file a claim today, you have about a 1 in 3 chance of ending up in the VA’s claims backlog. Claims with at least 8 service-connected disabilities for exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam take longest to process, on average.

The following service members make up most of October 2023’s VA claims backlog:

• 45% are Iraq and Afghanistan veterans
• 25% are Vietnam veterans
• 19% are Gulf War-era veterans
• 9% are peacetime veterans
• 2% are claims from veterans who served in all other eras, combined

September 2023 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis

Our September 2023 veterans disability benefits statistics report is here, so let’s take a look at the VA’s latest numbers. These monthly reports show how claims filed with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs changed during the past 30 days. We’ll explain how the VA’s latest claim statistics may impact veterans and their families below.

September 2023 Claims Inventory Status

The September 2023 veterans disability benefits report lists all claims the VA must either assign ratings or approve for payment. This monthly update includes all disability, pension, and survivor benefit claims the VA is currently working on. On September 2, the VA’s claims inventory broke its previous record high of 883,000 pending applications set back in 2012. Today, more than a million outstanding claims are sitting in the VA’s claims inventory waiting for review:

• As of September 2, 2023: 1,077,288
• As of August 5, 2023: 944,142
• Difference: +133,146
• Daily churn: +6,657 claims

Filing a VA claim for benefits this month? You’ll wait about 126-233 days for a response, based on the September 2023 veterans disability benefits statistics report. You should also keep in mind that supplemental claims make up 75% of today’s inventory growth. PACT Act conditions, newly approved VA presumptive disabilities, and Agent Orange-related illnesses and injuries make up most supplemental claims.

September 2023 Claims Backlog Status

Any claim that’s more than 125 days old counts under the VA’s backlog. The September 2023 veterans disability benefits report’s backlog is actually quite small compared to this month’s total pending VA claims:

• As of September 2, 2023: 282,220
• As of August 5, 2023: 272,525
• Difference: +9,695
• Daily churn: +486 claims added to the backlog

Looking at these numbers, about 26% of September’s total VA claims are backlogged. Supplemental claims make up 70% of this month’s backlog. Another 42% are for new or worse service-connected disabilities.  

The following service members make up most of September 2023’s VA claims backlog:

• 44% are Iraq as well as Afghanistan veterans
• 27% are Vietnam veterans
• 18% are Gulf War-era veterans
• 9% are peacetime veterans
• 2% are claims from veterans who served in all other eras, combined

August 2023 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis

The VA’s August 2023 veterans disability benefits statistics report is here, so let’s take a look. Each month, we analyze how claims filed with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) changed during the past 30 days. Learn how the VA’s latest claim numbers may impact veterans and their families below.

August 2023 Claims Inventory Status

The August 2023 veterans disability benefits report lists any VA claims data changes in the past month. This monthly snapshot includes all applications for disability, pension, and survivor’s benefits waiting on the VA’s review. On August 5, the claims inventory held at least 944,000 applications for various VA benefits:

• As of August 5, 2023: 944,142
• As of July 1, 2023: 852,876
• Difference: +91,266
• Daily churn: +4,563 claims

Honestly, we’ve never seen this much of a jump before in total claims filed within a 30-day period. The August 2023 veterans benefits report reveals the VA just blew past its previous peak of 883,930 claims in July 2012. Today, the VA reports that it takes 125-132 days, on average, to review each veteran’s application for benefits.

The VA tracks appealed claims in a separate system. Here’s how long the agency takes to review appeals by claim type, based on July 2023’s AMA report:

• 543 days for direct review appeals that submit no new medical evidence
• 676 days for appealed claims that submit new medical evidence
• 692 days to process appeals requesting a hearing before a judge

August 2023 Claims Backlog Status

Once pending VA claims sit for more than 125 days without a decision, then they move into the agency’s backlog. The August 2023 veterans disability benefits report’s backlog shows a significant increase in older claims since last month:

• As of August 5, 2023: 272,525
• As of July 1, 2023: 243,665
• Difference: +28,860
• Daily churn: +1,443 claims added to the backlog

It’s important to remember, though, that this month’s backlog remains well below its March 2013 peak of 611,073 VA claims.

