(Photo: VA.gov)
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ disability claims system is facing more technical problems than previously reported.
Officials have admitted that additional issues with the online disability claims filing process have affected a larger number of Veterans than initially known, which has raised concerns about the system’s reliability.
About 32,000 disability claims were previously reported as lost due to similar glitches. The new problems involve nearly 57,000 cases, primarily related to Veterans attempting to update their dependency status or file disability appeals online. Some of these cases have remained unresolved since the system’s launch in 2011. Additionally, around 900 Veterans who filed disability appeals since late July were unable to access the necessary paperwork due to a software error during a website update.
The VA says it is taking immediate action to address these issues, promising a full review of all processing systems on VA.gov. Their objective is to prevent such errors from negatively impacting Veterans and ensure that all affected cases are backdated to their proper processing dates.
The 32,000 delayed disability compensation claims represent only a small portion of the overall caseload, which has seen more than seven million claims filed since 2018. However, these technical problems have intensified concerns about the VA’s management of its software systems.
These issues come in the wake of criticism from Congress regarding delays in the VA’s electronic health records system and technical problems related to retroactive disability benefits applications. Lawmakers and advocates are calling for improved oversight and efficiency in the VA’s IT projects.
In response to the problems, the VA is also updating its hotline and technical support call center to assist affected Veterans, promising urgent steps to prevent such issues in the future.
Veterans seeking information about their pending disability claims can dial 1-800-827-1000 for assistance.
Author: Rikki Almanza
Rikki is a Web Content Coordinator for the American Legion, Department of California. With a deep-rooted connection to the military, a spouse who is a Navy veteran, a father who served in the Air Force for 25 years, and a grandfather who proudly served, Rikki is committed to using her skills and knowledge to provide valuable assistance and resources to servicemembers and veterans.