Activities And News Of Post Sixty Legion And Auxiliary

Thursday, March 28, 2024

*** VA Fully Developed Claims ***


Over a year ago the VA instituted a process called "Fully Developed Claims" (FDC) in an effort to reduce the claims processing time and the current backlog of in process claims.

When a Veteran submits to a Veterans Service Officer all the documents required (see below) to determine eligibility for a service-connected disability claim, the VSO will electronically forward the claim for consideration and approval thru the FDC process. These claims will float to the top of the approval process, so long as all required information is submitted and verified.

The VA can typically complete FDCs in half the time of traditionally filed claims with a goal of processing all claims within 125 days in 2015.

In addition Fully Developed Disability Compensation Claims filed between August 6, 2013 and August 5, 2015 and showing the disability existed prior to the date of the claim, can have up to a 1- year retroactive effective date assigned to that claim. The claim MUST be submitted on Form 21-526ez, have all supporting medical evidence including any private treatment records and the veteran must have been off active duty over 1 year.

Documents that are required to initiate a claim FDC process are:

* DD-214 Proof of Service
* Marriage Certificate (if applicable)
* Divorce Decree (if applicable)
* Birth Certificate – for any children under age 18
* Bank Checking Account and routing number
* Medical documents that specifically support the claim. The most important are statements from doctors that provide a precise diagnosis and the possible cause of the injury or disability.
* Any VA documents the Vet has regarding the condition for which the claim is being filed including documents that go back to the Vet’s initial contact with the VA, regardless of the reason, but particularly if they apply to the condition that is the subject of the claim being filed.
* For certain claims, like Aid and Attendance or unable to work, the Vet must submit evidence regarding his and his spouse’s income. Such evidence could include past tax returns, bank statements, trust reports and others.
* Certification that the Vet has no additional information to submit.

The above are required to qualify for the FDC process.

Additional records and evidence that may be helpful can be submitted such as:

* Any military health records or service records that contain information about what caused the current condition will be helpful. These documents generally will not be available unless the vet was discharged within the past 10 years or so but the VA can usually retrieve it if the vet does not have it.
* Statements from family, friends or fellow service members that corroborate the claim.
* Line of Duty Reports (LOD) or military log book entries that support the claim.

The key to successfully using the FDC process is to CONTACT YOUR VSO FIRST to determine what documents and evidence you will need to provide the day you submit your claim with your VSO. If the Vet does not have, or cannot acquire the above, the VSO may be able to suggest to the Vet how to obtain the records. If the documents and evidence required are not available and it is determined they cannot be obtained, then the Vet will not be able to utilize the FDC process and will need to initiate his claim through the normal process.