How Long Does It Take to Get a VA Rating Decision After Your C&P Exam? (2025 Update)
As a veteran, waiting for a VA rating decision after your C&P exam can feel like an eternity.
You’ve done the hard work — submitted your claim, attended your C&P exam, and now you’re anxiously waiting for the VA to make a decision.
I get it.
It’s the good old “hurry up and wait” from the VA just like our time in the military…
Here’s what you need to know about the timeline, what factors may delay your decision, and how you can speed up the process.
How Long After a C&P Exam for a VA Rating?
Typically, you can expect to receive a VA rating decision within 30 to 90 calendar days after your final C&P exam.
However, this timeline can extend to 120 days or more, depending on various factors such as the complexity of your claim and the current workload at the VBA.
If it has been longer than 120 days, call the VA hotline at 1–800–827–1000 to check your claim status.
Pro Tip: The VA’s average claims processing time (from submission to decision) is 150 days right now, so patience is key.
Factors That Can Delay Your VA Claim
Several issues can slow down the VA claims process:
Claim Complexity:
- Claims with multiple conditions or conditions requiring detailed medical evidence (like sleep apnea secondary to PTSD) take longer to review.
C&P Exam Documentation:
- Thorough and accurate documentation by your examiner is crucial. Incomplete or unclear reports can result in requests for additional exams, dragging out the timeline.
VBA Workload and Staffing:
- Overwhelmed regional offices with significant backlogs or understaffed teams can delay claims. Expect even more delays during the holidays.
Additional Evidence Requests:
- The VA may request more evidence to clarify inconsistencies or strengthen your claim. If there’s a conflict between your submitted evidence and the C&P exam results, expect delays.
Why Are VA Claims Taking So Long in 2025?
The VA claims process isn’t just slow — it’s under immense pressure.
The good news is VA claims adjudicators are making solid progress:
- For example, the number of backlogged VA claims, which reached a decade-high of 417,855 in January 2024, has dropped significantly by 42.2%, declining to 241,601 as of December 2024.
- Similarily, the number of pending VA claims has also seen substantial improvement. After peaking at 1,098,340 in November 2023, pending claims have decreased by 13.3%, falling to 952,173 as of December 2024.
Here’s four common reasons why VA claims are taking longer right now:
Sharp Increase in Claims Submissions:
- The PACT Act and other legislative changes have led to an unprecedented rise in claims, with nearly 1 million pending claims as of late 2024.
Staffing Issues:
- The VBA is struggling to recruit and retain qualified staff, leading to delays in processing claims.
Outdated Technology:
- The Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS) and other critical tools are plagued by inefficiencies, causing claims to get stuck in bureaucratic limbo.
Overdevelopment of Claims:
- VA raters are sometimes unnecessarily ordering additional C&P exams even when submitted DBQs (Disability Benefits Questionnaires) or Nexus Letters provide sufficient evidence for a decision. This is a training issue at the VBA that needs to be addressed asap.
Tips to Speed Up Your VA Disability Claim
Want to fast-track your VA rating decision?
Here’s how:
#1. Strategy:
- Keep it simple: Focus on 1–3 disability conditions per claim to avoid overwhelming the system.
- File a Fully Developed Claim (FDC) online through VA.gov to streamline the process.
#2. Education:
- Understand high-value claims (conditions likely to be rated at 30% or higher).
- Prepare for your C&P exam like it’s a job interview — be honest, clear, and provide thorough answers.
#3. Medical Evidence:
- Include strong evidence like a Nexus Letter, Independent Medical Opinion (IMO), or DBQs for your claim.
- Focus on mental health evaluations, secondary claims, or simple increase claims if applicable.
Pro Tip: The VA rater isn’t out to deny your claim — they need sufficient evidence to make a decision. Your job is to provide all the necessary documentation upfront.
Fellow Veterans: Do You Want to WIN Your VA Claim FASTER?
Need expert-level VA claim help? Call us right now: (281) 533–6777.
Hi fellow veterans, I’m Brian Reese, the VA Claims Insider, and I’m here to help you INCREASE your VA rating FASTER — even if you’ve already filed, been denied, gave up, or don’t know where to start…
If you’re frustrated, underrated, or simply sick and tired of fighting the VA alone, I’ve got your six!
There’s always another path available to you, and I’m committed to helping you achieve VA claim victory.
My process starts with a one-on-one phone call so we can get to know your unique claim situation.
We’ll identify where you stand now, where you want to go, and how we make it happen with the right medical evidence.
If we nail your VA claim strategy, the tactics become simple and easy!
Through this gap analysis process, we’ll build a personalized VA claim strategy tailored to your needs — designed to give you the best possible chance of securing the VA rating and compensation you’ve earned for serving our country.
>> Click Here to book your no-obligation consultation or call us right now at (281) 533–6777.
About the Author
Brian Reese is one of the world’s top VA disability experts and the #1 bestselling author of VA Claim Secrets and You Deserve It. Frustrated with the VA claim process, Brian founded VA Claims Insider to help disabled veterans win their VA disability compensation faster. He has served over 10 million military members and veterans since 2013. A former Air Force officer, Brian deployed to Afghanistan in 2011. He is a Distinguished Graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy and holds an MBA from Oklahoma State University, where he was a National Honor Scholar.
