Timeliness

Decisions being contested on appeals and higher level reviews have to have been decided within 372 days of the receipt date in order to be considered timely. Untimely issues are ineligible.

Timeliness exemptions can be requested by the veteran, which waives this requirement.

Issues that are connected to a legacy issue being opted in are not subject to the timeliness rules above (there are no checks that the decision date is within 372 days of the receipt date). However, they are impacted by a couple of other checks that the legacy issue is eligible to be opted-in. See Legacy issue opt-in eligibility requirements for more information on legacy issue eligibility rules.