The May 2022 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is now available. This monthly VA update shows all pending disability, pension, and survivor’s claims that need either ratings or payment approvals. Learn below how this month’s new numbers may impact veterans who recently applied for benefits from the VA.
May 2022 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics: Claims Inventory Status
Any claims waiting on the VA’s ratings or approval decision are in the May 2022 veterans disability benefits statistics report. On May 7, we noted a little less than 604,000 applications sitting in the VA’s claims inventory category:
- As of May 7, 2022: 603,993
- As of April 2, 2022: 613,219
- Difference: -9,226
- Daily churn: -369 claims
Right now, veterans who file claims wait approximately 115-140 days before they hear back from the VA.
These veterans have the most outstanding VA claims in this month’s inventory by service era:
- 36% – Gulf War
- 30% – Vietnam
- 22% – Iraq as well as Afghanistan conflicts
- 10% – those who served from the end of Vietnam until the start of the Gulf War
- 1.6% – Korean War
- .6% – World War II
- .3% – all other service eras combined
May 2022 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics: Claims Backlog Status
The VA classifies any claims more than 125 days old as backlogged. If the VA keeps this pace up, we should see the backlog down to 2019 levels this time next year:
- As of May 7, 2022: 215,196
- As of April 2, 2022: 234,435
- Difference: -19,239
- Daily churn: -770 claims cleared from the backlog
Since last year, Vietnam vets with Agent Orange-related claims are most likely to be backlogged. Vets who need medical exams in order to confirm service-connected disabilities come in a close second. This is also why the VA processes applications for pension, survivors, and spousal benefits faster than those for disability compensation. The U.S. states with the most backlogged VA disability claims are listed below:
- Idaho – 40%
- New York – 40%
- West Virginia – 40%
- Wyoming – 40%
- Montana – 41%
- Oregon – 42%
- Maine – 42%
- Vermont – 42%
You May Qualify for Legal Assistance
Want expert VA claim help without leaving your house or paying anything out of your own pocket? We can connect you with a local VA-accredited lawyer to help you at once by phone for free. In fact, every lawyer in our network offers personalized, confidential legal advice to anyone that qualifies for legal assistance! It’s still the fastest, easiest way to get help securing VA disability benefits today.
You always pay $0 for legal assistance unless the VA approves your claim. And if you 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.