Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report: New for June 2025

We have an exciting new analysis for the June 2025 veterans’ disability benefits statistics report from the VA this month. Lots of big changes happening, and thankfully, they all appear to benefit military families and veterans.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) publishes a new report online every Tuesday that covers all outstanding benefit applications. Any eligible vet can apply for VA disability compensation or retirement (pension) payments. In addition, eligible family members can get dependent or survivor benefits from the VA. Keep reading to learn how this month’s update may affect how long you wait for a response about your claim.

Related: Keep up to date with our latest Social Security disability benefits monthly report here.

June 2025 Claims Inventory Status

The claims inventory report lists every application for benefits that the VA is currently working on. However, this report doesn’t include every benefit that vets can access, like housing loans, scholarship money, or education grants. It does include all claims for benefits which the VA pays every month, depending on your age and physical health.

We’re shocked by the progress the VA accomplished during the last month in reducing the total number of pending claims:

• As of June 7, 2025: 797,170
• As of May 3, 2025: 889,859
• Difference: -92,689
• Daily churn: -4,635 claims

And here’s the second piece of good news: It’s starting to take less time to process every VA claim.It’s still a full week faster to file for veterans’ disability benefits through an attorney (130.6 days, on average). But it takes closer to 138 days (137.9, on average) if you file an application online through the VA’s website.

Here are some recent findings from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) audit of VA claims in May 2025:

• 24% of PACT Act claims filed between August 10, 2022, and August 9, 2023, received improper determination decisions
• Bereaved military families filing PACT Act-related claims received $33.1 million less than the VA owed in survivor’s benefits from 1/1/2023-7/31/2023
• 45% of audited denied PACT Act claims for new service-connected disabilities from 1/1/2023-9/30/2023 had one or more errors (19,200 denials)
• Because of these mistakes, the VA owed $56,700 in back benefits to two wrongly denied eligible veterans

If you filed a PACT Act claim during this period, talk to a VA-accredited attorney about your case. You could potentially deserve more money than you currently get if the VA denied your claim in 2023.

June 2025 Claims Backlog Status

The VA refers to any claim that is still under review after 125 days as “backlogged.” We love to see these numbers falling somewhat compared to May, but they still have much farther to go: 

• As of June 7, 2025: 193,521
• As of May 3, 2025: 209,018
• Difference: -15,497 claims
• Daily churn: -775 cleared from the backlog

According to the VA’s 2024 Annual Report, these are the top 10 service-connected conditions awarded disability compensation last year:

1. Tinnitus: 273,502 veterans  
2. Limitation of knee flexion: 153,205 veterans  
3. Lumbosacral or cervical strain: 132,617 veterans
4. Limitation of arm motion: 114,597 veterans  
5. Hearing loss: 108,105 veterans  
6. 2^nd degree scars or burns: 96,578 veterans
7. Sciatic nerve paralysis: 86,121 veterans
8. Limitation of ankle motion: 85,947 veterans
9. Migraines: 83,992 veterans
10. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): 81,968 veterans

Talk to a VA-Accredited Attorney for Free Now

The VA admits it made mistakes on 1 in 5 benefit claim reviews (20%) completed during the past 12 months. We want to help veterans get the maximum benefits they deserve after receiving an honorable discharge from military service.

The Board of Veterans’ Appeals annual report for 2023 shows that vets with attorneys get appealed claims approved 41% of the time. That’s the highest win rate possible for veterans (average win rate for all claims was 33.6% for 2023). For context, veterans appealing a claim with no representative at all succeeded just 29% of the time that year.

VA-accredited attorneys charge $0 if they can’t secure more VA benefit income for you each month. And if your claim is successful, then you only pay one small fee afterwards.

Ready to see if you may qualify? Click the button below to start your free online benefits quiz now:

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May 2025 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis

The May 2025 veterans’ disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is showing drastic changes. We are seeing huge improvements in pending VA claims for both the inventory and backlog categories this month!

The VA publishes a weekly report online every Tuesday that covers all pending claims from military families. Any eligible veteran can apply for benefits, including monthly disability and pension income. Keep reading to learn how this month’s update may affect your own VA claim processing timeline.

