Why do my disability conditions disappear from VA.gov while a claim is being decided?

It is a well-documented and common occurrence for conditions, ratings, or claim details to temporarily disappear, show as blank, or display inconsistently on VA.gov or eBenefits while a claim—especially a supplemental claim under 38 CFR 3.2501 filed on VA Form 20-0995—is actively being worked. This is almost always a data-display issue rather than evidence that anything has been deleted from the actual claims file. VA's public-facing portals pull information from backend systems such as VBMS (Veterans Benefits Management System) and Corporate/CorpDB, and when a rating specialist is updating a decision, recalculating combined ratings, or preparing a new rating sheet (particularly ahead of a Permanent and Total determination), the sync between those internal systems and the veteran-facing website can lag or temporarily show incomplete data. This has been reported widely enough that it is considered a known technical quirk, not a deliberate removal of evidence or history.

Importantly, what displays on VA.gov is not the legal record of the claim. The actual evidence, service treatment records, and prior rating decisions remain in the claims file (C-file) regardless of what the website shows at any given moment. If there is genuine concern that evidence has been lost, the appropriate step is not to rely on the portal but to request a copy of the C-file directly (via a VA Form 21-2680 request through eBenefits' "Personal Records" download, a signed release, or through a Veteran Service Officer who has VBMS access) to confirm what documents and prior decisions are actually on file.

What would this rating pay you? (2026 rates)

Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.

per month ·  per year, tax-free

Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.

2026 base rates, all ratings (veteran alone)
RatingMonthly (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
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Because supplemental claims specifically require new and relevant evidence under 38 CFR 3.156(a), any prior decisions and evidence should still be part of the claims folder even if the portal temporarily fails to render them. If a P&T determination or other decision is imminent, a temporary display glitch on the website is not something that can alter the substance of the decision, since decisions are made from the C-file and rating board review, not from the consumer-facing summary page.

The appealed VA decisions in VetAid's library show that outcomes on reopened or appealed claims vary substantially—46% vacated or remanded, 36% affirmed, 8% reversed or granted outright—but that data reflects appellate review of already-denied claims, not display glitches on pending claims, so it should not be read as a signal about what a portal error means for an upcoming decision.

The concrete next step is to call the VA benefits hotline (1-800-827-1000) or contact an accredited Veteran Service Officer to confirm directly with a claims representative that all conditions and evidence remain intact in VBMS, rather than relying on the VA.gov or eBenefits display.

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Disclaimer: VetAid is not a law firm, medical practice, or Veterans Service Organization. This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, medical, or professional advice. Consult with a qualified VA-accredited attorney or your VSO representative. Veterans Crisis Line: 988 (press 1).