Supplemental Claim (lane 1)

Submit NEW AND RELEVANT evidence that VA did not previously consider. VA’s full “duty to assist” applies — they must help develop the evidence. Average decision time in 2026: roughly 61 days.

Use a Supplemental Claim when

• You have a new medical opinion, nexus letter, or buddy statement that wasn’t in the original record
• Your symptoms have worsened and you have new medical documentation of the worsening
• A new presumption (e.g., the PACT Act) now covers your condition
• You discovered service records that weren’t previously in the file
• You obtained a private DBQ that addresses an inadequate or contradictory C&P exam

What counts as “new and relevant”

Evidence is new if it wasn’t in VA’s file before. It is relevant if it tends to prove or disprove a material fact. The bar is low — almost any new piece of supportive evidence qualifies.

Form to file: VA Form 20-0995.

Strategy

Supplemental Claims are the workhorse appeal for most veterans. Cheap, fast, no new exam required unless VA orders one. If you have any new evidence — even just a new buddy statement — you can re-open a denied claim with a Supplemental.

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