The December 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is finally here. These monthly VA reports show all pending claims data for the various benefit programs it administrates. Military families and veterans can apply for a wealth of benefits like home loans, pension pay, and VA disability compensation. Keep reading to learn average claim-processing times, the current backlog status, and other helpful statistics.
December 2024 Claims Inventory Status
The claims inventory lists every application for benefits the VA currently needs to review and either approve or deny. It lists applications for pension, VA disability, survivor, and dependent benefit payments and military service-related conditions that need ratings. It’s also a good way to see the impact of federal legislation that affects veterans, such as the PACT Act.
Here are the latest numbers from the December 2024 claims inventory report:
- As of December 7, 2024: 950,634
- As of November 2, 2024: 967,152
- Difference: -16,518
- Daily churn: -688 claims
Veterans who file a claim with attorney assistance today can shave 6 days off their wait time for benefits. You’ll actually wait longer if you submit a claim online through the VA’s website.
How long does it take to process each different type of claim that veterans can file? Here’s the breakdown as of December 2024:
- 122 days – supplemental claims (47.7% completed within 125 days)
- 141 days – initial disability compensation applications
- 179 days – higher-level reviews (72.3% completed within 125 days)
- 180 days – pension claims for military retirement benefits
- 3,090 days (8.6 years) – legacy appeals filed before the AMA Appeals Modernization Act process began in 2018
The average retroactive pay award to veterans waiting on benefits at the start of December 2024 is $3,211.71.
December 2024 Claims Backlog Status
Any claims that are still under review after 125 days move into the backlog category automatically. The December 2024 report shows that claims are taking longer to review now, adding to the agency’s backlog:
- As of December 7, 2024: 243,576
- As of November 2, 2024: 235,624
- Difference: +7,952 claims
- Daily churn: +331 added to the backlog
Filed a claim more than 4 months ago and wondering when you’ll hear back? These veterans are most likely to fall in the December 2024 report’s claims backlog:
- Less than 2% – all other service era vets combined (i.e., World War II, Korean War, etc.)4 veterans who file claims get assigned the correct compensation amount.
- 44% – those who served in Iraq or Afghanistan during the War on Terror
- 24% – Vietnam vets
- 19% – Gulf War vets
- 11% – those who served from the end of Vietnam to the start of the Gulf War
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Claim ratings and approval accuracy reached historic lows (21%) during the past 12 months. We want to help veterans get the maximum benefits they deserve after receiving an honorable discharge from military service.
The Board of Veterans’ Appeals annual report for 2023 shows that vets with attorneys get appealed claims approved 41% of the time. That’s the highest win rate possible for veterans (average win rate for all claims was 33.6% for 2023). For context, veterans appealing a claim with no representative at all succeeded just 29% of the time that year.
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November 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis
Let’s review the November 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Every month, the VA reports new claims data for the various veterans’ benefit programs it oversees. These reports show the latest claim-processing times, types of applications filed, and other data that directly impacts military families. If you’re considering applying for VA disability, pension or DIC benefits, keep reading…
November 2024 Claims Inventory Status
First, we’ll review the VA’s latest claims inventory totals as we approach the end of 2024. This includes any pending applications for pension, VA disability, survivor, and dependent benefit payments. Before we get to the latest numbers, we should mention the 2.5% COLA increase in January that also impacts veterans.
If you currently get any monthly cash benefits due to your military service, expect a 2.5% raise soon! Your first pay increase should show up in January 2025’s direct deposit.
Now, let’s get to the actual numbers from this month’s report:
- As of November 2, 2024: 967,152
- As of October 5, 2024: 982,671
- Difference: -15,519
- Daily churn: -776 claims
If you file your VA claim with an attorney’s help, it takes 138 days to process. Veterans who file their claims online wait nearly a week longer (144 days, on average).
Applied for VA disability benefits and wondering how long it might take to get your first check after approval? These states processed those types of VA claims fastest during the past month:
- 116 days – Rhode Island
- 119.7 days – Kansas
- 119.9 days – Montana
- 121.5 days – New Mexico
- 122.7 days – Hawaii
- 126 days – South Dakota
- 128.5 days – Vermont
As you can see from the short list above, only 5 U.S. states now process disability claims before they’re backlogged.
