Does using wrong form nullify a disability claim?

[lotzaspotz]

Someone asked me this and I hadn’t come across this before.  The veteran’s VSO evidently used the wrong form to file the claim.  The veteran did not know which form was used, but six months afterwards, the mistake came to light somehow and the VSO corrected it.  If the claim is granted, has the veteran lost six months of compensation?

[Buck52]

lotz

Unfortunately I think it does, but if they go ahead an adjuicate the claim then it should give the veteran the date of the claim (jmo)

I believe  we use the 21-526ez Now for all claims

on the 21-526ez   it will let us know what forms we need to fill out under the special circumstance criteria on the first page of the 21-526ez

example  if veteran is filing a PTSD Claim  then under special circumstances  it says what # form to use 21-0781 OR  if filing for IU it says what # form there 2  for IU 21-8940 &21- 4192

And for filing or added dependents & all the rest is just filing the 21526ez

Edited November 7, 2017 by Buck52

[broncovet]

It might depend on "when" the claim was filed.  The term they use is a "liberalization".  

In this case, in the past, you did not need a claim form each time.  You submitted ONE claim for benefits, and the next increase can be on a paper napkin.  However, that changed a couploe years ago, when the applicable form was "required".   For example, filing your IU claim on the proper form was not required, but you still needed the information on the form.  Now, you have to file the form or its considered abandoned.