The following vets are most impacted by this month’s backlog:

• 44% are Iraq and Afghanistan conflict vets who served during the early 2000s
• 27% are Vietnam vets
• 18% are Gulf War-era vets who served during the early 1990s
• 9% are peacetime veterans who served between the end of Vietnam and the start of the first Gulf War

Important: Worried the August 2023 veterans benefits report’s numbers could leave your own claim in limbo? Consult a veterans’ disability lawyer for free in order to learn how to potentially speed things up.

July 2023 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis

Let’s get into the new numbers in the VA’s July 2023 veterans disability benefits statistics report. This monthly update from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shows how claims changed during the past 30 days. Below, we’ll explain how the VA’s new claim numbers may impact veterans and families.

July 2023 Claims Inventory Status

The July 2023 veterans disability benefits report lists any VA claims data changes since June’s update. You can find the latest numbers for VA disability, pension, and survivor’s benefits waiting on review or approval. On July 1, we noted more than 852,000 pending applications sitting in the VA’s claims inventory:

• As of July 1, 2023: 852,876
• As of June 3, 2023: 829,126
• Difference: +23,750
• Daily churn: +1,188 claims

Constantly rising pending VA claims indicates we’ll break the previous record set in 2012 as soon as next month. It’s now virtually impossible to get your claim approved or new ratings assigned in less than 4 months.

July 2023 Claims Backlog Status

Any VA claims that are more than 125 days old fall into the agency’s “backlog” category. The July 2023 veterans disability benefits report’s backlog is larger than ever before, unfortunately:

• As of July 1, 2023: 243,665
• As of June 3, 2023: 222,905
• Difference: +20,760
• Daily churn: +1,038 claims added to the backlog

The following types of claims most likely to fall into the VA’s backlog for July:

• 67% are supplemental claims for PACT Act presumptive disability conditions
• 26% are initial applications for VA disability benefits
• 5% are pension claims
• 2% are for veteran DIC benefits

June 2023 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis

We just finished the VA’s June 2023 veterans disability benefits statistics report analysis. This report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shows the latest claim numbers from the past 30 days. Learn how the VA’s new claim numbers may impact veterans and their families below.

June 2023 Claims Inventory Status

The June 2023 veterans disability benefits report lists any VA claims data changes since their last update in May. It lists all pending claims for disability, pension, and survivor’s benefits that need VA ratings or payment approval. On June 3, the VA reported close to 830,000 total claims in its inventory:

• As of June 3, 2023: 829,126
• As of May 6, 2023: 813,762
• Difference: +15,364
• Daily churn: +768 claims

The VA currently takes 122-130 days in order to process veterans’ disability claims, on average. However, if you choose to file an appeal, the VA tracks those claims separately.

At its current pace, the claims inventory could soon break the VA’s previous record high of 883,930 from July 2012. If you’re considering filing a VA disability claim, the sooner you do so, the better!

June 2023 Claims Backlog Status

The VA defines any pending claims more than 125 days old as “backlogged.” The June 2023 veterans disability benefits report’s backlog grows bigger every day, and by a lot:

• As of June 3, 2023: 222,905
• As of May 6, 2023: 210,599
• Difference: +12,306
• Daily churn: +615 claims added to the backlog

The June 2023 veterans disability report shows a little more than 1 in 4 claims (27%) fall into the VA’s backlog. The types of claims most likely to fall into the VA’s backlog this month are as follows:

• 43% are supplemental claims for newly eligible presumptive disability conditions
• 32% are initial applications for VA disability benefits
• 21% are AMA supplemental claim decision review requests
• 3% are VA survivor benefit claims filed by either spouses, parents, or children
• Less than 2% are pension-related claims

May 2023 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis

We have the VA’s May 2023 veterans disability benefits statistics report ready for review. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reports on how many vets applied for benefits during the past 30 days. If you’re a veteran, learn how the VA’s new claim numbers may impact you or your family.