November 2024 Claims Backlog Status
The November 2024 report flags any benefit claims more than 125 days old as “backlogged”. Unfortunately, these older benefit applications in the VA’s system appear to be rising in numbers again:
- As of November 2, 2024: 235,624
- As of October 5, 2024: 234,033
- Difference: +1,591 claims
- Daily churn: +530 added to the backlog
In November 2024, these regional offices had the lowest accuracy rates for assigning VA disability ratings and compensation to veterans:
- 67.6% – Wichita, KS
- 68% – Baltimore, MD
- 70% – Honolulu, HI
- 71.5% – Waco, TX
- 72% – Hartford, CT
- 73% – Little Rock, AR
- 74% – Nashville, TN
The above list shows where less than 3 in 4 veterans who file claims get assigned the correct compensation amount.
October 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report
We have the October 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report numbers from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Every month, the VA reports updated total, supplemental, and backlogged claim numbers covering the last 30 days. Anyone seeking veterans’ benefits can learn valuable insights about claim-processing times, legislation impacting the VA, and other helpful info below.
October 2024 Claims Inventory Status
First, we’ll review the VA’s latest claims inventory totals in the October 2024 report. This includes any outstanding applications for pension, VA disability, survivor, and dependent benefit compensation. The VA reviews each claim either to provide individual ratings for service-connected disabilities or award monthly payments to eligible claimants. The claims inventory is once more shrinking month-over-month, and we love to see it:
- As of October 5, 2024: 982,671
- As of September 7, 2024: 987,122
- Difference: -4,451
- Daily churn: -223 claims
If you file your VA claim with an attorney’s help, it takes 139 days to process. Veterans filing benefit applications online wait nearly a week longer for a response (145 days, on average).
Appealing a denied claim? The VA tracks those applications in a separate database. According to the September 2024 Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) report, here’s how long the VA takes to process each different type of claim:
- 124 days – supplemental claims
- 136 days – applications for VA pension benefits
- 155 days – initial claims for VA disability compensation that need ratings
- 215 days – higher-level reviews
- 551 days – direct reviews that don’t request a hearing or submit new evidence
- 675 days – appeals that submit new medical evidence, but no hearing request
- 750 days – average wait time for an appeals hearing before an administrative law judge that includes new medical evidence
October 2024 Claims Backlog Status
The October 2024 report lists any applications for benefits more than 125 days old under the “backlog” category. Much like last month, the VA claims backlog fell again for October:
- As of October 5, 2024: 234,033
- As of September 7, 2024: 246,461
- Difference: -2,428 claims
- Daily churn: -621 cleared from the backlog
As of October 2024, here are the veterans whose claims are most likely to end up in the VA’s backlog:
- 43% – vets who served in Iraq or Afghanistan after 9/11
- 24% – Vietnam War veterans
- 19% – Gulf War vets
- 12% – those who served during peacetime between the end of Vietnam and start of the Gulf War in the 1990s
- Less than 2% – all other remaining military service eras combined
Most veterans who file applications today can expect to wait about 152 days, on average, to hear a response. That’s the typical claim processing time the VA reported in October for every type of application filed nationwide, averaged together.
September 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report
Let’s dive into the latest September 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report numbers from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. These reports detail which veterans and military families filed VA benefit claims during the last 30 days. Anyone seeking veterans’ benefits from the VA can learn valuable insights about claim processing times and other helpful statistics below.
September 2024 Claims Inventory Status
First, let’s check out the new claims inventory numbers in the September 2024 VA benefits report. This section includes every claim veterans and eligible family members filed which are pending the VA’s review. Claims are applications for disability, pension, survivor, and DIC compensation, all of which need the VA’s approval or ratings. We noted a massive jump in claims for September, reversing previous reductions in 2024:
- As of September 7, 2024: 987,122
- As of August 3, 2024: 971,266
- Difference: +15,856
- Daily churn: +793 claims
We should also note, however, that these numbers are still well below the historical record peak set in October 2023.
It’s now faster to file your veterans disability claim through an attorney than directly through the VA’s website. Either way, you’ll wait close to 6 months to hear a response back on your application status.