May 2025 Claims Inventory Status

You can find every outstanding claim for VA benefits of every stripe listed in this month’s claims inventory report. This includes things like requests for new VA disability ratings, C&P exams, and supplemental claims. In addition, you can see pension applications for newly retired military service members and DIC claims from eligible family members.

This month’s report shows the biggest drop in total pending VA claims we’ve seen in a long time:

• As of May 3, 2025: 889,859
• As of April 5, 2025: 923,355
• Difference: -33,496
• Daily churn: -1,675 claims

Filed a fully developed claim through the VA’s website? You’ll wait 141 days for the agency to process your application. But filing through a VA-accredited attorney for free speeds up your wait time by one full week.

Supplemental claims account for most of the May 2025 report’s inventory category (i.e., 74%). Initial applications for VA disability benefits comprise 21%; survivor’s benefit claims from families of deceased veterans account for another 2.5%.

Here are the states with the fastest claim-processing times for VA disability compensation for May 2025:

• Alaska ― 112 days
• Rhode Island ―115.6 days
• Colorado ― 116 days
• Connecticut ― 117 days
• Idaho ― 118 days
• Delaware ― 119 days
• South Dakota ― 119 days

May 2025 Claims Backlog Status

Once an unprocessed claim is more than 125 days old, it automatically moves into the VA’s backlog category. Much like the May 2025 claims inventory, backlogged applications are declining rapidly compared to last month’s report: 

• As of May 3, 2025: 209,018
• As of April 5, 2025: 232,207
• Difference: -23,189 claims
• Daily churn: -1,159.5 cleared from the backlog

Finally, here are the states with the longest wait times for veterans waiting on VA disability compensation:

• Vermont ― 146 days  
• Georgia ― 143 days  
• New Mexico ― 140 days
• Wyoming ― 137.6 days  
• Arizona ― 133.3 days  
• Louisiana ― 133 days

April 2025 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report

Let’s review the April 2025 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. So, what does this month’s report tell us? Both the claims inventory and backlogged benefit applications are down this month, for starters.

The VA publishes a new report update online every Tuesday that covers all applications for benefits from U.S. military veterans. Any eligible veteran can file a claim for VA benefits, which covers disability compensation, school and home loans, or pensions. Keep reading to learn how the newest numbers may affect claim approval wait times for military veterans and their families.

April 2025 Claims Inventory Status

The claims inventory status report lists every application for benefits that the VA currently has under review. For example: A veteran who develops hearing loss and heart failure can file a claim to request VA disability ratings. Other types of claims just need approval for payments to start, such as pension or survivor’s benefits.

First, we note that the total claims the VA is currently processing shrank significantly compared to last month:

• As of April 5, 2025: 923,355
• As of March 8, 2025: 934,183
• Difference: -10,828
• Daily churn: -541.4 claims

Filed your VA claim online? You’ll wait 143 days (nearly 5 months) for the agency to issue a response. To shave nearly a week off your average wait time, file yours with help from a VA-accredited attorney instead.

One in four VA claims in this month’s inventory are from initial filers; 75% are supplemental claims from veterans who already get some benefits each month.

See how this month’s claim inventory report (not including backlogged applications) breaks down by benefit type below:

• 43% are supplemental applications for worsening or new service-connected disabilities that need ratings.
• 29% are AMA supplemental claim decision review requests.
• 12% are initial claims for VA disability compensation that list no more than 7 unrated medical conditions.
• 9% are first time VA disability compensation claims that list at least 8 unrated medical conditions.
• 2.4% are death benefit claims from surviving spouses, children, or parents of deceased veterans.
• 2% are requesting a future exam for disabilities (C&P exam requests).
• 1% are military pension claims.
• 1% are Blue Water Navy claims for conditions resulting from Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War service era.

April 2025 Claims Backlog Status

The VA’s claims backlog includes any application for veterans’ benefits that is more than 125 days old, but still incomplete. As you can see, the VA is quickly clearing out hundreds of older benefit claims daily from the current backlog: 

• As of April 5, 2025: 232,207
• As of March 8, 2025: 247,580
• Difference: -15,373 claims
• Daily churn: -769 cleared from the backlog

Here are the veterans most likely to wait longer for VA claim approvals in April broken down by service era:

• 44% – Iraq and Afghanistan conflict vets
• 23% – Vietnam War veterans  
• 20% – Gulf War vets
• 11% – Peacetime veterans who served between the end of Vietnam and the start of the Gulf War in 1991
• 2% – Claims from veterans in all other service eras, added together

March 2025 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis

What does the March 2025 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reveal this month? We noticed big moves this month that should help both veterans and military families alike. We love sharing good news!

