Agency overview | |
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Formed | July 21, 1930 (Cabinet rank 15 March 1989) |
Type | Appellate review board for decisions made by VA agencies, on behalf of the Secretary |
Jurisdiction | United States federal government |
Status | Active |
Headquarters | Veteran Affairs Building 810 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, D.C., U.S. |
Employees | 108 Veterans Law Judges 850 Attorney-advisers Non-attorney staff: unknown |
Annual budget | FY 2022: $228 million FY 2023: $285 million FY 2024: $287 million (requested) |
Agency executives |
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Parent department | Department of Veterans Affairs |
Website | www |
The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) is an administrative tribunal within the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), located in Washington, D.C. Established by Executive Order on July 28, 1933, the Board reviews and makes decisions on appeals concerning veterans' benefits. Its mission is to conduct hearings and issue decisions promptly, ensuring all relevant evidence and applicable laws and regulations are considered to provide fair outcomes for veterans, their dependents, and survivors. The Board operates on behalf of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.[1]
The Board's jurisdiction covers all questions in matters involving decisions by the Secretary under laws affecting the provision of benefits to veterans, their dependents, or survivors. Veterans, their dependents, or survivors dissatisfied with decisions made by an Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) within the VA—such as the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), National Cemetery Administration (NCA), and VA Office of General Counsel (OGC).[2] The Board re-evaluates all evidence and legal arguments without deference to the AOJ's findings, except for favorable findings of fact for the claimant.
In Fiscal Year 2023, the BVA issued a record 103,245 decisions, marking the fifth consecutive year with over 95,000 decisions. Of these, 70,584 (68%) were legacy system appeals, and 32,661 (32%) were under the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA). The Board also reduced its pending hearings inventory by 2.6%, from 74,411 to 72,465, with a significant 85% decrease in pending legacy appeals.[3]