July 2020 veterans disability benefits statistics report

July 2020 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis

Let’s review the July 2020 veterans disability benefits statistics report numbers from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Keep reading to learn how VA disability and pension claim numbers changed during the past 30 days.



July 2020 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics: Claims Inventory Status

The July 2020 veterans disability benefits statistics report lists all unrated compensation as well as pension claims currently pending. On July 4, the VA claims inventory held 425,370 total unrated applications. This month’s report shows a return to the numbers we noted in March (426,081 unrated claims, for comparison’s sake).

  • As of July 4, 2020: 425,370
  • As of June 6, 2020: 391,862
  • Difference: +33,508
  • Daily churn: +1,675 claims

Now, let’s talk about some good news! On July 6, the VA officially opened up in-person C&P exams nationwide for impacted veterans. You can find the closest clinic, VA hospital or office location by entering your ZIP code here. As you know, the VA claims inventory and backlog categories grew significantly this year. We believe this is due to the number of veterans that require in-person exams to finish processing their claims. Now that those exams are available again, next month’s report should look quite different. We predict the July 2020 veterans disability benefits statistics report’s unusually high numbers should drop below 400,000 for August.

Important: If you’re a disabled veteran with an upcoming in-person C&P exam, only an essential caregiver may accompany you. Please do not bring a relative, spouse, child or friend along unless this person is designated as your essential caregiver.

July 2020 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics: Claims Backlog Status

Any benefits application that the VA hasn’t finished rating once 125 days goes by automatically moves into the backlog. The July 2020 veterans disability benefits statistics report shows the claims backlog more than doubled in the past two months:

  • As of July 4, 2020: 168,172
  • As of June 6, 2020: 125,535
  • Difference: +42,637
  • Daily churn: +2,132 claims added to the backlog

For comparison’s sake, May’s report showed just 80,155 backlogged applications. But which VA claims are currently sitting in the July 2020 veterans disability benefits statistics report’s backlog? Here’s a quick breakdown for you:

  • 34% are supplemental applications that either list additional conditions, or ask for increased entitlements
  • 28% are first-time VA disability compensation claims that list no more than 7 impairments
  • 13.3% are supplemental claims for decision review requests
  • 10.4% are first-time VA disability compensation claims that list at least 8 impairments
  • 10% are Blue Water Navy supplemental claims for Agent Orange-related conditions
  • 2% are survivor’s benefit claims from spouses, children and dependent parents
  • 1.2% are supplemental claims for future disability exams
  • .5% are initial pension applications
  • .3% are supplemental claims for increased entitlements or reconsideration of pension benefits
  • .2% are supplemental claims for increased entitlements due to recent hospitalization or surgery

A VA-accredited lawyer can potentially speed up your claim review as well as maximize your payments. Government data shows at least 1 in 10 veterans with claims in the past year received the wrong VA rating. In fact, basic claim mistakes could cost you thousands in benefits you already earned through military service. Luckily, you can sign up for a free, no-obligation consultation today with an experienced lawyer near you. That way, you can get free legal advice over the phone that applies to your specific situation.

All VA-accredited attorneys work on contingency. That means you pay $0 for legal assistance if you’re denied benefits. And if your case wins, then you’ll only pay a small, one-time fee. Need legal assistance with your appeal? A lawyer can potentially make the government pay your legal fees if your appeal wins in court.

Ready to see if you may qualify? Click the button below to start your free 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.