As a general rule, claims are reviewed in “first in, first out” order based on the date the complete Claim Form was submitted with all required information. This means the VCF prioritizes claims that have been waiting longer before beginning review of newer submissions. Claims are prioritized for review only after all required information has been submitted.
The VCF continues to work to shorten the timeframe needed to decide a claim and is working towards issuing determinations within one year of submission of the claim form or amendment (assuming all information needed to process the claim has been submitted).
The Claim Review Timeline graphic below reflects the most current status of claims in review. The dates in this timeline apply only to claims that are submitted in good order, meaning they have the required documents the VCF needs in order to determine the claimant’s eligibility and calculate the award. Claims that are made inactive or placed on hold because they were not submitted with the required documents take significantly longer to review and are not reflected in this timeline.
Please remember that each VCF claim is individually reviewed and calculated, with some of the more complex claims taking significantly longer to complete. This is particularly true of claims filed for victims who died of a 9/11-related condition, which require the submission and review of a substantial amount of information and documentation in order to validate the legal authority of the Personal Representative who filed the claim, and to calculate the award. Claims may also be delayed while the VCF waits for information from third parties.
Once the VCF begins reviewing your claim, we will contact you if we need any additional information. The best way to help speed the review of your claim is to submit a complete claim and respond promptly to any request.