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Upload evidence to support your disability claim

If you’ve filed a claim for disability compensation, you can continue uploading more evidence for up to one year to support your claim. Evidence may include supporting documents like medical test results, doctor’s reports, and other records. Upload your evidence online now.

How do I upload evidence online to support my disability claim?

If you’re waiting for a decision on your disability claim, you can upload evidence to support that claim using our claim status tool. 

Upload evidence using our claim status tool

Note: For any other type of document you’d like to submit online to us, please use the QuickSubmit tool through AccessVA. 

Upload other types of documents through AccessVA

If I filed a standard disability claim, when should I upload evidence?

Upload your evidence as soon as you can.

You can continue uploading documents for up to 1 year from the date we receive your claim. But, if you don’t provide any evidence or give us the information we need to help you get evidence within 30 days, we may make a decision on your claim earlier.

If we decide your claim early, you’ll still have the rest of the 1-year period to provide more information or evidence.

What happens if I upload more evidence after I’ve submitted a fully developed claim?

We’ll remove your disability claim from the Fully Developed Claims program and process it as a standard claim.

If we decide your claim earlier than 1 year from the date we received the claim, you’ll still have the rest of the year to provide any additional information or evidence.

What kinds of documents should I upload to support my disability claim?

Federal and state records

You could include copies of federal and state records, such as:

  • Your military medical records
  • Your military personnel records
  • Any Social Security Administration or other federal or state medical treatment records
  • Any treatment or personnel records from your National Guard or Reserve unit that support your claim (if you’ve served in either of these branches)

If you don’t have copies of these records, you can ask us to request them for you as part of the claim process.

Private medical treatment records

If you’ve seen a non-VA health care provider for diagnosis or treatment, you’ll need to upload copies of all medical records that can provide information about the disability you’re claiming.

You could include private medical treatment records, such as:

  • Doctor’s reports
  • X-rays
  • Medical lab or test results

Supporting statements

If you’re claiming a disability for an injury or illness that you don’t think we have in your military records, you’ll also want to upload statements that support your claim. These statements should be from people who know about, or who you’ve talked to about, your claimed medical condition and how and when it occurred.

You can ask for supporting statements from people like:

  • Service members who served with you
  • Your family and friends
  • Clergy members
  • Law enforcement officers

Any additional forms needed to support your claim

In some cases, you may need to turn in one or more additional forms to support your disability claim.

Check if you need to complete any additional forms

If you’re a service member filing a disability compensation claim through the Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) program, you must submit a Separation Health Assessment - Part A Self-Assessment form. If you already filed a claim but didn’t submit this form yet, you can upload the form now.

Find out how to upload your completed self-assessment form

Can I upload evidence online to support a decision review or an appeal?

Yes. Please use the QuickSubmit tool through AccessVA to upload evidence to support a decision review or an appeal.

Upload evidence for a decision review or an appeal through AccessVA