The VA publishes a new claim report update online every Tuesday listing every application for benefits now under review. Any veteran or eligible family member can file a claim for VA disability compensation, DIC benefits, or military retirement payments. Keep reading to learn how the newest numbers may affect claim approval wait times for certain VA benefits.

March 2025 Claims Inventory Status

The claims inventory status report lists every application for benefits the VA is currently working on. Disability compensation claims include new or worse health conditions a veteran needs the VA to rate. Pension and survivor’s benefit applications, on the other hand, simply need approval from the VA to initiate payments.

Claims are finally going down again after months of increases, according to the March 2025 veterans disability benefits statistics report:

• As of March 8, 2025: 934,183
• As of February 1, 2025: 953,344
• Difference: -19,161
• Daily churn: -766 claims

It currently takes nearly 5 months to get a response back after you file a VA benefits claim. But for the first time in more than a year, the Average Days to Complete (ADC) claims timeline is shrinking. Right now, expect to wait 138 days for a response if a VA-accredited attorney within our network files your claim. File it online yourself without an attorney’s help, and you’ll wait 145 days for a VA response instead.

The VA tracks appeals and higher–level reviews separately from initial application filings. Below are some highlights from the VA’s February Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) report:

• Claim appeal rate to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals fell to just 10% in FY 2024
• Average monthly retroactive benefit award as of 2/28/2025: $35,752.40
• AMA appeal cases get resolved in about 2.8 years (2019-present) vs. 6 years in the Legacy appeals system (2018 and older)
• Supplemental claims take 265 days to finish; 50.2% are successful
• Higher level reviews take about 98 days to complete with a 23.2% grant rate
• Direct reviews (no new evidence, no hearing) take 489 days to complete
• Appealed claims with new medical evidence take 737 days to process from initial filing date
• Hearings for appealed claims take 815 days from start to finish

March 2025 Claims Backlog Status

After 125 days, any claims the VA is still working on automatically falls into the backlog category. Much like last month, backlogged claims are moving in the right direction as the VA clears out older claims: 

• As of March 8, 2025: 247,580
• As of February 1, 2025: 260,354
• Difference: -12,774 claims
• Daily churn: -511 cleared from the backlog

If you recently applied for VA disability benefits, these states have the slowest claim processing times, on average:

• 160 days – Vermont
• 155 days – Arkansas  
• 149.6 days – Mississippi, New Mexico
• 148 days – District of Columbia (i.e., Washington, D.C.)
• 147 days – North Dakota
• 146 days – Oregon, Wyoming
• 145.6 days – New Jersey

February 2025 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis

It’s time to review the February 2025 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA publishes new claim report updates every Tuesday, and they list all applications for benefits currently under review. Each claim represents a veteran or military family member requesting VA disability compensation, DIC benefits, or pension payments after retirement. Keep reading to learn how the newest numbers may affect military veterans’ claim approval wait times for certain VA benefits.

February 2025 Claims Inventory Status

All benefit applications the VA is working on right now are visible in the claims inventory status report. These claims must either receive approval for payment or have a new VA disability rating assigned for each service-connected condition. (Keep in mind that the numbers below don’t include appealed legacy or AMA claims.)

February 2025 veterans disability benefits statistics report numbers show claims are still rising, but slowing down somewhat this month:

• As of February 1, 2025: 953,344
• As of January 4, 2025: 955,300
• Difference: +1,956
• Daily churn: +98 claims

Working with an attorney on your VA disability claim will get a response back one week before those filed online. The VA shows website lists 145.6 days to process fully developed claims filed online. But vets who work with attorneys get an answer back in 139 days, on average.

