VA Form 20-0995 Guide

Source: VA.gov form summary (last updated May 23, 2025)

• Official name: Decision Review Request: Supplemental Claim
• Download: VBA-20-0995-ARE.pdf
• Primary use: Ask VA to revisit a decision using new and relevant evidence that was not previously considered.
• Effective-date protection: File within one year of the decision notice to keep the original effective date if the claim is granted.
• Processing goal: VA targets 125 days for most Supplemental Claims and publishes monthly averages on the Supplemental Claim status page.

• You have new medical evidence, service records, or lay testimony that can change the outcome of a VA decision issued within the last year.
• A change in law or VA policy (for example, the PACT Act) now covers your condition and you want the VA to reconsider without going straight to the Board.
• You just received an unfavorable decision from a Higher-Level Review or Board lane and can now submit the missing evidence.
• You need to re-open a denied dependency claim, pension claim, or survivor benefit with records that were not available previously.
• You are pairing the Supplemental Claim with VA Form 21-4142 so the VA can retrieve private treatment records to fill the gap.

• The exact decision date, Issues, and benefit type from the notification letter you are challenging.
• A concise summary of new and relevant evidence for each Issue, including medical opinions, diagnostic reports, service/unit records, or VA Form 21-10210 lay statements.
• Cover memo or exhibit list that matches every document to the Issue it supports—this helps show relevance immediately.
• Optional authorizations with VA Form 21-4142 and VA Form 21-4142a so the VA can request private medical records.
• Contingency plan: decide whether you will move to Higher-Level Review or a Board appeal if the Supplemental Claim still comes back denied.

File online for disability compensation

Use the VA.gov Supplemental Claim tool to upload evidence and tag each Issue. Keep file sizes under VA’s limits, and double-check the “new and relevant” description before submitting.

Mail, fax, or file through a representative

Print and mail the form with supporting documents to:

Fax disability compensation packets to 844-531-7818 (domestic) or 248-524-4260 (overseas). Life insurance and pension claims use the same form but have separate mailing addresses listed on VA.gov.

If you prefer support, submit through an accredited Veterans Service Organization representative who can upload documents on your behalf.

Call out expedited circumstances

Include a short statement if you qualify for priority processing because of terminal illness, homelessness, financial hardship, or age 85 and older.

• VA reviews the evidence to confirm it is both new and relevant. Expect an initial acknowledgement or development letter within 30 days.
• You may be scheduled for a Compensation & Pension exam—prepare with our C&P Exam Prep guide and bring the same records you submitted.
• Watch the claim status tool for updates or additional evidence requests. Missing a suspense date restarts the review clock.
• If the VA still denies the Issue, you can submit another Supplemental Claim with stronger evidence, request a Higher-Level Review, or appeal directly to the Board using VA Form 10182.
• Once granted, compensation is paid back to the effective date tied to the decision you challenged—as long as you filed within the one-year window.

• Submitting evidence the VA already considered. Highlight why each document is new and directly attaches to the denied Issue.
• Mixing multiple Issues in one narrative. Create separate section blocks in Part II so the VA can establish development tracks for each condition.
• Waiting beyond one year from the decision letter, which forces a new effective date if the claim is granted later.
• Not documenting changes in law. Cite the statute (for example, “PACT Act – Burn Pit Presumption”) in Part I when that is the basis for the review.
• Forgetting to update contact information after a move; missed development letters can result in a denial for failure to cooperate.

• Supplemental Claim playbook — process map, timelines, and evidence worksheets.
• Lay & medical statement templates — structure your new evidence packages.
• Claim Prep Checklist — quick audit before you submit the packet.
• Higher-Level Review guide — understand when to escalate for a de novo review.
• Disability claim timeline — track average wait times across the AMA lanes.