The September 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report shows these states process VA disability compensation claims most quickly:
- 126 days – Hawaii
- 128 days – South Dakota, Virginia
- 131.4 days – Colorado, Minnesota
- 135 days – Kansas, North Carolina
- 137 days – Alaska, California
And these U.S. states take longest to process veteran claims:
- 164 days – Iowa
- 163 days – Delaware
- 162.5 days – Wyoming
- 161 days – Mississippi
- 160 days – North Dakota
September 2024 Claims Backlog Status
The September 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report backlog is where all claims more than 125 days old end up. Based on these numbers, we’d say the VA is focusing on clearing out older claims for the moment:
- As of September 7, 2024: 246,461
- As of August 3, 2024: 257,727
- Difference: -11,266 claims
- Daily churn: -563 cleared from the backlog
As of September 2024, here’s the average time it takes the VA to process each type of benefit application:
- 60 days – BDD claims
- 125 days – supplemental claims
- 144 days – pension claims
- 155 days – VA disability pension claims
- 253 days – higher-level reviews
August 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report
Our analysis of the August 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs starts now. The numbers shown below tell us how many military veterans and family members filed claims during the last 30 days. Anyone interested in veterans’ benefits can also learn how the newest numbers may impact their own claims, including any processing delays.
August 2024 Claims Inventory Status
First up, let’s look at the updated claims inventory numbers in the August 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report. This part of the report lists every single application veterans and eligible family members filed for benefits. That can include things like VA disability, pension, survivor, and dependent benefit claims that need approval for payment or ratings. Unlike last month, we saw the claims inventory shrink somewhat during this 30-day period:
- As of August 3, 2024: 971,266
- As of July 6, 2024: 973,183
- Difference: -1,917
- Daily churn: -96 claims
Every veteran and eligible family member now waits at least 154 days for the VA to process their benefit applications. It’s currently little bit faster to get a response if you apply through a VA-accredited attorney, however.
Here’s what types of VA claims make up most of the August 2024 inventory growth:
- 74% are VA supplemental claims, and 58% of those are for new service-connected disabilities. This group of more than 400,000 claims is huge, and likely tied to the PACT Act. Since 2022, the law granted more than 1.6 million veterans and military families new VA benefits.
- 12% are initial VA disability claims with no more than 7 unrated conditions.
- 9% are initial claims for VA disability that list at least 8 unrated conditions.
- 3% are survivor claims from parents, children, and spouses of deceased vets.
- 1% are pension claims from retiring veterans.
August 2024 Claims Backlog Status
The August 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report also includes backlogged claims, which are all more than 125 days old. During the past two years, the VA reported an historic surge in claims for benefits thanks to August 2022 legislation. Since the July 2024 report, backlogged claims VA grew significantly:
- As of August 3, 2024: 257,727
- As of July 6, 2024: 274,151
- Difference: +16,424 claims
- Daily churn: +821 added to the backlog
The veterans most impacted by this month’s backlog, ranked by service era:
- 42% – vets who served in either Iraq or Afghanistan
- 25% – Vietnam vets
- 20% – Gulf War veterans
- 11% – those who served during times of peace between the end of Vietnam to the start of the 1991 Gulf War
- Less than 2% are from vets who served in all other eras, combined
Related: Interested in getting disability benefits from the Social Security Administration? Check out our monthly SSD benefits statistics report updates we publish every month.
July 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report
Get into our review of the July 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. July’s report shows which veterans and military families filed claims for various VA benefits during the last 30 days. Anyone now filing for veterans’ benefits can also learn how this latest update may impact their own claims below.
July 2024 Claims Inventory Status
Any claims pending VA ratings or payment approval appear in the July 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report. Veterans with an honorable discharge status can file applications for VA pension, mortgage, tuition, disability, and survivor benefits. For the first time since October 2023, claims inventory numbers shot up higher for July:
- As of July 6, 2024: 973,183
- As of June 1, 2024: 949,272
- Difference: +36,089
- Daily churn: +1,804 claims
Every veteran and dependent who qualifies for VA benefits now waits at least 152 to 155 days for a response.
VA supplemental claims for disability compensation took approximately 128 days to process during last month.
Remember that the VA uses a separate system to track any veterans who appeal a denied claim. According to the June 2024 AMA Appeals Metrics Report, here’s how long it takes to process an appealed VA claim:
- Direct reviews now take 621 days total to process, down 3% since March. These appeals don’t include any additional medical evidence from the veteran seeking benefits.