February 2025 Claims Backlog Status

After 125 days, any claims the VA still needs to complete goes into the backlog category. We now see a reversal of the claims backlog increase we noted in the January 2025 report: 

• As of February 1, 2025: 254,773
• As of January 4, 2025: 260,354
• Difference: -5,581 claims
• Daily churn: -279 cleared from the backlog

Wondering which veterans wait longest for VA benefit approval? Here is a breakdown of who fell into this month’s backlog by service era:

• 2% – all other service eras combined (i.e., Korea, World War II, etc.).
• 44% – those who served in Iraq or Afghanistan
• 23% – Vietnam veterans  
• 20% – Gulf War veterans
• 11% – Peacetime veterans (end of Vietnam to the start of the 1990s Gulf War)

January 2025 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis

Our analysis of the January 2025 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is below. Every month, the VA issues a new report showing how claims data changed during the past 30 days. Each claim represents a veteran or military dependent seeking home loans, VA disability compensation, DIC benefits, or pension payments. We’ll explain how the newest numbers may affect claim approval wait times, which veterans may see the biggest impact, and more helpful info.

January 2025 Claims Inventory Status

The claims inventory lists every application for benefits the VA currently needs to review and either approve Every single application for benefits that the VA has currently under review appears in each month’s claims inventory update. That includes all pension, VA compensation, survivor, and dependent benefit claims that require either approval for payment or disability ratings. In addition, we review quarterly reports from the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) that track appealed cases and supplemental claims.

The January 2025 report shows the typical spike in new applications we see at the start of every calendar year:

• As of January 4, 2025: 955,300
• As of December 7, 2024: 950,634
• Difference: +4,666
• Daily churn: +233 claims

Here are the 2025 monthly VA disability compensation rates for veterans with no dependents, based on this year’s COLA increase:

• 0% disability rating: $0.00 per month
• 10% disability rating: $175.51 per month
• 20% disability rating: $346.95 per month
• 30% disability rating: $537.42 per month
• 40% disability rating: $774.16 per month
• 50% disability rating: $1,102.04 per month
• 60% disability rating: $1,395.93 per month
• 70% disability rating: $1,759.19 per month
• 80% disability rating: $2,044.89 per month
• 90% disability rating: $2,297.96 per month
• 100% disability rating: $3,831.30 per month

Want to speed up your claim review and get your first payment faster? Get an attorney to help you file instead of going through the VA’s website. You’ll save at least 6-7 days, based on the VA’s current “average days to complete” report. That’s because the VA shows that an ADC of 145.6 days for fully developed claims filed online. However, vets who file non-fully developed claims are actually getting a response back one week earlier:

January 2025 Claims Backlog Status

Once the VA holds onto a claim for more than 125 days without completing its review, it automatically becomes “backlogged.” As expected, the backlog continues growing larger much like we saw in December 2024’s report: 

• As of January 4, 2025: 260,354
• As of December 7, 2024: 243,576
• Difference: +16,778 claims
• Daily churn: +839 claims added to the backlog

Virtually any veteran’s claim may end up in the backlog. With that in mind, here’s how January 2025 backlogged claims break down:

• 37% – supplemental claims for service-connected disabilities that got worse, or new ones the veteran developed recently
• 24% – decision review requests for AMA supplemental claims  
• 15% – initial VA disability applications that list more than 8 unrated conditions
• 14% – first-time applications for VA disability compensation that list no more than 7 unrated conditions
• 5% – survivor’s benefit applications from eligible relatives of deceased veterans
• 3% – Agent Orange claims from Blue Water Navy vets who served in Vietnam
• 1.3% – pension benefit claims from retiring veterans

December 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis

The December 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is finally here. These monthly VA reports show all pending claims data for the various benefit programs it administrates. Military families and veterans can apply for a wealth of benefits like home loans, pension pay, and VA disability compensation. Keep reading to learn average claim-processing times, the current backlog status, and other helpful statistics.

December 2024 Claims Inventory Status

The claims inventory lists every application for benefits the VA currently needs to review and either approve or deny. It lists applications for pension, VA disability, survivor, and dependent benefit payments and military service-related conditions that need ratings. It’s also a good way to see the impact of federal legislation that affects veterans, such as the PACT Act.

Here are the latest numbers from the December 2024 claims inventory report:

• As of December 7, 2024: 950,634
• As of November 2, 2024: 967,152
• Difference: -16,518
• Daily churn: -688 claims

Veterans who file a claim with attorney assistance today can shave 6 days off their wait time for benefits. You’ll actually wait longer if you submit a claim online through the VA’s website.

