VA’s Board of Veterans Appeals is celebrating its 92nd birthday on July 28, 2025. The Board is celebrating this milestone by surpassing 92,000 dispatched disability appeals for Veterans and dependents faster this year than ever before. The Board remains on track this Fiscal Year to issue the highest annual number of decisions in its history.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the foundation for the Board of Veterans’ Appeals through Veterans Regulation No. 2, which set out the procedures for filing claims—and a review of those claims on appeal. The previous patchwork system of appellate adjudication of claims for Veterans’ benefits was eliminated and all questions of entitlement to benefits were subject to a single appeal to the Administrator of Veterans Affairs.
Just three months later, President Roosevelt created the Board of Veterans Appeals (Board) on July 28, 1933. He directed the Board to work “directly under the Administrator” in order to give a fresh and final review on appeals from any VA denials of services or benefits. The Executive Order directed the Board “to provide every possible assistance” to claimants and to be the “final authority” for making decisions that would “be fair to the Veteran as well as the Government” and “resolve all reasonable doubts in favor of the Veteran.”
VA’s “duty to assist” and “benefit of the doubt” rules are enshrined in statute originated in the 1933 Executive Order that established the Board.
When VA later became a cabinet-level Agency in 1989, the Board was similarly realigned to report directly to the Secretary for this purpose. Whenever a Veteran or dependent appeals a benefits or services decision they originally sought to receive from VA, the Board is legally charged to resolve those appeals with “final” determinations on behalf of the Secretary. The Chairman is a Presidentially-appointed and Senate-confirmed position, and the law mandates the Vice Chairman and all other members of the Board “shall be appointed by the Secretary, with the approval of the President, based upon recommendations of the Chairman.” This unique requirement for Presidential approval has been in place since the Board’s inception in 1933 and reinforces the President’s commitment to Veterans and their dependents and survivors.
The creation of the Board was confirmation that VA would not forget those who sacrificed so much for all our freedoms. Thus, the Board’s primary mission was clear and simple: Fulfill the Nation’s promise to Veterans by upholding the values of justice and fairness, and ensure that those who sacrificed so much for this Nation would be cared for with dignity and respect.
“Under President Trump, the Board’s decision productivity is the highest it has ever been, averaging nearly 2,550 decisions issued every week, and reducing the number of pending Veteran and dependent appeals to 169,747, the lowest level since September 2020. We will continue working hard on behalf of Veterans,” said VA Secretary Doug Collins. “Veterans and VA beneficiaries deserve timely and accurate appeals decisions, and that is exactly what we will deliver to them.”
Over the past 92 years, the Board has held more than 746,500 hearings and issued more than 3,705,000 appeals decisions, each one representing a unique and individual story of service.
For more information on the Board of Veterans Appeals or the appeals process, visit https://department.va.gov/board-of-veterans-appeals/.
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While the VA’s Board of Veterans’ Appeals celebrates 92 years of service, the very fact that this Board exists highlights a systemic failure. If the VA were making the right decisions at the start, Veterans and their families wouldn’t need to appeal in the first place. Every appeal represents a mistake, a delay, or a denial that forced a Veteran to keep fighting for what should have been granted the first time.
Veterans should not have to navigate a second layer of bureaucracy to secure the benefits they’ve already earned through sacrifice. The Board’s productivity statistics may look impressive, but they don’t erase the core issue: the VA should be accurate, fair, and efficient from the beginning. True honor to Veterans would mean a system where appeals are rare, not routine.
Until the VA gets it right at the initial decision level, celebrating an appeals process only underscores how far we still are from fully honoring our Nation’s promise to its Veterans.
Did they complete this fairly, justly, accurately, soundly?
My VA Medical Facility, Orlando, Lake Nona, totally disregards my being sprayed many times with defoliants of various sources as well as having to bathe in the river South of Phu Cat that as new comers in Country the pollution was unknown to us, to be the basis for my disabilities. I have also been refused compensation several times as well. What is a Veteran supposed to do?
