Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Dale K. Graham Veterans Foundation and how do they assist veterans?
The Dale K. Graham Veterans Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that assists veterans and their families in obtaining VA claim benefits.
Their mission is to ensure veterans receive the support they have earned for their service.
How do I get started with a New Claim, an Increase, or an Appeal?
Click Start Claim, or visit the Foundation to get started.
What documents do I need?
Your DD214, NGB-22, or VA Decision Letter.
If you do not have these, you can still complete the Intake Form, but you will need to upload these documents as soon as possible so we can send you an appointment invitation.
Relevant medical documents and Service Treatment Records (STR) may also be needed.
What if I don't have these documents?
Your DD 214/ Separation Documents, Official Military Personnel File (OMPF), Medical and Health Records, and Service Treatment Records (STR’s) can be retrieved by reaching out to The National Archives (link) or by calling 1-866-272-6272.
What happens after I complete the Intake form?
Once you submit the Intake Form, please give the foundation time to review your information and complete the setting up of your account.
Expect an email with a link to schedule your Assessment Appointment approximately one week later.
Does the Foundation
Once you submit the Intake Form, please give the foundation time to review your information and complete the setting up of your account.
Expect an email with a link to schedule your Assessment Appointment approximately one week later.
What is an Assessment appointment?
The Assessment Appointment is the scheduled meeting between the veteran and the claim writer.
During this visit the veteran’s claim options and instructions will be discussed.
What happens after the Assessment Appointment?
Once you meet with the Claim Writer and you know what you need for your claim, you'll gather the Evidence (DBQ's, Medical Records, Buddy Letters) and send them to us through the Secured Document Collection Email we send to you. This link will alert us that you have uploaded all of your evidence and we'll move your claim forward automatically.
When you receive your evidence, you can upload it all at once.
You can also bring the evidence back to the foundation for us to upload it or you may upload it through your Secured Client Portal. If you use the Secured Client Portal, please call and let us know; as it does not alert us that you have uploaded everything.
After I upload my evidence, what happens next?
When all your evidence has been uploaded, please give the Claim Writer time to review and write the claim.
This can take a few weeks due to the high number of veterans we serve. We always want to make sure the claims are written with the best to be approved.
Once the claim has been sent to the VA, what can I expect?
Once we submit the claim to the VA, the veteran has to wait to be contacted by one of the VA's contacted companies for a follow-up exam.
This is called a C&P Exam or Compensation and Pension Exam. The VA simply wants to reconfirm that the condition you are claiming is valid.
Some of the contracted companies that will call or message you are:
VES Veteran Evaluation Services
Optum Serve
Leidos
QTC
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PLEASE ACCEPT THIS APPOINTMENT AND KEEP IT.
The VA can deny your claim if you say no to it or miss it.
How long do I have to wait for a decision from the VA?
Because each claim is unique, the timeline can fluctuate, but the average time most veterans receive a Decision Letter is between 3 to 4 months or ??? days.
Important:
The Dale K Graham Foundation cannot help with the VA's process or timeline; but the veteran can create a VA.gov (link) or Ebenefits (link) account and track the process of their own claim.
What do I do when I receive my Decision Letter?
When you receive your Decision Letter, its up to you if you would like to move forward with the next steps.
*If Awarded, and you would like to pursue another condition, simply contact us for a new appointment.
*If you would like to pursue an Increase, you can also reach out to us for a new appointment.
*If you receive a Denial and want to Appeal/Contest it, contact us for a new appointment.
What if I just have questions about the Decision Letter?
You can upload a copy of the letter through your Secured Client Portal along with your question?
Otherwise, reach out to your Claim Writer.
What if I receive a 30-Day or 60- Day Notice?
If you receive one of these letters, it is imperative that you bring it to the foundation or upload it through your Secured Client Portal for your representative to review it and move forward accordingly.
How does backpay work?
An Intent to File or VA Form 0966 is a document that the VA requires the veteran to sign when they start the claim process.
The date that the VA accepts this form is the date that the clock starts ticking.
You have 1 year to meet with us, gather and return the evidence to us, and for us to submit the claim to the VA.
Once we submit your claim and you are awarded a percentage by the VA, then they will pay you back to the date they accepted the VA Form 0966/Intent to File.
What if Dale K Graham has already assisted me with a claim and I already have an account?
If you have received assistance from the foundation and you want to move forward with a New Claim, an Increase, or an Appeal, simply contact us to schedule an appointment. We'll schedule you for the next available time slot.