How long does it take to process each different type of claim that veterans can file? Here’s the breakdown as of December 2024:

• 122 days – supplemental claims (47.7% completed within 125 days)
• 141 days – initial disability compensation applications
• 179 days – higher-level reviews (72.3% completed within 125 days)
• 180 days – pension claims for military retirement benefits
• 3,090 days (8.6 years) – legacy appeals filed before the AMA Appeals Modernization Act process began in 2018

The average retroactive pay award to veterans waiting on benefits at the start of December 2024 is $3,211.71.

December 2024 Claims Backlog Status

Any claims that are still under review after 125 days move into the backlog category automatically. The December 2024 report shows that claims are taking longer to review now, adding to the agency’s backlog: 

• As of December 7, 2024: 243,576
• As of November 2, 2024: 235,624
• Difference: +7,952 claims
• Daily churn: +331 added to the backlog

Filed a claim more than 4 months ago and wondering when you’ll hear back? These veterans are most likely to fall in the December 2024 report’s claims backlog:

• 44% – those who served in Iraq or Afghanistan during the War on Terror
• 24% – Vietnam vets
• 19% – Gulf War vets
• 11% – those who served from the end of Vietnam to the start of the Gulf War
• Less than 2% – all other service era vets combined (i.e., World War II, Korean War, etc.)

November 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis

Let’s review the November 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Every month, the VA reports new claims data for the various veterans’ benefit programs it oversees. These reports show the latest claim-processing times, types of applications filed, and other data that directly impacts military families. If you’re considering applying for VA disability, pension or DIC benefits, keep reading…

November 2024 Claims Inventory Status

First, we’ll review the VA’s latest claims inventory totals as we approach the end of 2024. This includes any pending applications for pension, VA disability, survivor, and dependent benefit payments. Before we get to the latest numbers, we should mention the 2.5% COLA increase in January that also impacts veterans.

If you currently get any monthly cash benefits due to your military service, expect a 2.5% raise soon! Your first pay increase should show up in January 2025’s direct deposit.

Now, let’s get to the actual numbers from this month’s report:

• As of November 2, 2024: 967,152
• As of October 5, 2024: 982,671
• Difference: -15,519
• Daily churn: -776 claims

If you file your VA claim with an attorney’s help, it takes 138 days to process. Veterans who file their claims online wait nearly a week longer (144 days, on average).

Applied for VA disability benefits and wondering how long it might take to get your first check after approval? These states processed those types of VA claims fastest during the past month:

• 116 days – Rhode Island
• 119.7 days – Kansas
• 119.9 days – Montana
• 121.5 days – New Mexico
• 122.7 days – Hawaii
• 126 days – South Dakota
• 128.5 days – Vermont

As you can see from the short list above, only 5 U.S. states now process disability claims before they’re backlogged.

November 2024 Claims Backlog Status

The November 2024 report flags any benefit claims more than 125 days old as “backlogged”. Unfortunately, these older benefit applications in the VA’s system appear to be rising in numbers again: 

• As of November 2, 2024: 235,624
• As of October 5, 2024: 234,033
• Difference: +1,591 claims
• Daily churn: +530 added to the backlog

In November 2024, these regional offices had the lowest accuracy rates for assigning VA disability ratings and compensation to veterans:

• 67.6% – Wichita, KS
• 68% – Baltimore, MD
• 70% – Honolulu, HI
• 71.5% – Waco, TX
• 72% – Hartford, CT
• 73% – Little Rock, AR
• 74% – Nashville, TN

The above list shows where less than 3 in 4 veterans who file claims get assigned the correct compensation amount.

October 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report

We have the October 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report numbers from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Every month, the VA reports updated total, supplemental, and backlogged claim numbers covering the last 30 days. Anyone seeking veterans’ benefits can learn valuable insights about claim-processing times, legislation impacting the VA, and other helpful info below. 

October 2024 Claims Inventory Status

First, we’ll review the VA’s latest claims inventory totals in the October 2024 report. This includes any outstanding applications for pension, VA disability, survivor, and dependent benefit compensation. The VA reviews each claim either to provide individual ratings for service-connected disabilities or award monthly payments to eligible claimants. The claims inventory is once more shrinking month-over-month, and we love to see it:

• As of October 5, 2024: 982,671
• As of September 7, 2024: 987,122
• Difference: -4,451
• Daily churn: -223 claims

If you file your VA claim with an attorney’s help, it takes 139 days to process. Veterans filing benefit applications online wait nearly a week longer for a response (145 days, on average).

