Once a VA office issues its decision on your claim, you have one year from that date to file an appeal. Read the decision letter closely: it will tell you why VA made the decision it did. If you disagree with VA's decision for any reason, you should file a Notice of Disagreement (NOD). If VA included VA Form 21-0958, Notice of Disagreement, with its decision, you must use that form to file your NOD-- it is mandatory. The NOD is the start of your appeal. File your appeal right away. When you file your NOD, submit any new evidence you have. Also, when you file your NOD, state if you want a Decision Review Officer (DRO) review or a traditional review. For more information, visit the VA VAntage Point Blog.

For more on veteran benefits, visit the Military.com Benefits Center.