- Appealed claims with new medical evidence now take 666 days total to process. That’s a 5% reduction in time spent waiting for an answer vs. March’s reported wait period.
- Appeals hearings before an Administrative Law Judge now take 739 days to finish, on average. That’s a little more than a 1% increase since March.
- Legacy appeals now take 5 years and 7 months to process. That adds another 210 days vets wait for claim resolution compared to Q1 of this year.
July 2024 Claims Backlog Status
The July 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report breaks applications down into two separate categories. The first group includes the VA’s backlog, which are the oldest claims waiting on disability ratings and payment approval. Backlogged claims are, by definition, more than 125 days old and still under the VA’s review. During the past 30 days, we noted that backlogged claims fell 2% compared to June’s report:
- As of July 6, 2024: 274,151
- As of June 1, 2024: 278,563
- Difference: -4,412 claims
- Daily churn: -221 claims cleared from the backlog
Which types of claims make up most of the July 2024 backlog?
- 65% are supplemental claims for new disabilities, higher VA ratings, or increased pension benefits
- 13.5% are initial claims for VA disability compensation that list at least 8 unrated medical conditions
- 13% are initial VA disability claims listing no more than 7 unrated conditions
- 5% are survivor benefit claims filed by eligible spouses, children, or parents
- 1% are initial applications for VA pension benefits
Altogether, this indicates that about 28% of claims filed since January 2024 are still under the VA’s review.
June 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report
Our analysis of the June 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is here. This latest report shows which vets filed claims for various VA benefits during the last month. Military families and vets now filing for benefits can also learn how these new statistics may impact their own claims.
June 2024 Claims Inventory Status
Our June 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report shows all claims the VA still needs to approve or assign ratings. Eligible veterans and their dependents may file claims for pension, mortgage, tuition, disability, and survivor benefits from the VA. Since May, the VA cleared the fewest claims out of its inventory category for any month so far in 2024:
- As of June 1, 2024: 949,272
- As of May 4, 2024: 951,428
- Difference: -2,156
- Daily churn: -108 claims
So, what does this mean for veterans and their dependents currently seeking VA benefits? First, it appears to be increasing veteran wait times for VA disability compensation ratings and benefit payments. Let’s look at the slowest approval states for VA disability for June vs. what we saw just two months ago:
- 224 days – Maine (up 23% since April)
- 219 days – North Dakota (up 27% since April)
- 212 days – Utah (up 39.5% since April, which was 152 days)
- 197 days – Alabama (up 18% since April, which was 168 days)
- 188 days – Arkansas (up 17% since April, which was 161.3 days)
- 183 days – Hawaii (up 17% since April, which was 156.4 days)
Every state listed above takes at least 6 months to review VA disability claims.
June 2024 Claims Backlog Status
The June 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report also shows VA claims over 125 days old in its backlog category. During the past 30 days, the VA shows better numbers for clearing backlogged claims vs. applications in the inventory:
- As of June 1, 2024: 278,563
- As of May 4, 2024: 295,592
- Difference: -17,029 claims
- Daily churn: -851 claims cleared from the backlog
Wondering how much each type of claim pays in VA benefits for 2024? Here’s a quick breakdown:
- $17,278.78 per year for newly approved VA disability compensation claims
- $20,581.18 per year for initial survivor & DIC benefits paid to dependents
- $20,360.33 per year in pension income for retired military service members
- $11,116.70 per year in pension income for survivors of deceased military retirees
We calculated these amounts using VBA Annual Benefits Report numbers for 2023, adjusted for the 3.2% COLA increase.
May 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report
Let’s take a look at the May 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Our newest update shows how many vets filed VA applications for various benefits during the last 30 days. Veterans and their dependents that apply for these payments can also learn how long it takes to receive a response.
May 2024 Claims Inventory Status
Our May 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report shows all claims the VA still needs to approve or assign ratings. This includes things such as pension payments, mortgage applications, college loans, disability compensation, and survivor benefits. We notice the VA’s working hard to clear as many claims as possible as they come in:
- As of May 4, 2024: 951,428
- As of April 6, 2024: 975,947
- Difference: -24,519
- Daily churn: -1,226 claims
Are you a veteran getting ready to apply for VA benefits? You’ll shave 2 days off your wait time if an attorney helps you compared to fully developed claims filed online. Today, most vets wait at least 155 days (5+ months) to receive a determination decision letter in the mail. But if you have a VA-accredited attorney, you can expect a reply within 153 days of your filing date.
