How to Check Your VA Claim Status
Where to check status
- — Sign in and open the 'Track Claims and Appeals' page.
- VA: Health and Benefits mobile app (iOS / Android).
- Call the VA national hotline at 800-827-1000.
- Through your accredited representative, who can pull status reports through access.
The eight VA claim phases
- Received — VA has logged the application or appeal in its system.
- Initial Review — A claims processor reviews the file and identifies the issues claimed.
- Evidence Gathering, Review, and Decision — VA requests federal records, schedules C&P exams, and reviews private records you have submitted.
- Review of Evidence — A rater examines the assembled record.
- Preparation for Decision — A draft is being written.
- Pending Decision Approval — A senior reviewer is signing off on the proposed decision.
- Preparation for Notification — The decision letter and code sheet are being prepared for mailing or upload.
- Complete — The decision has been issued. The letter is available on and mailed to your address of record.
What each phase looks like in practice
A can move forward and backward through these phases — for example, returning to Evidence Gathering if a needs to be re-ordered. Time spent in each phase varies widely depending on the complexity of the claim, the number of contentions, and the workload.
If a sits in one phase for an unusually long time, the most common cause is a pending records request or a deferred contention awaiting a .
Frequently Asked Questions
Useful Tools & Topics
Have questions about your specific case?
Every veteran's facts are different. A free initial consultation with a VA-Accredited Claims Agent can tell you whether your matter is a fit for representation — and what the right next step looks like either way.
Disclaimer: This page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Oakridge Claims is a private business and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. No guarantees of outcomes are made. Each claim is decided on its individual facts.
Related guides
Intent to File (ITF)
How an Intent to File preserves your effective date for up to one year while you gather evidence.
VA Form 21-526EZ Walk-Through
Section-by-section guide to the primary VA disability application form.
Nexus Letters
What a medical nexus letter is, when one helps, and how veterans typically obtain one from a qualified provider.
How to Read Your VA Rating Decision
What each part of a rating decision and code sheet means — the reasons and bases, the diagnostic code, the effective date, and where errors usually hide.