The Department of Veterans Affairs reported in July that its disability compensation and pension claims backlog fell below 70,000 pending claims, the first time it has reached that level since February 2020, the agency said.
The milestone represents a significant operational improvement following years of backlog expansion driven by the PACT Act, which dramatically expanded eligibility for burn pit and toxic exposure-related disability claims.
The backlog measures claims that have been pending for more than 125 days without a decision. The VA has been deploying artificial intelligence tools and hiring additional claims processors to accelerate decisions and reduce wait times for veterans.
The PACT Act, signed into law in 2022, opened eligibility for millions of veterans exposed to toxic substances including burn pits, Agent Orange, and radiation. The resulting surge in claims pushed the backlog well above 300,000 at its peak.
Hundreds of thousands of veterans remain in the claims pipeline but have not yet crossed the 125-day threshold that defines backlog status. The total pending inventory remains significantly larger than the backlog figure alone.
The sub-70,000 milestone means more veterans are receiving timely decisions on their disability claims, which determine both monthly compensation payments and access to VA health care. A favorable disability rating can mean thousands of dollars in annual benefits for qualifying veterans.
The VA processes millions of claims annually across its network of regional offices. The agency has described the backlog reduction as a top operational priority.