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The good news is VA claims adjudicators continue to work through the backlog of VA disability claims.
- The number of backlogged VA claims, which reached a decade-high of 417,855 in January 2024, has dropped significantly by 42.2%, declining to 241,601 as of December 2024.
- The number of pending VA claims has also seen substantial improvement. After peaking at 1,098,340 in November 2023, pending claims have decreased by 13.3%, falling to 952,173 as of December 2024.
Over the past year, the VA has made significant strides in addressing longstanding challenges with claims processing, improving efficiency, and streamlining the overall system for veterans.
Brian Reese the VA Claims Insider recently stated, “I’m pleasantly surprised by the faster-than-expected progress the VBA is making toward resolving the VA claims backlog. It’s clear to me that VBA leadership is prioritizing numerous VA disability system changes for the better, resulting in faster and more accurate rating decisions. That’s good news for veterans and their families.”
Source: VBA claims data and workload reports
Table of Contents
Summary of Key Points
- VA claims adjudicators have made great progress in reducing the backlog of VA disability claims. Click here to see the 2025 VA claims backlog numbers by state.
- The number of backlogged VA claims, which reached a decade-high of 417,855 in January 2024, has dropped significantly by 42.2%, declining to 241,601 as of December 2024.
- The number of pending VA claims has also seen substantial improvement. After peaking at 1,098,340 in November 2023, pending claims have decreased by 13.3%, falling to 952,173 as of December 2024.
2025 VA Claims Backlog Update
The VA claims backlog is a big concern for veterans because the longer a claim takes for a decision the longer a veteran is waiting to receive their rightfully earned VA disability benefits.
The good news is that the VA continues to make progress toward burning down the backlog of VA disability claims.
For instance, the number of backlogged VA disability claims, which hit a decade-high of 417,855 in January 2024, has decreased by an impressive 42.2%, dropping to 241,601 as of December 2024.
A backlogged VA claim is defined as a “VA disability claim that requires a rating decision but has been pending for more than 125 days since receipt without a decision.”
Pending VA Claims Update
The number of pending VA claims is also a concern for veterans because it hints at the current workload for VA claims adjudicators—meaning—the more pending claims there are in the system, the longer it will take for a VA rating decision on a submitted claim.
While the VA generally processes claims on a first-in-first-out basis, there are a variety of potential issues that can delay your claim.
For example, the more conditions you file for per claim, the longer it will take a VA rater to review and decide your claim.
Other issues that can delay VA claims processing include not adding the appropriate medical evidence at claim submission, C&P exam scheduling issues, station 499 cloud system errors in the VA’s technology, VBA staffing shortages, VBMS issues, and overdevelopment of claims.
A pending claim “includes VA disability compensation and VA pension claims received by VA that normally require a rating decision.”
The number of pending VA disability claims has also seen a meaningful decline over the past year.
After peaking at 1,098,340 in November 2023, pending claims have fallen by 13.3%, down to 952,173 as of December 2024.
A pending claim “includes VA disability compensation and VA pension claims received by VA that normally require a rating decision.”
3 Tips to Help Speed Up Your VA Claim
You can help the VA help you get your VA claim approved faster, regardless of backlogged VA claims!
The VA Rater is not out to deny your claim — it’s on you to give the VA all the evidence the VA Rater needs to make a more accurate rating decision, faster.
At VA Claims Insider, we teach veterans the “SEM Method,” which stands for Strategy + Education + Medical Evidence = VA Rating You Deserve Faster
#1. Strategy:
Your VA claim Strategy should focus on:
- 1-3 disability conditions per 1 claim only – simple, simple, simple, think less is more!
- Fully Developed Claims (FDCs) only and file it online at VA.gov – standard claims take longer.
- High-Value claims only (if eligible).
- Mental health claims, simple increase claims, and/or secondary claims (if eligible)
#2. Education:
Your VA claim Education should focus on:
- High-Value VA disability claims, which are claims that have a high likelihood of being rated at 30% or higher on their own.
- C&P exam education so you can crush your C&P exam and get the rating you deserve, faster.
#3. Medical Evidence:
Your VA claim Medical Evidence should focus on:
- Mental health evaluation and Independent Medical Opinion (IMO) is preferred, if and only if, you have a mental health condition.
- Medical evaluations to include first-time Medical Dx, Nexus Letters, and/or VA DBQs for high value claims only.
Wondering if you should get a Nexus Letter?
If you’ve already submitted your VA claim, you can call 1-800-827-1000, speak to a representative, and ask for the status of your claim.
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- VA Claims Insider is the #1 most trusted name in VA disability claims.
- 25,000+ disabled veterans served in our membership programs since 2016.
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- Employs 215 teammates; comprised of 74 veterans and 16 military spouses.
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About the Author
Brian Reese
Brian Reese is a world-renowned VA disability benefits expert and the #1 bestselling author of VA Claim Secrets and You Deserve It. Motivated by his own frustration with the VA claim process, Brian founded VA Claims Insider to help disabled veterans secure their VA disability compensation faster, regardless of their past struggles with the VA. Since 2013, he has positively impacted the lives of over 10 million military, veterans, and their families.
A former active-duty Air Force officer, Brian has extensive experience leading diverse teams in challenging international environments, including a combat tour in Afghanistan in 2011 supporting Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
Brian is a Distinguished Graduate of Management from the United States Air Force Academy and earned his MBA from Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business, where he was a National Honor Scholar, ranking in the top 1% of his class.
