Opinion ID: 3192127
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Claim Initiation

Text: Veterans are entitled to compensation “[f]or disability resulting from personal injury suffered or disease contracted in line of duty, or for aggravation of a preexisting injury suffered or disease contracted in line of duty . . . during a period of war.” 38 U.S.C. § 1110 (1998). For veterans to receive compensation under the laws administered by the VA, “[a] specific claim in the form prescribed by the Secretary . . . must be filed.” Id. § 5101(a)(1). The VA’s prior regulation implemented this authority by providing that “[a]ny communication or action, indicating an intent to apply for . . . benefits[,] . . . may be considered an informal claim.” 38 C.F.R. § 3.155(a) (2014) (emphasis added) (“Prior Regulation”). 2 The Final Rule took effect on March 24, 2015. See Final Rule, 79 Fed. Reg. at 57,660. VETERANS JUSTICE GRP., LLC v. SEC’Y OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 5 Under the Prior Regulation, a veteran could establish a claim’s effective date (i.e., when the claimant begins to receive compensation) by filing an informal claim, so long as a formal application was received by the VA “within [one] year from the date [the formal application form] was sent to the claimant.” Id.