When the VA denies a claim, most veterans have never heard of the tool designed exactly for that situation: the Supplemental Claim. It is the decision review option built for new evidence, and the VA explains it plainly on its Supplemental Claims page.
What a Supplemental Claim is
A Supplemental Claim asks the VA to review its decision again because you have new and relevant evidence to add. It is available after almost any VA decision - an initial claim, a denial, even a prior Supplemental Claim.
It sits alongside two other review options, Higher-Level Review and Board Appeal. The differences matter, and our decision review options guide compares all three.
The new and relevant standard
The VA's rule has two parts. New means the VA did not have the evidence when it made the decision. Relevant means the evidence speaks to the reason the claim was decided the way it was.
This is why the decision letter matters so much. When the VA denies for a missing element - no current diagnosis, no documented in-service event, or no medical link between them - relevant evidence is whatever addresses that specific element. When the missing element is the medical link, a medical opinion such as a nexus letter is the kind of evidence designed to speak to it. Our guide on where medical evidence fits explains how the VA weighs it.
Timing and the effective date
There is no deadline that closes the door - the VA accepts Supplemental Claims at any time. But timing still matters: per the VA's effective date guidance, filing within one year of the decision generally preserves the original effective date, which controls how far back any payment reaches. Waiting longer typically moves the effective date to the new filing.
How to file, per the VA
The VA accepts Supplemental Claims online, by mail, or in person using VA Form 20-0995. You identify the decision you are asking the VA to review and submit or identify the new evidence. An accredited representative can file one with you at no charge.
For the full claim lifecycle this fits into, see the step-by-step claim process guide.
Where veterans start
Every case is different, and there is no obligation at any step. When veterans want to understand what their records actually support, these are the two most common starting points:
- Medical records review
A licensed physician reviews your records for a $250 flat fee and identifies which conditions the available evidence may support. The fee is refunded in full if nothing supportable is identified.
- Nexus letter
When the records support one, a licensed provider writes the medical opinion that addresses the link between your condition and your service.
Supplemental Claim versus filing a brand-new claim
A Supplemental Claim is not the same as simply filing a new original claim for the same condition. Filing it as a Supplemental Claim on VA Form 20-0995 and identifying the prior decision tells the VA to review that specific decision again in light of the new evidence, which is what preserves the effective date protections described below.
Veterans sometimes file a fresh claim instead, which the VA will still process, but doing so does not carry the same effective-date advantage tied to the one-year window after a decision.
Examples of new and relevant evidence
The VA's guidance and decision letters give a sense of what typically satisfies the standard: a new private treatment record documenting a diagnosis that was missing before, a buddy statement describing an in-service event that was not previously in the file, or a new medical opinion addressing the connection between a current condition and service.
Evidence that simply repeats what the VA already had, or that addresses a part of the claim that was not the reason for denial, does not meet the new and relevant standard even if it is submitted in good faith. Matching the new evidence to the specific reason stated in the decision letter is what the standard is built around.
Supplemental Claims after a Board or Higher-Level Review decision
A Supplemental Claim is not limited to following an initial rating decision. Veterans can file one after a Higher-Level Review or Board Appeal denial too, as long as they have new and relevant evidence responsive to that later decision. This makes the Supplemental Claim lane something veterans can return to at multiple points in a claim's history, not just once.
This guide is educational. It summarizes the VA's own published rules and links to the exact sources it relies on. It is not legal or claims advice, and it is not a substitute for an accredited representative, who can advise you about your specific claim. Accredited help is free - search the VA's accreditation database to find a Veterans Service Organization, accredited agent, or attorney.
Frequently asked questions
What is a VA Supplemental Claim?
It is one of the VA's three decision review options. You file it when you have new and relevant evidence to add after a decision. The VA reviews the claim again with the new evidence included.
What counts as new and relevant evidence?
Per the VA, new means evidence the VA did not have when it decided the claim, and relevant means evidence that relates to the reason the claim was denied. A new medical opinion addressing the missing link in a denial is a common example.
Is there a deadline to file a Supplemental Claim?
You can file a Supplemental Claim any time after a decision. But filing within one year of the decision preserves your effective date for back pay purposes, per the VA's guidance on effective dates.