VA Disability Glossary – Key Terms Every Veteran Should Know

Higher-Level Review (HLR)

  • A Higher-Level Review (HLR) is one of the three appeal options under the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA). It allows a veteran to request that a more experienced VA reviewer re-evaluate a decision on their claim without submitting new evidence.

    The review is based solely on the evidence already in the VA’s file at the time of the original decision. The goal is to catch legal, factual, or procedural errors that may have led to an incorrect outcome.

    • You believe the VA made a mistake in evaluating your evidence

    • You think the law or rating schedule was misapplied

    • You don’t have new evidence yet, but want a second look by a senior reviewer

    • You must request an HLR within 1 year of the VA’s decision

    • You cannot submit new evidence with an HLR

    • The review is focused on errors or differences of opinion. The reviewer will determine if an error or a difference in opinion changes the initial decision

    • Typically a faster appeal option than the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) lane

    • You can request an optional informal conference—a phone call where you (or your representative) explain the errors you believe were made, but this can delay the review

    • HLRs are not available for decisions made by previous HLRs or BVA

  • You can request a Higher-Level Review of an initial claim or Supplemental Claim decision. You have 1 year from the date on your decision letter to request a Higher-Level Review.

    Request a Higher-Level Review

    • In person requests are only for claims that are not related to health care benefits

  • Higher-Level Review can result in a quicker decision than other appeal lanes and may correct clear errors without starting the process over. However, because no new evidence is allowed, it’s important to ensure the original record already supports your case.

    A VA-accredited representative can help you determine if HLR is the best option and advocate on your behalf during the informal conference, increasing your chances of a successful outcome. We have attorney’s and representatives here at Greene & Marusak that can help you out with this.

    Give us a call at (844) 483-8737