Overview
of the ...
"Veteran's
Claim
Process
For Denied Benefits"
Abbreviations
Definitions
VA Claim'sProcess
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VA Claim's
Process Topics
Abbreviations
- AOJ: Agency of Original Jurisdiction
- BVA: Board of Veterans' Appeals
- RO: Regional Office
- NOD: Notice of Disagreement
- SOC: Statement of the Case
- SSOC: Supplemental Statement of the Case
- VA: The Department of Veterans Affairs
- VSO: Veterans' Service Organization
Definitions
This glossary contains many of
the terms commonly used in the appeal process.
- Advance on the Docket:
A change in the order in which an appeal is reviewed and decided — from the
date when it would normally occur to an earlier date.
- Appeal:
A request for a review of an Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) determination
on a claim.
- Appellant:
An individual who has appealed an AOJ
claim determination.
- Agency of Original
Jurisdiction (AOJ): The
office where a claim originates.
- Board:
The Board of Veterans' Appeals.
- Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA):
The part of VA that reviews benefit claims appeals and that issues decisions on
those appeals.
- BVA
Hearing: A personal
hearing, held at the BVA
office in Washington, D.C., or at a regional office, that is conducted by a
member of the Board. A BVA
hearing can be held by videoconference from some regional offices.
- Claim:
A request for veterans' benefits.
- Claim Number:
A number assigned by VA
that identifies a person who has filed a claim; often called a
"C-number."
- Claims File:
Same as claims folder.
- Claims Folder:
The file containing all documents concerning a veteran's claim or appeal.
- Decision:
The final product of BVA's
review of an appeal. Possible decisions are to grant or deny the benefit or
benefits claimed, or to remand the case back to the AOJ
for additional action.
- Determination:
A decision on a claim made at the AOJ.
- Docket:
A listing of appeals that have been filed with BVA.
Appeals are listed in numerical order, called docket number order, based on when
a VA Form 9 is
received by VA.
- Docket Number:
The number assigned to an appeal when a VA
Form 9 is received by VA.
By law, cases are reviewed by the Board in docket number order.
- File:
To submit in writing.
- Hearing:
A meeting, similar to an interview, between an appellant and an official from VA
who will decide an appellant's case, during which testimony and other evidence
supporting the case is presented. There are two types of personal hearings:
Regional office hearings (also called local office hearings) and BVA
hearings.
- Issue:
A benefit sought on a claim or an appeal. For example, if an appeal seeks a
decision on three different matters, the appeal is said to contain three issues.
- Member of the
Board: An attorney,
appointed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and approved by the President,
who decides veterans' benefit appeals.
- Motion:
A legal term used to describe a request that some specific action be taken.
- Motion to Advance on the
Docket: A request that BVA
review and decide an appeal sooner than when it normally would based on the
appeal's docket number order.
- Motion to Reconsider:
A request for BVA to
review its decision on an appeal.
- Notice of Disagreement (NOD):
A written statement expressing dissatisfaction or disagreement with a local VA
office's determination on a benefit claim that must be filed within one year of
the date of the regional office's decision.
- Regional Office (RO):
A local VA office;
there are 58 VA
regional offices throughout the U.S. and its territories.
- Regional
Office Hearing:
A personal hearing conducted by an RO
officer. A regional office hearing may be conducted in addition to a BVA
hearing.
- Remand:
An appeal returned to the regional office or medical facility where the claim
originated.
- Representative:
Someone familiar with the benefit claim process who assists claimants in the
preparation and presentation of an appeal. Most representatives are Veterans'
Service Organization employees who specialize in veterans' benefit claims. Most
states, commonwealths, and territories also have experienced representatives to
assist veterans. Other individuals, such as lawyers, may also serve as appeal
representatives.
- Statement of the Case (SOC):
Prepared by the AOJ,
this is a summary of the evidence considered, as well as a listing of the laws
and regulations used in deciding a benefit claim. It also provides information
on the right to appeal an BVA.
- Substantive Appeal:
A completed VA Form 9.
- Supplemental Statement
of the Case (SSOC):
A summary, similar to an SOC,
that VA prepares if a VA
Form 9 contains a new issue or presents new evidence and the benefit is still
denied. A Supplemental Statement of the Case will also be provided after an
appeal is returned (remanded) to the RO by the Board for new or additional
action.
- Travel Board
Hearing: A personal
hearing conducted at a VA
regional office by a member of the Board.
- United States
Court of Veterans Appeals:
An independent court that reviews appeals of BVA
decisions.
- VA
Form 9: This form, which
accompanies the SOC, formally initiates the appeal process.
- Veterans' Service Organization
(VSO): An organization
that represents the interests of veterans. Most Veterans' Service Organizations
have specific membership criteria, although membership is not usually required
to obtain assistance with benefit claims or appeals.