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M21-1 part

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Claim procedures

  • Claim and review lanes
  • Withdrawals and reinstatement
  • Development controls and readiness
  • Lost folders and duplicate records
  • Board development and implementation
  • Returned development · EP 040
  • M21-5 Chapter 5 reference
  • M21-5 Chapter 4 reference
  • Intake and establishment
  • Incorrectly established claims
  • Intent to file (ITF)
  • Section 5103 and special-issue notice
  • Application and completeness
  • General procedure checklist
  • Common EPs
  • Initial compensation · 010 / 110
  • Increased evaluation · 020
  • Supplemental claims · 040
  • Review and appeal lanes

Development and decisions

  • Child parentage and adoption
  • Stepchild household and support
  • Child marriage and restoration
  • School attendance eligibility
  • School-child awards and dates
  • School verification and follow-up
  • Education benefits and two Veteran parents
  • Child incapacity development and payments
  • Dependency verification and restoration
  • Marriage validity and evidence
  • Common-law marriage development
  • Child age and relationship
  • Parent relationship development
  • Parent financial dependency
  • Dependency entitlement and payment dates
  • Dependency applications and pending ratings
  • Dependency SSN evidence and exceptions
  • Dependent removal and payment changes
  • Award preparation and authorization
  • Decision notices and delivery
  • Special examination situations
  • Missed review exams and existing payments
  • Active duty: pending claims and payments
  • Hospital A&A adjustments and restoration
  • STRs, personnel and supplemental service records
  • Records relevance, consent and stopping efforts
  • Claimant evidence and response periods
  • Evidence and records
  • VA and other Federal records
  • Examinations and opinions
  • Decision review
  • Effective dates
  • Quality and closeout

Special issues

  • Special monthly compensation (SMC)
  • Temporary evaluations
  • Service connection / in-service aggravation
  • Secondary connection / aggravation
  • Competency and fiduciary procedures
  • Exposure claims
  • TERA source documents
  • PTSD / personal trauma
  • Service eligibility and verification
  • Character of discharge (COD)
  • Field examinations: requests and reports
  • Fiduciary referrals and payment safeguards
  • Foreign payment restrictions and resumption
  • Foreign documents and clearance
  • Tort recoveries and compensation offsets
  • Garnishment orders and payment changes
  • Apportionment changes and resumption
  • Foreign residence and special-act jurisdiction
  • Effective dates: evidence and exceptions
  • Presumptions: service, onset and medical evidence
  • Returned mail and address development
  • Contested claims and payment release
  • RO hearings and follow-up development
  • Adverse-action notices and responses
  • Military retired-pay elections and awards
  • Drill pay: elections, withholding and restoration
  • Separation pay and severance recoupment
  • Apportionment eligibility and awards
  • Institutional care and fiduciary awards
  • Child fiduciary payments and majority
  • Fiduciary awards and retroactive benefits
  • Supervised direct payment (SDP)
  • Guard, Reserve and training-service development
  • Line of duty and misconduct
  • Accident statements, witnesses and reports
  • Alcohol, drugs and tobacco development
  • Conditional discharges, upgrades and health care
  • Insanity development for COD or LOD
  • Individual unemployability
  • Section 1151 additional disability

Plain-English manual

  • I · Notice and representation
  • II · Intake and applications
  • III · Service and records
  • IV · Medical examinations
  • V · Core rating decisions
  • V · Body systems
  • VI · Authorization and payment
  • VII · Dependency
  • VIII · Exposure core
  • VIII · Special exposures
  • VIII · Special claims
  • IX · Pension
  • X · Review and due process
  • X · Special actions
  • XI · Death and accrued benefits
  • XII · Survivor benefits
  • XIII · Ancillary benefits
  • XIV · Matching programs and guides
Claims workspace