Phu Cat Vietnam Veteran 10/67-1067
Thank you
YOU ALL TALK THE TALK BUT NONE OF YOU WALK THE WALK
Issuing “decisions”. That must translate to quick denials. Are there available metrixs for denials and approvals for those 92,000 decisions?
Sorry, but I forgot, how come you guys that sit on this board or any other board making these decisions about our lives, denied my claim for my broken back, which was no simple break, but a shattered Vertebrae and was directly related to the injury that I suffered while in the service? That was back in 2022 and is now one of those pending appeals that you all are bragging about. I also was rather perturbed (for lack of wanting to use a stronger word but I hate vulgarity) when I read your reason for the denial, the part where it said, Key Word “if” the veteran did suffer a burst fracture of the T-12 vertebrae”, WTH do you mean “if” that just tells me that you quite obviously did NOT even read the Neurosurgeons report, including her comments and notes! Of course, now I can’t help but think that perhaps in your notes you may have wrote something like, “if” this Dr is a real Neurosurgeon. Good Grief. Now once again it’s under appeal.
I say once again because it took you 40 years to finally approve my original claim for the injury that occurred while I was still in the service. I kid you not my Brothers and Sisters in arms out there, 40 YEARS of denials and then I can’t help but think that they only approved it because I had also filed a claim at the same time for my back, Army injury approved 10% disability rating, yeah, right bozo’s, broken back Denied and currently under appeal.
So now I wear a knee brace, ankle brace, back brace and have to use a walker everyday for the rest of my life, all just because I voluntarily served my country with an honorable discharge and multiple awards, only to turn around and be pooped on by the very ones who are free because of me and all of my Brothers and Sisters in arms both past and present. Think about that why don’t you board people? You also may wish to remember that the US Army was here in 1776, do you remember that big fight? Without Veterans and current active duty members today there wouldn’t even be a United States of America.
YOU’RE WELCOME!!! Go enjoy your barbeque tonight courtesy of us. And again, YOU’RE WELCOME!!!
Sign; The greatest and most deserving Americans. Perhaps only behind the American Indian, because they were here first and I have an awful lot of respect for!
“Brother’s and Sister’s in arms Brother’s and Sister’s for life”
Congratulations! However I can’t but feel as though I may have been forgotten since I’ve had an appeal pending still from 2022. Thanks though for the emails or snail mail letters that I receive about every 6 months or so letting me know that It’s still active and pending. Unfortunately, the small town in which I live only has a voluntary fire and rescue department. They’re nowhere near big enough to just sit on a legitimate ambulance ride bill waiting years to be paid, so I ended up making payments and finally was able to get the bill paid off with my own money. I would absolutely hate to see our small town lose it’s volunteer ambulance due to the fact that they can no longer afford to fund it. It must be really difficult for them to keep going when dealing with insurance companies, the VA, Medicare, Medicaid and who ever else that always try their hardest not to have to pay them anything that’s rightfully theirs. Not to mention all of those who didn’t want to but unfortunately had to utilize services or die. Most of them end up doing the same as I, tighten your belt buckle one more notch and scrap by even more than what they already were so as to pay for the services that the afore mentioned places should have because they too do not want to end up without any first responders when they need them the most.
So, go ahead and keep your money tight wads who get paid to help Veterans but seem to try their best not to.
there were probably record number of denials. is that information available.
LOL……. That’s funny Ken and also that’s unfortunately probably true. Small quick story without details. I filed a claim for an injury I suffered while serving, shortly after I got out of the service. Here comes the short part, but true…….. Claim after appeal after claim after appeal, etc, etc, etc…… I was finally approved, YIPPIE, 40 years later. I kid you not!
I’m going on 12 years of appeals for hearing loss as a Marine Artillery Officer….I’m going on 11 months since the VA Judge heard my case and stated “this should have NEVER gone this long nor got to my level without immediate award of service connection and disability.”
How dare you all celebrate milestones and “success” when there’s Veterans like me falling through the cracks and fighting for 12 years now for disability!!!!!
Read these comments and tell me you’re still proud amd celebrating….
Oh yeah, the claims department rocks… how many of those processed claims are DENIALS?