Can the total number of disabling conditions listed on your VA claim impact your wait time? It appears so:
- 47% of VA disability claims that list 8 or more conditions take more than 125 days total to process
- 36% of claims with 7 or fewer conditions take more than 125 days to assign new VA disability ratings
May 2024 Claims Backlog Status
May 2024’s report also shows all backlogged applications the VA still has under review. Any claim more than 125 days old automatically moves into the VA’s backlog category. During the past 30 days, the VA cleared 11% of older claims from the backlog compared to April:
- As of May 4, 2024: 295,592
- As of April 6, 2024: 330,645
- Difference: -35,053 claims
- Daily churn: -1,753 claims cleared from the backlog
The following honorably discharged service members make up most of May 2024’s claims backlog:
- 43% – vets who served in Iraq or Afghanistan
- 25% – Vietnam vets
- 19% – Gulf War vets
- 11% – vets who served from the end of Vietnam to the start of the Gulf War
- 2% – all other eras combined, including World War II and Korea
April 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report
Below is the April 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Our newest report analysis reveals how pending VA claims numbers changed during the last 30 days. Veterans and military families that apply for benefits can also learn how long it takes to receive a determination decision.
April 2024 Claims Inventory Status
The April 2024 report lists all outstanding benefit applications the VA still needs to review. It includes every new claim for VA disability, pension, and survivor’s benefits, but no appeals. Thankfully, April’s report shows the claims inventory continuing its six-month shrinking trend:
- As of April 6, 2024: 975,947
- As of March 2, 2024: 996,774
- Difference: -20,827
- Daily churn: -947 claims
Recently filed a benefits claim with the VA? You’ll wait 154 days (at least 5 months) for a determination decision.
Here’s how the April 2024 claims inventory breaks down:
- 26% are from vets seeking benefits for the very first time
- 73% are VA supplemental claims
- 1% are Blue Water Navy claims for conditions that arise from Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War
April 2024 Claims Backlog Status
Claims more than 125 days old in the April 2024 veterans disability benefits report count as backlogged applications. As you can see below, backlogged claims fell 10% since last month’s report came out:
- As of April 6, 2024: 330,645
- As of March 2, 2024: 368,574
- Difference: -37,929 claims
- Daily churn: -1,724 claims cleared from the backlog
The April 2024 veterans disability benefits report shows disabled vets have a 50% chance of falling into the backlog. Where you live can make a difference in how long you’ll wait, so we broke those states out for you below.
The following states currently have the slowest VA disability claim review times:
- Vermont – 183 days
- Maine – 182.4 days
- Connecticut – 178.3 days
- Wyoming – 176.6 days
- South Dakota – 173.7 days
- Kentucky – 172.4 days
- North Dakota – 172.2 days
- Montana – 171.8 days
- Mississippi – 171.5 days
However, these states and territories had the fastest VA claim reviews for April 2024:
- Washington, D.C. – 138 days
- Minnesota – 145.8 days
- Puerto Rico – 147.3 days
- Rhode Island – 148 days
- Colorado – 148.5 days
- Florida – 148.9 days
- North Carolina – 149 days
March 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report
Let’s review the March 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In our analysis below, you’ll learn how pending VA claims numbers changed during the last 30 days. These monthly snapshot reports reveal how the VA’s newest numbers may impact veterans and military families currently waiting on benefits.
March 2024 Claims Inventory Status
The March 2024 report lists all outstanding benefit applications currently waiting on the VA’s review. It includes every application for VA disability, pension, and survivor benefits requesting ratings or approval for payment. March marks the 5th month the VA’s claims inventory category shrank since hitting a record high in October 2023:
- As of March 2, 2024: 996,774
- As of February 3, 2024: 1,013,915
- Difference: -17,141
- Daily churn: -857 claims
Applying for VA benefits this month? You’ll wait about 154 days (6 months) for a response back about your claim. This is because of the large influx of PACT Act claims filed during the past year. In fact, those supplemental claims make up 44% of this month’s VA claims inventory category.
