What Does a VA Accredited Claims Agent Do?

The day-to-day work, how agents get paid, and what a solo practice actually looks like.

The job in one paragraph

A VA accredited claims agent represents veterans, service members, dependents, and survivors in claims for VA benefits. That means gathering medical and service evidence, writing arguments about why the law supports the claim, filing the paperwork, tracking deadlines, and handling appeals when VA gets it wrong. It is desk work: reading files, reading regulations, writing, and phone calls. There are no courtrooms.

A typical week

• New client intake: reviewing a veteran's discharge papers, medical records, and prior VA decisions to spot what is missing.
• Evidence development: requesting service treatment records, private treatment notes, and lay statements that connect the dots.
• Filings: submitting claims, supplemental claims, and higher-level reviews through VA's systems before deadlines hit.
• Appeals: writing briefs to the Board of Veterans' Appeals arguing the rating schedule and the evidence.
• Client updates: explaining where things stand in plain English, because the VA process terrifies most people.

How agents get paid

Accredited agents may charge reasonable fees, but VA's fee rules control when and how. Fees generally come into play after a Notice of Disagreement is filed, and every fee agreement must meet the standards in 38 CFR 14.636. Many agents also do initial claims work at no charge and earn on the appeals. Learn the fee rules cold before quoting anyone: fee disputes are one of the fastest ways to draw OGC scrutiny.

Solo practice vs joining up

Many agents run one-person shops from home. Overhead is a computer, a phone, and malpractice awareness. Others contract with law firms or veteran-focused companies that need accredited agents on staff. The solo route keeps every fee but means finding your own clients; working with a firm means steadier work for a cut.

Staying accredited

Accreditation is not permanent on autopilot. You must complete continuing legal education in VA law on schedule. Miss it and you risk suspension. Treat CLE like a tax deadline: non-negotiable and calendared.