The August 2021 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is here, along with our analysis. This statistical snapshot reports each month’s pending VA claims for disability, pension, and survivor’s benefits. Below, we’ll explain what changed during the past 30 days and how these new numbers may affect disabled veterans.
August 2021 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics: Claims Inventory Status
The August 2021 veterans disability benefits statistics report lists all unrated claims waiting on the VA’s review. On August 7, the claims inventory held nearly 590,000 total applications. While the inventory’s still on the rise, the VA’s obviously trying to process all these claims in a timely manner:
- As of August 7, 2021: 589,154
- As of July 3, 2021: 587,447
- Difference: +1,707
- Daily churn: +85 claims
Since the last few months showed large jumps in total VA claims pending, this is great news! But how does this month’s report affect veterans waiting for benefits? Let’s take a closer look at how those pending VA claims break down:
- 24% are first-time VA disability benefit applications
- 35% are supplemental claims requesting a higher VA disability rating
- 35% are Agent Orange-related claims
- 12.5% are AMA decision review requests
- 1% are survivor’s benefit claims filed either by spouses, parents, or children of deceased veterans
- .6% are pension-related claims
August 2021 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics: Claims Backlog Status
Any claim more than 125 days old still pending the VA’s review transfers automatically into the backlog category. We’re happy to see both the claims inventory and backlog categories going down again this month:
- As of August 7, 2021: 185,462
- As of July 3, 2021: 188,184
- Difference: -2,722
- Daily churn: -136 claims cleared from the backlog
Unfortunately, it looks like Vietnam veterans, their children and grandchildren are most impacted by the claims backlog in August. VBA data shows about 95% of those claims take more than four months to process. A little less than half of all VA disability claims end up backlogged every month, on average. The VA seems to complete supplemental claims more quickly than others. Since July’s report came out, only about 1 in 3 supplemental claims moved into the backlog.
You May Qualify for Legal Assistance
The VA pays the wrong benefit amount to 1 in 10 veterans every year, according to VBA data. Why not have a VA-accredited lawyer review your paperwork for free? Simply click the button below to sign up for a call to get free, confidential claim help by phone. Since all VA-accredited lawyers work on contingency, you pay $0 for legal assistance if you don’t win a cash settlement. And if you do win, then you’ll only pay a small, one-time fee.
Ready to see if you may qualify? Click the button below to start your free online benefits evaluation now!
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Lori Polemenakos is Director of Consumer Content and SEO strategist for LeadingResponse, a legal marketing company. An award-winning journalist, writer and editor based in Dallas, Texas, she's produced articles for major brands such as Match.com, Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, Xfinity, Mail.com, and edited several published books. Since 2016, she's published hundreds of articles about Social Security disability, workers' compensation, veterans' benefits, personal injury, mass tort, auto accident claims, bankruptcy, employment law and other related legal issues.