Anyone who deals with the VA on a daily basis knows that the VA’s backlog of cases is a problem.
The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA – the arm of the VA that adjudicates disability compensation claims) has processed more than 1 million filings this year and says that it is on track to complete 2.5 million total by year’s end, which is roughly a half-million more than it processed in 2024, according to officials. In late February, the VBA announced it had reached the 1 million claims mark two weeks earlier than in 2024 despite receiving a 16% increase in applications last year and are even claiming that claims processors are running “8.5% ahead of this time last year.” They say it is because the dept has improved training for adjudicators and is implementing new programs that facilitate the process. So what are the actual numbers?
As of April 4, the VBA had 923,355 pending claims, with roughly one-quarter of those considered “backlogged,” or older than 125 days old. The VA says that is has reduced the number of 125-day-old or older claims by nearly 20,000, according to VA data. However, this concerns me as well as many VA disability representatives. We see a lot of “duty to assist” decisions or DTA decisions for short. Basically, those decisions are a waste of paper, but it does make the VA look better. A DTA decision is not really a decision – it is simply a notification that the VA failed to address an important issue in the claim, such as failing to get records or a medical exam and opinion.
Additionally, VA officials have said they want the department to return to 2019 staffing levels of 399,957 employees, which is almost 80,000 less employees than now. This raises even more concerns about the VA’s back log processing.
Gardberg and Kemmerly is open for calls and online assistance and will continue to help our Veterans in any way possible, including staying up to date on current VA information. If you have a claim for disability and need assistance, please call our office and speak with one of our qualified Veterans’ Disability attorneys. Gardberg and Kemmerly is committed to helping injured and disabled Veterans obtain the benefits they deserve. If you need help with a disability claim, call the office at 251-343-1111 or 1-800-332-1529 for a free consultation. Gardberg and Kemmerly is proud to serve Veterans across the country from our home office in Mobile, Alabama.