May 2023 Claims Inventory Status

The May 2023 veterans disability benefits report lists all changes to VA claims data since April’s report came out. This monthly update includes all claims for disability, pension, and survivor’s benefits that need VA ratings or payment approval. On May 6, the VA listed more than 813,000 total claims waiting on a determination decision:

• As of May 6, 2023: 813,762
• As of April 8, 2023: 802,966
• Difference: +10,796
• Daily churn: +540 claims

Today, the VA takes anywhere from 122 to 130 days to process most applications for benefits. If you appeal, the VA tracks that info in a separate system. The VA’s April 2023 appeals report shows how long it takes to process each appeal by claim type:

• 505 days to complete direct reviews (29% of vets win benefits at this stage)
• 610 days to process appeals that submit new medical evidence (33% of vets win benefits at this stage)
• 684 days to complete appeals that involve ALJ hearings (40% of vets are successful at this stage)

What’s driving the huge rise in overall VA claims? Last year’s PACT Act, which approved 20 more VA presumptive disability conditions for monthly benefits. In April, the VA announced it had received more than half a million such claims from veterans and their families. Since January 2023, the VA awarded more than $1 billion in earned benefits to eligible vets and their survivors. If you think you might have a condition from exposure to airborne toxins, sign up for the VA’s burn pit registry.

May 2023 Claims Backlog Status

Once a claim sits with the VA for more than 125 days, they count it as “backlogged.” The VA barely added any new backlogged claims this month, according to the May 2023 veterans disability benefits report:

• As of May 6, 2023: 210,599
• As of April 8, 2023: 210,207
• Difference: +392
• Daily churn: +20 claims added to the backlog

Today, a little more than 1 in 4 claims (26%) fall into the VA’s backlog. The oldest claims in the May 2023 veterans disability benefits report come from:

• Gulf War vets – 37%
• Vietnam War vets – 27%
• Iran and Afghanistan vets (post-9/11 era) – 24%
• Peacetime vets (period between the end of Vietnam until the first Gulf War) – 10%
• Vets who served in earlier wars/all other eras combined – less than 2%

April 2023 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis

Let’s take a look at the VA’s April 2023 veterans disability benefits statistics report. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issues a monthly report on how many vets applied for benefits during the past 30 days. This report includes all disability, pension, and survivor’s claims that need VA ratings or approval for payment. If you’re a veteran, read on to learn how the VA’s latest claim numbers may impact you.

April 2023 Claims Inventory Status

The April 2023 veterans disability benefits report lists all changes to VA claims data since their March report came out. On April 8th, we noted just a little less than 803,000 total claims waiting on the VA’s review:

• As of April 8, 2023: 802,966
• As of March 4, 2023: 766,549
• Difference: +36,417
• Daily churn: +1,457 claims

Today, veterans who file claims wait, on average, between 123 to 131 days to hear back from the VA. Unfortunately, the claims inventory could beat the VA’s previous record of 883,930 pending applications as soon as this June. Keep in mind also that vets who file appeals don’t show up in these monthly VA report numbers. Instead, the VA uses a separate system to track appealed claims.

Claims in the April 2023 veterans disability benefits report’s inventory break down in the following ways:

• 48% are supplemental claims for new or worse medical conditions that started during military service (mostly PACT Act claims)
• 23% are AMA supplemental claims seeking a decision review request
• 13% are initial VA disability claims with no more than 7 total health problems linked to military service
• 8% are first time VA disability claims that list at least 8 total service-connected health issues that need ratings
• 4% are either seeking higher VA disability ratings or Agent Orange-related claims
• 2% are initial survivor’s benefit applications from parents, spouses, or children of deceased vets
• 2% are VA pension claims from newly retired vets

April 2023 Claims Backlog Status

If the VA hasn’t processed a claim after 125 days, then it falls under the backlog category. The April 2023 veterans disability benefits report’s backlog grew slightly compared to last month. It appears the VA’s prioritizing older claims over newer ones at this time, as you can see below:

• As of April 8, 2023: 210,207
• As of March 4, 2023: 199,898
• Difference: +10,309
• Daily churn: +412 claims added to the backlog

The slowest states to process VA disability claims based on this month’s report are:

• Wyoming (148 days)
• Minnesota (143 days)
• New Mexico (141 days)
• Vermont (140 days)
• Nevada (134 days)
• Alaska (133 days)
• West Virginia (132 days)
• Arkansas (131 days)

Fastest states to handle claims in the April 2023 veterans disability benefits report are:

• Hawaii (107 days)
• North Carolina (107 days)
• Washington, D.C. (111 days)
• Connecticut (113 days)
• Washington (114 days)
• South Carolina (115 days)
• North Dakota (115 days)

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