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There are several factors that can determine where your claim or appeal is worked.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

  • Disability claims/appeals are NO LONGER assigned purely to whichever RO you live nearest to and are instead dealt out to any RO; Unless any of the below apply!

Appeals (Disability Compensation)

Higher Level Reviews (HLRs) must be handled via Decision Review Operations Center (DROC):

IMPORTANT NOTES:

  • Disability and pension claims that require specific jurisdictions listed in the sections below are KEPT in DROC.

  • Currently due to exceptional circumstances (delays) non-DROC ROs/raters are being allowed to rate HLR returns (when VA obtains new evidence). As the appeal at that point becomes a de facto supplemental claim.

Disability Claims

There are 3 groups that rate disability claims:

  1. Disability Rating Activity Site (DRAS): Providence, Seattle

    • Handles claims for Servicemembers who are undergoing Medboard

  2. Veterans Service Center (VSC)

    • Handles everyone else to include Servicemembers who filed a BDD claim.

  3. Restricted Access Claim Centers (RACC)

    • Handles ‘special’ groups of Veterans: Milwaukee, San Diego, St. Paul

      • VBA employees and their relatives

      • Members of Congress/high ranking politicians/judges

      • Veteran Service Officers (VSOs)

      • Well known heroic Veterans

IMPORTANT NOTE:

  • The following jurisdictions for special handling ARE subject to change and the VA has and will continue to change things!

Certain conditions/Issues require special handling by VSC due to their increased complexities:

Condition/Issue Regional Office
Agent Orange (AO) Blue Water Navy Central Office (DC)
Agent Orange (AO) C-123 St. Paul
Agent Orange (AO) Nautical Service (Non-Vietnam) Central Office (DC)
Agent Orange (AO) Nehmer Central Office (DC)
Camp Lejeune Louisville
Fraud Manila or St. Paul
Military Sexual Trauma (MST) Specialized MST claims processing site
Mustard Gas and Lewisite Muskogee
Radiation (Atomic Veterans) Jackson
Veteran lives in a Armed Forces Retirement Home or St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Roanoke
Veteran lives a in foreign country* Pittsburgh

*US Territories are NOT considered foreign countries!

In the event there are multiple conditions/issues that require special handling they will be handled by as indicated in M21 II.ii.2.B.1.b. or M21 II.ii.3.1.c..

Education Claims

Are processed by either Buffalo or Muskoee.

Fiduciary

When a claimant is unable to handle their Financial affairs. Those who do an HLR to appeal a decision will have it handled by the associated sister station.

Original Decision
 HLRs Done By
Columbia Salt Lake City
Indianapolis Lincoln or Louisville
Lincoln Indianapolis
Louisville Milwaukee
Milwaukee Indianapolis
Salt Lake City Columbia

Pension/Death Benefits Claims

Pension/Death benefit claims are controlled by Pension Management Centers (PMC):

  • Milwaukee

  • Philadelphia

    • Specifically deals with decision for service-connected (SC) death or burial, to include error corrections.

  • St. Paul

IMPORTANT NOTE:

  • Accrued claims are handled by an appropriate Veterans Service Center (VSC).

Frequently Asked Questions

    • Historically the rating decision narrative page would state which RO made the decision.

      • Which can be accessed HERE.

    • You can otherwise use the VA claim tracker app.

    • You can file a Higher Level Review (HLR).

      • However, while the decision may have been made at the wrong location it does NOT automatically make it an invalid decision.

    • Where a claim/appeal is currently assigned. Even if it is the final location everything will be decided.

References