WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Appeals Management Office (AMO) significantly reduced disability compensation legacy appeals inventory during the last nine months as part of the department’s long-term legacy resolution plan.

This inventory includes Notices of Disagreement (NOD) and substantive appeals filed in the “legacy” system – the appeals process in place prior to implementation of the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 (AMA). VBA lowered this inventory from a high of 292,452 in March 2016, to 96,350 on Dec. 31, 2019, despite receiving 770,571 new NOD and substantive appeals during that period.

“Veterans who have been waiting for their decisions can trust that VA is working towards getting them the benefits and services they deserve,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “Completing legacy Notices of Disagreement and substantive appeals will be an important step in meeting this obligation.”

VBA is on track to eliminate its NOD and substantive appeals inventory by July 4.

Information on the VA appeals process can be found at https://benefits.va.gov/benefits/appeals.asp.

Reporters and media outlets with questions or comments should contact the Office of Media Relations at vapublicaffairs@va.gov

Veterans with questions about their health care and benefits (including GI Bill). Questions, updates and documents can be submitted online.

Contact us online through Ask VA

Veterans can also use our chatbot to get information about VA benefits and services. The chatbot won’t connect you with a person, but it can show you where to go on VA.gov to find answers to some common questions.

Learn about our chatbot and ask a question

Subscribe today to receive these news releases in your inbox.

More from the Press Room