Fillable Form VA 9

What is VA 9 Form?

VA 9 Form, officially known as the Substantive Appeal Form, is a form that gives the veteran a chance to contest information on the Statement of the Case (SOC) and present additional evidence. It also gives you several options for requesting a personal hearing with a Veteran Affairs (VA) judge.

How to Fill OutVA 9 Form?

1. Name of Veteran
Enter the veteran’s name.

2. Claim file number
Enter the claim file number.

3. Insurance file number
Enter the insurance file number.

4. I am the
Select your relationship to the veteran: self, widow/er, child, parent, other.

5. Telephone Numbers
a. Home
Provide your home phone number including the area code.

b. Work
Provide your work phone number including the area code.

6. My address is
Provide the veteran’s address.

7. If I am not the veteran, my name is
Indicate your name if you are not the veteran.

8. These are the issues I want to appeal to the board

I HAVE READ THE STATEMENT OF THE CASE AND ANY SUPPLEMENTAL STATEMENT OF THE CASE I RECEIVED. I AM ONLY APPEALING THESE ISSUES:
Check this box if you only want to continue your appeal on some of the issues listed on the SOC and any SSOC you received. List the specific issues you want to appeal on the space provided. You may also use this space to call the Board's attention to issues you told your local VA office in your Notice of Disagreement you wanted to appeal that are not included in the SOC or any SSOC.

I WANT TO APPEAL ALL OF THE ISSUES LISTED ON THE STATEMENT OF THE CASE AND ANY SUPPLEMENTAL STATEMENT OF THE CASE THAT MY LOCAL VA OFFICE SENT TO ME.
If you think that your local VA office has correctly identified the issues you are appealing and, after reading the SOC and any SSOC you received, you still want to appeal its decisions on all those issues, check the box. Do not check this box if you have selected the first box already.

9. HERE IS WHY I THINK THAT VA DECIDED MY CASE INCORRECTLY
Provide your reason for disagreeing with the decision made by your local VA office in support of the issues you identified in Block 8. Be specific.

You may attach copies of evidence or notify VA of its existence so that it may be obtained on your behalf, but you do not have to attach copies of evidence you have already sent to the VA.

If you need more space, you can continue it on the back of the form or you can attach separate sheets.

If you will be sending the form by mail and want to complete this part of the form using a computer word-processor, just attach the sheets from your printer to the form and write "see attachment" in this block.

10. Optional Board Hearing
Select the appropriate choice. Your choice for this block will let the VA know whether or not you want to appear at a Board hearing and where you want to appear.

I DO NOT WANT AN OPTIONAL BOARD HEARING
If you decide that you do not want a Board hearing, check this box. If you feel that you have already sent everything that the Board will need to decide your case, then there is no need for a hearing to be held. If you check this box, do not check any of the other boxes.

BY LIVE VIDEO CONFERENCE AT A LOCAL VA OFFICE
If you want to appear at a live Board videoconference hearing, select this box. This option allows you to have a hearing by way of videoconferencing where you will be at the local VA office and the Veterans Law Judge hearing your case will be at the Board's offices in Washington,DC.

IN WASHINGTON, DC
If you want to appear for a hearing at the Board's offices in Washington, DC, check this box.

AT A LOCAL VA OFFICE
If you want a Board hearing at your local VA office, select this box. Take note that this option is not available at the Washington, DC, or Baltimore, MD, Regional Offices.

11. Signature of person making this appeal
Provide the signature of the person making the appeal.

12. Date
Provide the date the form was completed and signed.

13. Signature of appointed representative
Provide the signature of the appointed representative, but if the appellant signed already this may be left blank.

14. Date
Provide the date the form was completed and signed by the appointed representative.

Submission

You must submit your VA Form 9 within 60 days of the date the VA mailed your Statement of the Case (SOC). If you submitted additional evidence after receiving your SOC and the VA sent you a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) in response, you have 30 days after that to submit your VA Form 9. After that 30 days, the regional office is able to certify your appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.

When you have completed the form, signed and dated it, follow the instructions on how and where to file this form attached to your SOC.

Tips:

• If you ask for a Board hearing, you and your representative may tell why you think the Board should act favorably on your appeal. You can also state facts behind your claim and you can bring witnesses to the hearing who have information to give the Board. You can submit more evidence at a Board hearing.
• Parties to a hearing are permitted to ask questions, including follow-up questions, but cross-examination is not allowed.
• You may check the VA website for information on other VA benefits programs and eligibility.
• Consider asking help from a representative in completing this form. Most people who appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals do get a representative.
• You may be represented by Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) at no charge. You can find a listing of VSOs online at the VA website.
• If you choose to pay a lawyer or "agent" to represent you, you may do so. Your local VA office can further assist you with questions regarding how to appoint a VSO, attorney, or agent to represent you.