How to Check the Status of Your VA PACT Act Claim
Have you filed a claim for VA benefits under the PACT Act? This legislation created new “presumptive conditions” for troops exposed to toxic operations such as burn pits, the use of Agent Orange, and duty-related radiation exposure.
Under PACT Act guidelines, those submitting claims to the VA may get automatic approval for 24 newly added conditions. The VA presumes these conditions are service-connected.
What it Means to File a PACT Act Claim
To qualify for a VA disability rating, you must submit a claim to the VA showing that the medical issue is related to military service. Under the PACT Act, the VA “automatically assumes” that certain medical issues are service connected, with no further submission of evidence like doctor examinations, etc.
The VA calls them “presumptive conditions,” and VA.gov reminds, “If you have a presumptive condition, you don’t need to prove that your service caused the condition. You only need to meet the service requirements for the presumption.”
Some will file new VA claims for PACT Act-related conditions. Others will file appeals to claims previously denied by the VA, hoping that the new guidelines will allow them VA compensation.
Read more: PACT Act Second Chance for Survivors Previously Denied VA Claims
How To Check the Status of a PACT Act Claim
Many have filed new or revised PACT Act claims once the option was available. But how do you check the status of such a claim or the appeal to a prior claim the VA denied? VA.gov says you can “easily check” the status of a PACT Act claim online.
To do so, log in to your VA.gov account using one of four portals:
- Login.gov
- ID.me
- DS Logon
- My HealtheVet
Sign in or create a new account and sign in, then look for the My VA dashboard. This may be found in the upper right corner of the screen after you have logged in. Look for the Track Claims portion of the site, where you can review your most current status for claims or appeals to VA decisions that are still open.
Review the View Status section for information on a specific claim or appeal.
Once you are logged in, you may also take some of the following steps:
- Where your application is in the VA review;
- Documents and forms VA might need to approve or deny your claim;
- Any documentation received from health care providers and other resources;
- Claim type, date received, and the name of your VA rep.
Do You Need More Help With Your PACT Act Claim?
Call the VA directly at their toll-free number: 1-800-827-1000 (TTY: 711) on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
The Department of Veterans Affairs says those who have never filed a claim for a presumptive condition should file for VA disability compensation online as soon as possible.
Those who applied for VA disability benefits previously but were denied should review the PACT Act list of presumptive conditions and file a supplemental claim with the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA will review your denied claim to see if it qualifies for compensation under the PACT Act.
>> Frustrated with your VA disability rating? Register for a free consultation for help with increasing your rating to get the compensation you deserve. Please go here.
About the author
Editor-in-Chief Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter/editor for Air Force Television News and the Pentagon Channel. His freelance work includes contract work for Motorola, VALoans.com, and Credit Karma. He is co-founder of Dim Art House in Springfield, Illinois, and spends his non-writing time as an abstract painter, independent publisher, and occasional filmmaker.