PACT Act conditions are “VA presumptive disabilities.” This means the VA automatically approves claims that include recent medical records for these specific health conditions.
March 2024 Claims Backlog Status
The March 2024 veterans disability benefits report’s backlog includes any claims still under review after 125 days. We noted another 7% drop in backlogged claims compared to February’s report:
- As of March 2, 2024: 368,574
- As of February 3, 2024: 397,323
- Difference: -28,749 claims
- Daily churn: -1,437 claims cleared from the backlog
A little less than 2 in 5 claims today fall into the VA’s backlog (37%). The vets most affected by longer wait times for VA benefits include:
- Blue Water Navy veterans who served in Vietnam filing Agent Orange claims (more than 85% are backlogged)
- Recently discharged veterans filing initial VA disability compensation claims (more than 51% are backlogged)
- Family members of deceased veterans filing survivor benefit claims for the very first time (49%)
The VA tracks claim appeals separately, so they’re not in the March 2024 veterans disability benefits report. However, here’s what the most recent AMA report shows us:
- Direct review appeals take 639 days, on average (21 months)
- Appeals with new medical evidence for review take 697 days to process (23 months)
- Hearings take 729 days from your original filing date to render a decision (about 2 years)
- Legacy appeals take a little more than 5 years to finish, on average
February 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report
Join us as we review the February 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This monthly report reveals how outstanding VA claims numbers changed during the last 30 days. Below, we’ll explain how the VA’s latest numbers may impact veterans and military families currently applying for benefits.
February 2024 Claims Inventory Status
All benefit applications the VA has currently under review show up in the February 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report. This statistical snapshot lists all disability, pension, and survivor benefits that either need ratings or the VA’s approval for payment. We are happy to note that the claims inventory shrank more than 3% compared to January’s report:
- As of February 3, 2024: 1,013,915
- As of January 6, 2024: 1,048,765
- Difference: -34,850
- Daily churn: -1,742.5 claims
Applying for VA benefits this month? You’ll wait about 152 days for a response back about your claim.
The VA currently takes at least 150 days to review each veteran’s claim. That means 6 months from your filing date is the likely soonest you can get VA benefit payments.
According to the February 2024 veterans disability benefits report, these states take at least 6 months to approve claims:
- Vermont – 164 days
- Wyoming – 164 days
- New Mexico – 163 days
- North Dakota – 162 days
- Montana – 162 days
- Mississippi – 161 days
And these states process VA disability cases faster than the rest:
- Colorado – 140 days
- North Carolina – 144 days
- Virginia – 145 days
- Alaska – 145.5 days
- Rhode Island – 146 days
- Maryland – 147.5 days
- Florida – 148 days
February 2024 Claims Backlog Status
Next, let’s review the February 2024 veterans disability benefits report’s backlog update. The word “backlog” refers to any claims more than 125 days old that the VA hasn’t finished reviewing yet. Thankfully, the VA’s backlog for February shrank almost 5% compared to last month’s near-historic high:
- As of February 3, 2024: 397,323
- As of January 6, 2024: 417,855
- Difference: -20,532 claims
- Daily churn: -1,027 claims cleared from the backlog
About 1 in 3 (32.6%) of this month’s backlogged claims are initial applications for pension, VA disability, and survivor benefits. The following veterans are most likely to fall into February’s VA backlog:
- 45% served in either Iraq or Afghanistan
- 25% served during Vietnam
- 19% served during the Gulf War
- 10% served between the end of Vietnam and the start of the Gulf War
- Less than 1% served in other wartime service eras (Korea, World War II)
January 2024 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis
The January 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is here, with our analysis. This monthly VA report showing how outstanding claims numbers changed during the last 30 days. Below, we’ll explain how the VA’s current numbers may impact veterans waiting on claim approval.
January 2024 Claims Inventory Status
All VA benefit claims waiting on the agency’s review appear in the January 2024 veterans disability benefits statistics report. It gives you a brief update on all disability, pension, and survivor benefits that need ratings or the VA’s approval for payment. Since 2023 ended, the VA cleared more than 30,000 claims from its inventory:
- As of January 6, 2024: 1,048,765
- As of December 2, 2023: 1,079,564
- Difference: -30,275
- Daily churn: -1,540 claims
While the VA’s working hard to reduce its claims inventory, it’s still hovering at historic highs compared to recent years. For comparison, VA claims increased 48% since January 2023. That means veterans filed more than 339,000 new VA claims in 12 months, primarily due to August 2022’s PACT Act.