Appealing a denied claim? The VA tracks those applications in a separate database. According to the September 2024 Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) report, here’s how long the VA takes to process each different type of claim:

• 124 days – supplemental claims
• 136 days – applications for VA pension benefits
• 155 days – initial claims for VA disability compensation that need ratings
• 215 days – higher-level reviews
• 551 days – direct reviews that don’t request a hearing or submit new evidence
• 675 days – appeals that submit new medical evidence, but no hearing request
• 750 days – average wait time for an appeals hearing before an administrative law judge that includes new medical evidence

October 2024 Claims Backlog Status

The October 2024 report lists any applications for benefits more than 125 days old under the “backlog” category. Much like last month, the VA claims backlog fell again for October: 

• As of October 5, 2024: 234,033
• As of September 7, 2024: 246,461
• Difference: -2,428 claims
• Daily churn: -621 cleared from the backlog

As of October 2024, here are the veterans whose claims are most likely to end up in the VA’s backlog:

• 43% – vets who served in Iraq or Afghanistan after 9/11
• 24% – Vietnam War veterans
• 19% – Gulf War vets
• 12% – those who served during peacetime between the end of Vietnam and start of the Gulf War in the 1990s
• Less than 2% – all other remaining military service eras combined

Most veterans who file applications today can expect to wait about 152 days, on average, to hear a response. That’s the typical claim processing time the VA reported in October for every type of application filed nationwide, averaged together.

September 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report

Let’s dive into the latest September 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report numbers from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. These reports detail which veterans and military families filed VA benefit claims during the last 30 days. Anyone seeking veterans’ benefits from the VA can learn valuable insights about claim processing times and other helpful statistics below. 

September 2024 Claims Inventory Status

First, let’s check out the new claims inventory numbers in the September 2024 VA benefits report. This section includes every claim veterans and eligible family members filed which are pending the VA’s review. Claims are applications for disability, pension, survivor, and DIC compensation, all of which need the VA’s approval or ratings. We noted a massive jump in claims for September, reversing previous reductions in 2024:

• As of September 7, 2024: 987,122
• As of August 3, 2024: 971,266
• Difference: +15,856
• Daily churn: +793 claims

We should also note, however, that these numbers are still well below the historical record peak set in October 2023.

It’s now faster to file your veterans disability claim through an attorney than directly through the VA’s website. Either way, you’ll wait close to 6 months to hear a response back on your application status.

The September 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report shows these states process VA disability compensation claims most quickly:

• 126 days – Hawaii
• 128 days – South Dakota, Virginia
• 131.4 days – Colorado, Minnesota
• 135 days – Kansas, North Carolina
• 137 days – Alaska, California

And these U.S. states take longest to process veteran claims:

• 164 days – Iowa
• 163 days – Delaware
• 162.5 days – Wyoming
• 161 days – Mississippi
• 160 days – North Dakota

September 2024 Claims Backlog Status

The September 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report backlog is where all claims more than 125 days old end up. Based on these numbers, we’d say the VA is focusing on clearing out older claims for the moment:  

• As of September 7, 2024: 246,461
• As of August 3, 2024: 257,727
• Difference: -11,266 claims
• Daily churn: -563 cleared from the backlog

As of September 2024, here’s the average time it takes the VA to process each type of benefit application:

• 60 days – BDD claims
• 125 days – supplemental claims
• 144 days – pension claims
• 155 days – VA disability pension claims
• 253 days – higher-level reviews

August 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report

Our analysis of the August 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs starts now. The numbers shown below tell us how many military veterans and family members filed claims during the last 30 days. Anyone interested in veterans’ benefits can also learn how the newest numbers may impact their own claims, including any processing delays. 

August 2024 Claims Inventory Status

First up, let’s look at the updated claims inventory numbers in the August 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report. This part of the report lists every single application veterans and eligible family members filed for benefits. That can include things such as VA disability, pension, survivor, and dependent claims that need approval for payment or ratings. Unlike last month, we saw the claims inventory shrink somewhat during this 30-day period:

• As of August 3, 2024: 971,266
• As of July 6, 2024: 973,183
• Difference: -1,917
• Daily churn: -96 claims

Every veteran and eligible family member now waits at least 154 days for the VA to process their benefit applications. It’s currently little bit faster to get a response if you apply through a VA-accredited attorney, however.

