AFTER THE DECISION · YOUR NEXT STEP

Understand your decision. Find your next step.

Understand your decision. Find your next step.

A VA decision tells you what was decided and why. Start with the questions below to explore your review options, understand what each path involves, and find official resources.

A VA decision tells you what was decided and why. Start with the questions below to explore your review options, understand what each path involves, and find official resources.

← Back to the Claim Map

Last updated August 2026. Sources:

VA.gov Decision Reviews

Did you receive a decision from the VA?

Did you receive a decision from the VA?

The three review lanes at a glance

Lane

Best if…

New Evidence?

Typical Timeline

Deadline

Supplemental Claim

You have new evidence the VA hasn’t seen

Yes — required

4–5 months

1 year from decision

Higher-Level Review

You believe VA made an error, no new evidence

No — not allowed

4–5 months

1 year from decision

Board Appeal

You want a judge, or want a hearing

Only with Evidence Submission option

1–7+ years

1 year from decision

Data sourced from VA.gov Decision Reviews, August 2026

Common questions

Yes — with one rule: one lane at a time per issue. You can’t run a Supplemental Claim and a Higher-Level Review on the same condition simultaneously, but after each new decision you can choose again. Denied after a Higher-Level Review? File a Supplemental Claim with new evidence. Denied after a Supplemental Claim? Try HLR or a Board Appeal.

Read more on VA.gov →