How to File a New VA Disability Claim

Mission Brief

Launching your first VA disability claim? This is your bridge log. We’ll map every initial VA disability claim requirement, lock in your effective date, and steer the VA disability claim process from intent notice to decision.

Start by filing an Intent to File, then protect that timeline by documenting each condition and matching it to service evidence. When you’re ready to complete VA Form 21-526EZ, this guide keeps every step aligned—from evidence prep to C&P exam readiness.

Use the Claim Prep Checklist to track deadlines, download supporting templates from Forms & Templates, and set reminders so your VA disability claim timeline never drifts off course.

• Start the clock: submit your Intent to File, log the confirmation number, and calendar the one-year expiration so your effective date stays locked.
• Build your baseline: pair every claimed condition with medical diagnoses, STR entries, or deployment evidence that prove service connection.
• Stage your proof: pull supporting intel from the Intel Archive, assemble nexus letters or DBQs, and prep VA Form 21-526EZ before you ever hit “submit.”

Key Takeaways

• Lock your effective date with an Intent to File and track the one-year deadline like a standing watch.
• Pair every claimed condition with a diagnosis, service evidence, and lay proof before completing VA Form 21-526EZ.
• Rehearse C&P narratives and keep a cloud-based binder so you can respond fast when the VA calls.

Situation Brief

You’ve earned conditions tied to service and you’re ready to file for the first time. A successful initial VA disability claim hinges on locking in your effective date, proving service connection, and documenting current severity before the VA ever asks. Once you open an intent, you generally have 365 days to submit VA Form 21-526EZ and preserve the original effective date.

Pro tip: When you organize early, your 21-526EZ submission reads like a sea trial log—clear, complete, and impossible to ignore.

Prep Checklist

Run this pre-launch sequence so your 21-526EZ package is squared away before you ever upload the first exhibit—treat it as your new VA disability claim checklist.

• Lock intent to file: submit VA Form 21-0966 or start the VA.gov intent workflow, record the confirmation number, and set reminders leading up to the one-year deadline.
• Choose your lane: decide between the Fully Developed Claim (FDC) program and the Standard claim lane so you know when evidence must be uploaded.
• Catalog every condition: list primary and secondary issues you’ll claim, confirm current diagnoses, and note which providers or records will verify each one.
• Build the evidence stack: request STR copies, deployment orders, private medical records, DBQs, and lay statements that satisfy the VA disability claim evidence requirements.
• Stage submission logistics: verify dependents and direct-deposit info, label each PDF (e.g., “2025-07-12_Dr-King_Lumbar-Dx.pdf”), and outline a cover memo that points raters to the right exhibit fast.

With the checklist green across the board, the Step-by-Step Playbook turns into execution instead of triage.

Step-by-Step Playbook

1. Lock your intent: File VA Form 21-0966 or start the VA.gov intent-to-file flow, screenshot the confirmation, and drop it in your tracker alongside the one-year deadline. This move starts the VA disability claim timeline and protects the earliest effective date available.
2. Map issues to proof: List each claimed condition, then match it to service records, medical evidence, and lay statements that prove it began in or was aggravated by service. Cross-check the list against your Intel Archive favorites so you can cite proven tactics for nexus and chronicity.
3. Complete VA Form 21-526EZ: Work through every section carefully—dependents, direct deposit, treatment facilities, exposure details—and stage labeled PDFs for upload. Follow the VA Form 21-526EZ instructions so the rater sees a clean, fully developed claim the first time.
4. Deploy the packet: Submit through VA.gov, QuickSubmit, or an accredited representative; if mailing, use the Evidence Intake Center (PO Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444) or fax 844-531-7818. Log the date, channel, and confirmation code, and confirm your representative is listed at the VA’s accredited portal.
5. Maintain the battle rhythm: Check VA.gov every 2–4 weeks, prep for C&P exams with symptom logs, and respond fast to any VA evidence requests to keep the claim moving. If an exam is scheduled, review our C&P prep tips the night before.

When every step is tied to documented evidence, your first claim reads like a navigator’s log—nothing missing, nothing late.

Evidence Arsenal

Your first claim wins when every issue is backed by service proof, a current diagnosis, and lay evidence that shows daily impact. Align each document with the VA disability claim evidence requirements, label it clearly, and make the rater’s path obvious.

Pro tip: Group exhibits by condition and number them in your cover memo so the rater can follow the trail without guesswork.

Intel & Tools

Treat your first claim like a standing watch—monitor VA comms, prep for exams, and log every move so you’re never caught by surprise.

• Weekly status checks: pull VA.gov or the VA mobile app every 7–14 days, screenshot changes, and annotate the Claim Prep Checklist with date/time stamps.
• Prep for C&P: rehearse symptom narratives, gather DBQs, and keep transportation lined up so exam notices never expire; review our C&P exam FAQ the night before.
• Log communications: capture calls, emails, and letters from the VA or your VSO, noting response deadlines and follow-on evidence requests, then subscribe below for claim timeline alerts.

Keep the intel flowing—if a new hurdle pops up, log it and pull fresh tactics so your first-claim playbook stays sharp.

Next Actions & Support

Keep the battle rhythm tight—capture every VA ping immediately so your first claim stays on schedule.