The Department of Veterans Affairs is working hard to dwindle down the backlog of Veterans disability claims, even reportedly assuring Congress that the backlog was being reduced in an accurate and timely manner. According to FOX News, the backlog of claims, which had reportedly reached over 600,000 in March 2013, had been reduced to about 275,000 at press time, according to a VA official.
In recent years, the backlog grew significantly as soldiers returned from Afghanistan and Iraq. Another contributing factor was that the VA made it easier for Vietnam-era Veterans to get disability compensation stemming from Agent Orange exposure. The Obama administration recent came under harsh criticism for their handling of the backlog problem, and some lawmakers have pushed for an independent commission to address it.
In 2013, the VA completed over a million disability rating claims and is reportedly is on track to complete over 1.3 million claims in 2014. The VA’s goal is to process claims within 125 days at 98 percent accuracy in 2015, but the VA has a long way to go toward meeting that goal. Currently, claims are processed within 154 days at 90 percent accuracy, which is an improvement over an 86 percent accuracy rate in 2011.
If you need help getting Veterans disability benefits right away, it may be wise to consult with an elder law attorney to see what can be done to expedite the process.
