This court is independent of the Department of Veterans Affairs. To appeal to the court, the claimant must have filed a Notice of Disagreement on or after Nov. 18, 1988. The notice of appeal, a separate document, must be filed with the court with a postmark that is within 120 days after the Board of Veterans' Appeals mails its final decision. The court does not hold trials or receive new evidence. The court reviews the record that was considered by the Board of Veterans' Appeals.
Oral argument is held only at the direction of the court.
Either party may appeal a decision of the court to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and to the Supreme Court of the United States. Appellants may represent themselves before the court or have lawyers or approved agents as representatives. For information about the court's rules and procedures, contact the Clerk of the Court at 625 Indiana Ave. NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20004.