Transcript:

The veteran’s appeals process basically has two steps within the administrative area. First, the veteran applies with the regional office. The application then is processed with what they call the Veteran’s Regional Office, or sometimes it’s called the Agency of Original Jurisdiction. If the claim is denied at the regional office, then the veteran can appeal his claim to the Board of Veterans Appeals. The Board of Veterans Appeals takes the appeals and order in chronological order so that each veteran is taken in the order that his claim was filed. There’s a wait at the board, as well as the regional office, so veterans have to be patient to wait their turn for the board to hear his or her claim. If the claim continues to be denied at the Board of Veterans Appeals, the veteran then has the right to go to the Court of Veterans Claims. That essentially is the last place a veteran can appeal. Many cases are reversed by the court. I don’t want any veteran to give up, even at the Board. If you’ve had a claim denied, even at the Board, you should consider taking it to court, because the court does reverse a lot of claims.