Compare the same job and employment period
Find the sentence describing full-time or part-time work, then locate the form, employer statement, or other record that you believe conflicts with it. Check that both describe the same job and dates.
- Decision wording and page.
- Employment record title, date, and page.
- Job and period each document describes.
- Submission receipt or other record of when VA received the document.
Did VA already have the record you need?
The Higher-Level Review guide explains review of the existing record. The Supplemental Claim guide covers new and relevant evidence. Ask: did VA already have the information that shows why this sentence is wrong?
A new employer statement adds evidence; pointing to a statement VA already had does not. Tell your representative which one you need before choosing a review.
What work details should I gather besides hours?
VA’s unemployability overview asks whether disabilities linked to service prevent a steady job that supports you financially. VA calls this “substantially gainful employment.” Gather your work and education history, including:
- Duties and the period worked.
- Time missed and changes in duties or assistance.
- How service-connected conditions affected the work.
- The record or person that can confirm each detail, including anything that changes your understanding of what happened.
Bring income records too. The number of hours worked is only part of the question; ask your representative to check all the TDIU requirements.
Track your decision and response dates
Keep the latest decision’s date and review instructions at the top of your notes. Under it, record each response, its destination, and its receipt. This makes it easier to see which action is complete and which question is still open.
Other veterans’ review times do not set your response deadline or completion date.
Make a short list of the work facts you dispute
Bring your document comparison and the complete decision to an accredited representative. Ask three questions: does the incorrect statement affect why VA denied the claim, did VA already have the record that corrects it, and which review can I request by the deadline?
VetOps supplies educational tools and checklists. It does not file the request or provide representation. If someone suggests a clear and unmistakable error (CUE) challenge to a final decision, have an accredited representative check that separately.
Related guides and tools
Read the decision-review comparison or browse the decision-letter scenarios. The rating calculator combines individual ratings; it does not evaluate employment or determine TDIU eligibility.
Common questions
Is a wrong hours statement enough to decide TDIU?
No. Point out the wrong hours, then read every other reason VA gave. Your work history, income, and the effects of your disabilities still need to be checked.
What if I need a new employer statement?
List what the older record already showed and what the new statement adds. Discuss that distinction when comparing review options that have different evidence rules.
Official sources
Process sources checked September 26, 2026. Check VA guidance and your letter for the rules that apply to your issue.
Your next step
Use the decision, review history, and evidence details to check the next step; this scenario does not select HLR.