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 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics: 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 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics: 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
How to Get Free Expert VA Claim Help
Currently, the VA reports it made a mistake on 13% of claims during the past 12 months. That means they either mistakenly denied 1 in 6 vets benefits – or got veterans’ monthly pay amounts wrong. We can connect you with a VA-accredited attorney who can help you with your VA claim without any upfront costs.
If you don’t win more money from the VA, then you owe your lawyer $0. And if your claim wins, then you only pay one small fee after the VA awards you your payment.
Want free expert help dealing with the VA? Click the button below to start your free online benefits quiz and see if you may qualify:
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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.