The Tracker & VERA: Monitor Your Claim
Don't wait blind. Track your claim and get real answers from a human.
Last updated: April 21, 2026
The Tracker & VERA: Monitor Your Claim
Don't wait blind. Track your claim and get real answers from a human.
Why Tracking Your Claim Matters
After you submit your claim, the waiting begins. But you don't have to wait in the dark.
The VA provides tools to track your claim status, and there are third-party tools that give you even more insight. On top of that, you can schedule a VERA appointment to speak directly with a VA representative and get real answers.
How to Track Your Claim
- Log in to VA.gov and check your claim status
- Click on "Check your claim or appeal status" or navigate to the Claim Status page
- View claim details: current status phase, estimated completion date, documents submitted, requests for additional evidence
Understanding the Claim Phases
Phase 1: Claim Received
The VA has received your claim and assigned it a claim number.
Phase 2: Initial Review
A VA employee is reviewing your claim to make sure it's complete.
Phase 3: Evidence Gathering, Review, and Decision
This is the longest phase. The VA is requesting records, scheduling C&P exams, reviewing evidence, and assigning a rating. This is where most claims spend the majority of their time.
Phase 4: Preparation for Notification
Your decision has been made. The VA is preparing your decision letter.
Phase 5: Complete
Your decision letter has been mailed. Check VA.gov or your mail for the results.
VERA: Veterans Electronic Request for Assistance
VERA lets you schedule a phone call with a VA representative who can actually look at your file and tell you what's happening.
What to Ask During a VERA Call:
- What is the current status of my claim?
- Has my C&P exam been scheduled?
- Is there anything missing from my file that's delaying my claim?
- Can you add a note to my file? (e.g., to request that an unnecessary C&P exam be cancelled because you submitted a private DBQ)
VA Claim Tracker Chrome Extension
A free Chrome extension that pulls additional data from VA systems and shows you more detailed phase information, internal VA notes (sometimes visible), claim history and timeline, and evidence requests you might have missed.
Pro Tip
💡 How Often Should You Use VERA? You can schedule VERA appointments every 14–21 days if you want regular updates on your claim. Don't let anyone tell you this is "too often." VERA exists to serve you, and getting updates every 2-3 weeks is perfectly reasonable—especially if your claim has been sitting for months.
Army Veteran. I went through the process myself from 10% to 100% P&T and built this site to share the roadmap with others.
Learn more about the project