There is no deadline that permanently closes the door on VA disability benefits, but the path forward depends on what happened to that original 2015 decision. If you did not appeal within one year of the rating letter, that decision became final under 38 CFR 3.104. A final decision cannot simply be reargued — but you still have real options.
The most common path is to file a new claim (or, more precisely, a claim to reopen a previously denied issue) using VA Form 20-0995, the Supplemental Claim form. This requires "new and relevant" evidence — for example, updated medical records, a nexus letter from a private physician, or buddy statements connecting your current conditions to service. Supplemental claims can be filed at any time, with no time limit, and the VA has a duty to assist you in gathering evidence once you identify what is new and relevant.
Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.
Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.
| Rating | Monthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
Does your rating decision hold up under a real audit?
Upload your decision letter and C&P exams — VetAid's analyzer reads the full file, checks every examiner statement word-for-word against your records, and shows which arguments for a higher rating actually hold. Free, and we never take a cut of your back pay.
Analyze my claim free →A second, narrower option is alleging Clear and Unmistakable Error (CUE) in the original 2015 rating decision. CUE claims argue that, based on the evidence in the file at that time, the decision was undebatably wrong as a matter of law or fact — for instance, if the C&P examiner never actually addressed several claimed conditions that had documented in-service treatment. CUE is a high bar and does not use the new-evidence process; it looks only at what was in the record when the original decision was made. If successful, CUE can restore the original effective date, which matters for back pay, but it is harder to win than a standard supplemental claim.
Given the appellate process's mixed track record — the appealed VA decisions in VetAid's library show that of cases with a recorded appellate disposition, half were vacated or remanded (sent back for another look) while others were denied or granted outright — it's worth knowing that remand does not mean approval, just another chance at development. That data reflects already-appealed cases, not the odds facing a brand-new claim, so it should not be read as a prediction here.
You do not need to hire a private company. Accredited Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) and VA-accredited attorneys or agents can represent you at no upfront cost, and many specialize in exactly these long-delayed, incompletely-developed C&P exam situations.
The concrete next step is to get your full service treatment records and the 2015 C&P exam report, then meet with an accredited VSO or accredited attorney to file a Supplemental Claim (VA Form 20-0995) for each condition, supported by current medical evidence linking it back to service.
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