The VA currently takes at least 150 days to review each new claim. That means 6 months from your claim filing date is the likely soonest you can get VA benefit payments.
January 2024 Claims Backlog Status
Up next are backlogged claims in the January 2024 veterans disability benefits report. The word “backlog” refers to any claims the VA is still working on more than 125 days after you file. Compared to this time last year, the VA’s backlog more than doubled in size:
- As of January 6, 2024: 417,855
- As of December 2, 2023: 318,221
- Difference: +99,634 claims
- Daily churn: +4,982 claims added to the backlog
It’s also the highest backlog number we’ve seen from the VA since summer of 2014. Today, about 40% (2 in every 5) of VA claims end up in the agency’s backlog category. Here’s how those numbers break down:
- 67% are supplemental claims for either new or worse disabilities or requesting a higher VA rating
- 31% are initial pension, VA disability, or survivor benefits claims
- 2% are Blue Water Navy claims for Agent Orange exposure during service
Veterans who served during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts filed 46% of January’s backlogged VA claims.
December 2023 Veterans Disability Benefits Statistics Report Analysis
We’ve completed our analysis of the December 2023 veterans disability benefits statistics report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Every month, the VA issues a new report showing how claims numbers from veterans changed during the last 30 days. Below, we’ll explain how the VA’s newest numbers may impact veterans and their families who rely on these benefits.
December 2023 Claims Inventory Status
All VA benefit claims currently under review appear in the December 2023 veterans disability benefits statistics report. This monthly update lists applications for disability, pension, and survivor benefits that need ratings or the VA’s approval for payment. Based on this latest report, the VA’s claims inventory shrank nearly 2% between November 4 and December 2, 2023:
- As of December 2, 2023: 1,079,564
- As of November 4, 2023: 1,096,839
- Difference: -17,275
- Daily churn: -864 claims
Today, it takes the VA at least 148 days to review each veteran’s claim. That means the soonest you can get VA disability compensation or pension payments is 6 months from your filing date.
Appealed claims aren’t listed in the December 2023 veterans benefits report. However, here’s how long it takes to process different types of appeals in the November 2023 AMA metrics report:
- 605 days for direct review requests (i.e., appeals that don’t include new medical evidence for the VA to consider)
- 697 days for appealed claims with new medical evidence for the VA to review
- 713 days for appeals hearings in front of an administrative law judge
Now, some good news: The VA approved 55% of supplemental claims filed so far in 2023!
December 2023 Claims Backlog Status
Now, let’s look at backlogged claims in the December 2023 veterans disability benefits report. Any applications the VA still hasn’t finished processing after 125 days ends up in the backlog category. Unfortunately, we saw a big bump in backlogged claims for the last month of this year:
- As of December 2, 2023: 318,221
- As of November 4, 2023: 301,408
- Difference: +16,813 claims
- Daily churn: +841 claims added to the backlog
Nearly half (47%) of December’s backlog involves claims from vets who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Another 1 in 4 claims (24%) come from Vietnam War vets.
Gulf War vets make up about 1 in 5 (19%) backlogged claims this month. Finally, 1 in 10 (9%) claims in this month’s backlog come from peacetime veterans. These are former military members who served between the end of Vietnam and the start of the 1990s Gulf War.
Claims from Korea, World War II and other service era veterans make up less than 1% of December’s claims backlog.
We’ve helped at least 10,000 disabled vets get free VA-accredited claim reviews. If you need help, click the button below to start your free online benefits quiz and see if you may qualify:
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Lori Polemenakos is Director of Consumer Content and SEO strategist for LeadingResponse, a legal marketing company. An award-winning journalist, writer and editor based in Dallas, Texas, she's produced articles for major brands such as Match.com, Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, Xfinity, Mail.com, and edited several published books. Since 2016, she's published hundreds of articles about Social Security disability, workers' compensation, veterans' benefits, personal injury, mass tort, auto accident claims, bankruptcy, employment law and other related legal issues.
