Your rating decision letter is the official document from VA explaining what was decided on your claim. Understanding each section helps you determine whether the decision is correct and whether you should appeal. The decision letter typically starts with a summary of what was granted and denied. It lists each condition you claimed, the diagnostic code assigned, the rating percentage, and the effective date. For conditions that were denied, it explains the reason for the denial. The letter includes a section explaining how your combined rating was calculated. If you have multiple rated conditions, they are combined using the combined ratings table rather than simple addition. The letter also explains your monthly payment amount based on your combined rating and the number of your dependents. Pay attention to the effective dates assigned to each condition. The effective date determines when your benefits begin and affects how much back pay you receive. If the effective date seems wrong, that may be grounds for an appeal. The letter concludes with information about your appeal rights and deadlines. You typically have one year from the date of the decision to file an appeal. Read this section carefully because the appeals process has several options and choosing the right one depends on your specific situation.
Note: This article references sections of the VA's M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual. The VA periodically reorganizes the M21-1 and section numbers may have changed since this article was written. For the most current section references, visit the VA's public M21-1 Web Automated Reference Material System (WARMS).