I’m willing to bet that most of them are.
Do us all a favor and stop gaslighting us trying to make us think the VA actually gives a crap.
Signed, a pissed off veteran who’s been fighting the VA for a COMMON SENSE decision for nearly 2 decades.
I have worked through the VA claims process for a claim that was denied and appealed to the Board of Veterans Appeals on November 22, 2022. As of today, August 7, 2025, 624 days latter, the status of my appeal is “You’re waiting for your hearing to be scheduled”. My attorney suggests that I will be “lucky” to get a hearing before mid-2026, but MAYBE closer to fall of 2026. This would be FOUR years after the claim was submitted. As the VA reports on its website “More Board personnel address pending AMA appeals and wait times” Average Days Pending for AMA Appeals hearing is now UP TO 791 days, and continuing to go up. https://department.va.gov/board-of-veterans-appeals/decision-wait-times/more-board-personnel-address-pending-ama-appeals-wait-times/
I agree that the VA declines more appeals then it approves. I had a video meeting with an Administrative Law Judge in June 2024 for my hearing loss (Nuclear Submarine Veteran 1974-1980) and I have yet to hear anything from that meeting. I’m still waiting 3 years on an Administrative Law Judge hearing on my lung damage associated with asbestos and I expect that to be denied. They don’t have a clue what we were exposed to on submarines for all those years and they don’t care.
I delayed enlisted in the US Army on22 August 1974 my DD214 says 13 May 75 I fractured both knees in boot camp and broke my left foot in AIT my DD214 has been changed 3 times how can they do that Ft Knox boot camp and AIT had a chapter 5 635-100 now it’s 635-40-spdkfn
I’m a combat veteran that was blown up multiple times and shit at on a daily basis getting 60%. I know people who were POGs or never even deployed getting 100%. I was told by numerous doctors at the VA I should be at 100%. This article is garbage and you’re bragging that you’re speeding through these appeals but not doing proper investigations. I think the VA should have a website with the judges names and addresses making these garbage judgments. They might take their job a little more seriously. Pencil pushing fat bodies.
I Appeal my Case for my Feet, Hamstring in 2019…I served my Country for 20 plus years and still have not Heard anything…I need my Benefits also I put in for PTSD and got Denied, Why? I have Pain everyday waking up. I Deserved my Benefits…. please Help
I believe the decision guidelines are outdated and newer outlook needs to be applied. Many veterans were young and didn’t realize reporting medical issues even slightly would affect them later in life. As in my case I was a moncho 17year old who didn’t wanna show weakness and also didn’t wanna delay discharge to report any issues. Big mistake on my part. They don’t explain those things to you in final exam.
And how many of those were approved vs denied? How many were remanded ? Dispatching 92,000 claims only means as much as dispatching 92,000 chickens if there is data that supports the actions with the results..
I think the whole VA disability and appeals procedure needs to be over hauled. There’s no reason why veterans, my self included should wait years I mean more than 4 to 7 years to see if their best disability has been granted. A lot of veterans die waiting to see if their disability was granted, now that is atrocious. I would never ever recommend anyone going into the armed forces any of them. Because the government does not keep its word.
100%% !! AGree! I know how to do it. !
They just deny them faster to get the numbers up, don’t read or listen to what the real doctors says.
I’m not sure if on should be so proud of these numbers. As stated below servicemembers have died waiting for their appeals to be decided on from 8-10 yrs later. My initial claim March 2017 hearing Docketed 2020 hearing 2024 now still waiting for case to be assigned to a VLJ. Over 8 yrs is this efficiency?
What the VA does to our men and women who serve, and their families who go though it with them, needs to be corrected. It is not right!!
