Step One: Get The Court Forms

Before you can appeal a denial of your claim for VA benefits to the Court, you must have a final decision from the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA).
 

If you have not yet heard back from the BVA, and are unsure of the status of your claim at the VA or BVA, please call the BVA status line at 800-923-8387.
 

You can find the forms you need to appeal to the Court below, as well as online.  In addition, you can call the Court at 202-501-5970, or The Veterans Consortium Helpline at 855-446-9678 for help in getting the forms.  Here are the forms you will need:
 

NOTE: The Declaration of Financial Hardship is filled out in place of the $50 filing fee. You only need to complete one of them. Again, here are the typical costs associated with appealing a denial for VA benefits from the BVA to the Court:
 

  •  A $50 nonrefundable filing fee, paid by check or money order payable to the “U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims””. In the alternative, you can pay the fee electronically, using pay.gov . This must be done after the appeal is filed, as you will need your new docket number the Court will give you.


If you can pay the $50 filing fee then you will only need one form – the Notice of Appeal (Form 1). You will not need the Declaration of Financial Hardship (Form 4). 

 

 


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Source URL: https://www.statesidelegal.org/what-happens-now