The Playbook › Step 3 of 7: File the claim
The application for VA disability compensation is VA Form 21-526EZ. You use the same form whether this is your first claim, a VA disability claim for a new condition, a secondary condition, or an increase on one you already have.
This guide walks through filing it, with the choices that trip people up.
The short version
- File online at VA.gov if you can. It is faster and gives you a confirmation.
- Submit an Intent to File first if your evidence is not ready.
- Name each condition specifically, and say how it is connected to service.
- Upload your evidence with the claim.
- Save the confirmation and watch for exam scheduling calls and letters.
On this page
Before you start
If you are not sure you qualify, read who is eligible first. Form numbers and terms are explained in the glossary.
Have these ready:
- Your Social Security number and direct deposit details
- Your DD214 or separation documents
- A list of every condition you are claiming
- Dates and places of treatment, VA and private
- Your evidence, scanned. See the evidence checklist.
- Dependents’ details, if your rating may be 30% or more
Four ways to file a VA disability claim
| Method | How | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Online | VA.gov, signed in | Fastest. Saves progress. Creates an Intent to File when you start. |
| With a representative | A VSO, claims agent, or attorney files for you | Free with a VSO. See who can help. |
| By mail | Send the paper form to the VA Claims Intake Center | Keep copies. Use tracked mail. |
| In person | Take the form to a VA regional office | Ask for a date-stamped copy. |
Step by step
1. Sign in and start the form
Go to VA.gov and choose to file for VA disability compensation. Sign in with Login.gov or ID.me. The form pulls in what VA already knows about you.
2. Confirm your personal and service information
Check your service dates and branch against your DD214. Errors here slow everything down.
3. List your conditions
This is the most important part of the form.
- Be specific. Write “left knee strain” or “lumbar degenerative disc disease,” not “joint pain” or “body aches.”
- One condition per line. Do not bundle.
- Include secondary conditions and say what they are secondary to. Example: “Depression, secondary to service-connected lumbar strain.”
- You do not need the exact medical term. VA will work with a plain description of the symptoms and body part.
For each new condition the form asks what caused it. Briefly state the event, injury, exposure, or condition it is linked to, and roughly when.
4. Answer the exposure questions
The form asks about toxic exposures, including burn pits, Agent Orange, and contaminated water. Answer these carefully. They can open the door to presumptive service connection.
5. Tell VA where you have been treated
List VA facilities and private providers. For private providers you can either upload the records yourself, which is faster, or authorize VA to request them.
6. Upload your evidence
Add medical records, DBQs, a nexus letter, your personal statement (the statement writer helps you draft it), and buddy statements. Use clear file names such as “Smith-left-knee-MRI-2025.pdf.”
7. Choose how VA handles the claim
Pick the Fully Developed Claim option if you are submitting all your evidence now. Pick the standard process if you need VA to gather records for you.
8. Add dependents and bank details
Add your spouse, children, and dependent parents so your pay is right from the start.
9. Review, submit, and save the confirmation
Download the confirmation. It shows the date VA received your claim, which is the date that matters for back pay.
Special cases
- Still serving? With 180 to 90 days left, file a BDD claim.
- PTSD. VA may ask you to complete a statement about the stressor, on VA Form 21-0781. See PTSD ratings and MST claims.
- Unable to work. If your conditions keep you from holding a job, also file VA Form 21-8940. See TDIU.
- Asking for more on an existing rating. See filing for an increase.
After you submit your VA disability claim
- VA sends a letter confirming it received the claim.
- You may get calls from unfamiliar numbers. VA uses contractors to schedule exams. Answer them.
- Go to every C&P exam.
- Track the claim on VA.gov or the VA mobile app.
- Respond quickly to any request for more information.
Common mistakes
- Vague condition names
- Leaving out conditions because they seem minor
- Forgetting secondary conditions
- Not uploading evidence you already have
- Missing an exam because the call looked like spam
- Changing your address or phone and not telling VA
Free printable checklist. Everything to gather before you file, what to bring to your C&P exam, and what to check in your decision, on two pages.
Last reviewed October 2026. This guide is general educational information, not legal or medical advice, and this site is not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Rules and rates change. Confirm details on VA.gov or with an accredited representative. See our disclaimer and editorial policy.