On behalf of my son’s widow, I worked the claim Through the VA for her and his son who was 6 yrs old at the time. My son repaired & maintained nuclear subs in Groton Ct 1982/1983. He was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia in July 1988 and passed away in Nov. 1989. ALL is usually caused from an exposure. I was told his widow should file a claim as My son stated as he was dying that he had exposure in Groton. The VA kept denying for 8 years until we got to the Court of Veterans Appeals . A Purple Heart Atty wrote the brief and judge stated we had a valid case. Then we had to start all over again and it took another 8 years to get to the Board of Veteran Appeals in DC. In the interum, I learned of the VA regulations and learned from that reading that anyone stationed near nuclear and who developed health problems that it’s cause is nuclear. In his naval medical records was an entry of symptoms of exposure but it was diagnosed as a stomach problem (cover up?). I wrote the last statement that went to the BVA in DC stating the VA Regulation on nuclear. Then the decision came back to grant benefits to his widow. It took 16 years which were the hardest 16 years of his mom’s life.
Those who serve deserve an award just having to go through the VA system.
My grandson’s part of the claim was never resolved. He passed away at 19 yrs.
Joanne Wheeler
Proud mom of
PO2 James M. Wheeler
Post Navy aka: James M. Delacono
USN 1981 – 1985
DoD: 11/2/1989
united-states-flag-animation.gif
exposed to agent orange in Nam HAVE Parkinsonism Just been denied claim
This sounded like an infomercial for Trump.
All they’re bragging about is speeding through these important appeals instead of admitting they’re not performing proper investigations and denying rightful claims. They want that 22 suicide a day to stay where it’s at.
Plus they have moderators deciding what gets posted. Don’t say anything bad about them…
You failed to give any percentage of ; settled claims, percent favoable to veterans. Secondly, you did not mentioned that the VBA is not the last chanct as covered in the atricle. There is a Court of Veteran Appeals, Federal District Court, and the Supream Court. Agent Orange was litigated on three seperate times . Each time Veterans won. The article is slanted to a favorable image of the VA. The VA IG investigation of VA internal problems sounds a lot different!!!
Seems like clearing claims has gone up for being deigned. Like a couple of other vets I was in the COLD WAR exposed to AFFF, JP-5 on a daily basis working on and around all facets of it. I now have several medical issues that are linked to exposure and the VA acknowledges it but starts of every denial letter with and I quote ” WE have determined that you served during peace time.” Wow exposed to the same chemicals as wartime vets but I am deigned.
Claims would go a lot faster if the idiot in charge would use common sense when processing claims; I got a difibulator/pacemaker installed following quadtruple bypass by the same VA and the dummies now want me to go to outside source to look at my pacemaker before they can confirm I have one and process claim. If claims ppl contacted claimer directly a lot of unnecessay time could be eliminated.
Good news for all us
I’m a combat Viet-Nam Veteran 11-Bravo grunt 1967-68-69. I put in claims appeals for Agent Orange exposure hypertension seizures you know what I got 0 disability for all three. If there going at such a rapid pace How come they don’t give two craps about the Combat Viet-Nam Veterans.
Sorry, I forgot…
Why does the VA fail to acknowledge the unique issues of the US SUBMARINE community?
Stationed near burning garbage – PRESUMPTIVE
Breathe an artificial atmosphere that started with the air in the boat when you closed the hatches for weeks or months…
Especially for those that were in near-hot engagements, practicing Global Thermonuclear War while avoiding hunter-killers, or our own hunter-killers that were under the oceans – the PEACETIME that for us was anything but…
IT WAS THE COLD WAR!
I fail to understand why County and/or State and/or other vetted Veteran Services AGENTS are unable to direct deal with ACCOUNTABLE officials in the VA that can take action. Furthermore, there appears to be little evaluation of the subcontractors who further subcontract to people with MD degrees that write opinions. They have no accountability either. This leaves the VETERAN,
THE ONLY CUSTOMER OF THE VA
stuck in a system that takes weeks to even START a process and seemingly ZERO review of the sub-subcontracted DBQs.
Good Morning,
Can you please tell me when there are going to be more than four Judges for the Pact Act with the load of claims it is not working.
Veterans are dying waiting on there claim. get the other states to help with the claims. My claim has been in 485 days ?What is going on with my claim 485 days?
Please respond,
Ms. Bush
Gold Star Wife
How many of this 92K were rejected snd had to go to a court hearing?
My case for Agent Orange has been on going for almost 5 years!