VA disability claims
Valor's claims companion estimates your back pay from effective date and rating, walks you through C&P prep, helps you draft nexus letters, and watches your appeal deadlines. Built by a veteran. Not affiliated with the VA. Free, no upsell.
Valor is independent — not the VA, not a law firm, not an accredited representative. Estimates are estimates. For binding determinations, work with a free VSO (VFW, DAV, American Legion, your county Veteran Service Officer) or an accredited attorney.
Back-pay calculator
Enter effective date, rating, and dependents (spouse, kids, school-age children, dependent parents). Get the lump-sum estimate using current VA rate tables.
C&P exam prep
Condition-by-condition checklist. What to bring, how to describe symptoms on your worst day, what the examiner is actually rating.
Nexus letter drafting
Plain-English template that connects your in-service event to your current diagnosis. Print it for your private provider to review and sign.
Appeal deadline tracker
One-year clock for HLR, Supplemental Claim, or Board Appeal. Reminders before the window closes, not after.
Combined ratings tool
VA whole-person math, not addition. See how a new condition actually changes your combined rating.
Dependents verification
Confirm 21-686c is on file, school-age children are certified (21-674), and your counts match legal dependents — before your back pay is calculated.
Back pay is the gap between when your benefits should have started (your effective date) and when VA finally decided your claim. The monthly compensation rate at your assigned combined rating, multiplied by the months in that gap. At 30% and above, dependents raise the rate — spouse, biological/adopted kids, school-age kids (with 21-674), and dependent parents all change the math.
Two things move back pay the most: your effective date (filing an intent-to-file early can backdate months of pay) and your dependents on file (a missing 21-686c is one of the most common reasons vets are underpaid).
How do I estimate my back pay?
Use the back-pay calculator inside the app. Enter effective date, rating, and dependents — it pulls current VA rate tables and gives you the lump-sum estimate.
Does Valor file my claim for me?
No. Valor is a companion — it preps your evidence, drafts letters, and tracks deadlines. File through VA.gov, a free VSO (VFW, DAV, American Legion, county VSO), or an accredited attorney on appeal.
Should I pay someone to file my initial claim?
No. Charging to file an initial VA disability claim is illegal under federal law. VSOs file for free. Accredited attorneys can only charge on appeals.
What if my claim was denied?
You have one year to choose HLR (Higher-Level Review), Supplemental Claim, or Board Appeal. Valor tracks the clock and explains the three lanes plainly.
Do dependents really change my back pay?
At 30% and above, yes — significantly. Spouse, each child, school-age kids 18–23, and dependent parents each raise the monthly rate. Make sure 21-686c is on file.
The claims companion is part of Valor — free for every post-9/11 U.S. veteran. No subscription, no email loop, no waitlist. Sign up with a call sign.