Here’s what types of VA claims make up most of the August 2024 inventory growth:

• 74% are VA supplemental claims, and 58% of those are for new service-connected disabilities. This group of more than 400,000 claims is huge, and likely tied to the PACT Act. Since 2022, the law granted more than 1.6 million veterans and military families new VA benefits.  
• 12% are initial VA disability claims with no more than 7 unrated conditions.
• 9% are initial claims for VA disability that list at least 8 unrated conditions.
• 3% are survivor claims from parents, children, and spouses of deceased vets.
• 1% are pension claims from retiring veterans.

August 2024 Claims Backlog Status

The August 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report also includes backlogged claims, which are all more than 125 days old. During the past two years, the VA reported an historic surge in claims for benefits thanks to August 2022 legislation. Since the July 2024 report, backlogged claims VA grew significantly:  

• As of August 3, 2024: 257,727
• As of July 6, 2024: 274,151
• Difference: +16,424 claims
• Daily churn: +821 added to the backlog

The veterans most impacted by this month’s backlog, ranked by service era:

• 42% – vets who served in either Iraq or Afghanistan
• 25% – Vietnam vets
• 20% – Gulf War veterans
• 11% – those who served during times of peace between the end of Vietnam to the start of the 1991 Gulf War
• Less than 2% are from vets who served in all other eras, combined

Related: Interested in getting disability benefits from the Social Security Administration? Check out our monthly SSD benefits statistics report updates we publish every month.

July 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report

Get into our review of the July 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. July’s report shows which veterans and military families filed claims for various VA benefits during the last 30 days. Anyone now filing for veterans’ benefits can also learn how this latest update may impact their own claims below. 

July 2024 Claims Inventory Status

Any claims pending VA ratings or payment approval appear in the July 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report. Veterans with an honorable discharge status can file applications for VA pension, mortgage, tuition, disability, and survivor benefits. For the first time since October 2023, claims inventory numbers shot up higher for July:

• As of July 6, 2024: 973,183
• As of June 1, 2024: 949,272
• Difference: +36,089
• Daily churn: +1,804 claims

Every veteran and dependent who qualifies for VA benefits now waits at least 152 to 155 days for a response.

VA supplemental claims for disability compensation took approximately 128 days to process during last month.

Remember that the VA uses a separate system to track any veterans who appeal a denied claim. According to the June 2024 AMA Appeals Metrics Report, here’s how long it takes to process an appealed VA claim:

• Direct reviews now take 621 days total to process, down 3% since March. These appeals don’t include any additional medical evidence from the veteran seeking benefits.
• Appealed claims with new medical evidence now take 666 days total to process. That’s a 5% reduction in time spent waiting for an answer vs. March’s reported wait period.
• Appeals hearings before an Administrative Law Judge now take 739 days to finish, on average. That’s a little more than a 1% increase since March.
• Legacy appeals now take 5 years and 7 months to process. That adds another 210 days vets wait for claim resolution compared to Q1 of this year.

July 2024 Claims Backlog Status

The July 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report breaks applications down into two separate categories. The first group includes the VA’s backlog, which are the oldest claims waiting on disability ratings and payment approval. Backlogged claims are, by definition, more than 125 days old and still under the VA’s review. During the past 30 days, we noted that backlogged claims fell 2% since June’s report:

• As of July 6, 2024: 274,151
• As of June 1, 2024: 278,563
• Difference: -4,412 claims
• Daily churn: -221 claims cleared from the backlog

Which types of claims make up most of the July 2024 backlog?

• 65% are supplemental claims for new disabilities, higher VA ratings, or increased pension benefits
• 13.5% are initial claims for VA disability compensation that list at least 8 unrated medical conditions
• 13% are initial VA disability claims listing no more than 7 unrated conditions
• 5% are survivor benefit claims filed by eligible spouses, children, or parents
• 1% are initial applications for VA pension benefits

Altogether, this indicates that about 28% of claims filed since January 2024 are still under the VA’s review.

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