“After you apply for VA disability benefits, the wait for a decision can be a long one. While some veterans can manage during that time, others can’t afford to wait. You may be able to speed up your VA claim and receive a decision a little sooner.
“I’m Jennifer Keppler, a VA disability attorney with Woods & Woods. Today, I’m going to explain how expedited VA disability claims work, who qualifies, and how to apply.”
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Why should a veteran expedite a claim?
“The VA typically takes around three to six months to make an initial decision on a standard disability claim, but that timeline can vary depending on factors like the type of claim, how many conditions you’re filing for, how complex those conditions are, and how long it takes the VA to gather all of the required evidence.
“In some cases, a veteran may need their claim processed more quickly. This is where expediting a claim, or priority processing, comes in. Priority processing allows the VA to expedite a veteran’s disability claim due to certain urgent circumstances.
“There are a number of reasons why a veteran may qualify for an expedited claim, such as if they’re experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless; experiencing extreme financial hardship due to a situation like losing a job; if they are diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease or another terminal illness; or if they have a Seriously or Very Seriously Injured or Ill status from the Department of Defense (DOD).
“Former prisoners of war and those who received the Medal of Honor or Purple Heart award are also eligible for priority processing.
“It’s difficult to know exactly how long an expedited claim will take. Priority processing ensures that the VA takes action on each step of your claim before they act on any non-priority claims. So, even though I can’t give you a definitive timeline for an expedited claim, the VA will make a decision on it quicker than they would if it were a standard claim.
“If any of the qualifying circumstances I described sound like they may pertain to you, you may be eligible to expedite your claim.”
How to apply for an expedited claim
“If you have already applied for VA disability benefits and have an existing claim, the first thing you’ll need to do is fill out and submit a priority processing request, or VA Form 20-10207.
“If you haven’t filed an initial claim yet, you will need to apply for VA disability benefits just as you would for a standard claim, and you can submit a priority processing request together with your application for benefits.
“For more information about how to apply for VA disability benefits for a service-connected condition, you can watch our video about it where we walk you through the application step by step.
“Once you’re ready to fill out VA form 20-10207, you can apply in person at a VA regional office or online using your benefits account, which you can access through VA.gov. You can also print out the form and complete it by hand.
“The VA priority processing request form is linked here.
“You can submit your priority processing request either with or without evidence, but I strongly encourage you to include any relevant evidence you may have at the time of the filing. This will help the VA process your request faster.”
My husband and I have worked with Woods & Woods for years. They were excellent. They walked us through the many stages of filing for disability. I recommend this firm to anyone that is struggling with VA disability [claims].
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What evidence do you need to file an expedited claim request?
“If you’re requesting an expedited claim because of financial hardship, some examples of evidence you can submit include an eviction or foreclosure notice, notices of past due utility bills or rent payments, collection notices from creditors, and any other supporting documents you believe would show evidence of your financial hardship.
“If you have ALS or another terminal illness, you will need to submit medical records documenting your diagnosis.
“If you have private, non-VA treatment records, you will need to grant the VA access to that information by filling out and submitting VA forms 21-4142 and 21-4142(a).
“Veterans who have been given a Very Seriously or Seriously Injured or Ill status (SI or VSI) from the DOD can support their expedited claim request by providing military personnel records, such as determination of VSI or SI status from the DOD and medical evidence showing severe disability or injury.
“Former prisoners of war can support their VA priority processing requests with military personnel records, such as a DD-214 certificate of release or discharge from active duty, or information like the veteran’s service number, branch and dates of service, dates and location of internment, detaining power, or any other relevant information.
“Lastly, veterans who were awarded a Medal of Honor or Purple Heart can support their expedited claim request with military personnel records or documents providing receipt of the award.”
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How Woods & Woods can help
Our TDIU lawyers have helped thousands of veterans nationwide who can no longer work because of their service-connected conditions. Call us today for your free, confidential TDIU case evaluation. You won’t pay us unless we win your claim.
Jennifer Keppler
Jennifer is a VA disability lawyer who was drawn to law based on a desire to serve and advocate for others. She received her law degree from Indiana University.
