VA Form 21-0958
Notice of Disagreement (Legacy)
You have an active legacy appeal stream and need to file a NOD on a pre-AMA decision.
- Who fills it
- veteran
- Journey phase
- Appeals
- Estimated time
- 30-45 minutes.
- When to file
- Only if you are in the legacy stream. New AMA decisions cannot use this form.
Official VA form page: https://www.va.gov/find-forms/
Walk it box by box
Fill it out with your information
Open the official VA form, then work down the boxes below. Each one is pre-filled from what you have already entered in Claim Recon and explained in plain language with the wording a VA rater expects. Review and edit every answer, then export your worksheet and copy it onto the official form. We never fill out or submit anything for you.
Gather before you start
- ▸The legacy decision being appealed
- ▸Specific issues you disagree with
- ▸Decision: opt-in to AMA via 10182 instead, or stay in legacy stream
Attach with the form
- ▸Copy of the decision being appealed
Section 0 - Legacy vs AMA Check
Pre-formConfirm this is a legacy claim
Was the decision you are appealing issued BEFORE February 19, 2019? If YES, you may use this form. If NO (decision after 2/19/2019), STOP and use VA Form 10182 (Board Appeal) under the AMA system instead. Filing 21-0958 on a post-AMA decision will be rejected.
Confirm decision date is before 2/19/2019
Common mistakes
- ×Filing 21-0958 on a post-AMA decision - rejected. Use 10182 instead.
- ×Confusing the two systems - legacy uses NOD then SOC then Form 9; AMA uses three lanes.
Authority
- 38 CFR 19.2 - Legacy appeals process definitions.
Section I - Veteran Identification
Blocks 1-7Name, SSN, VA File Number, addressPII
Match exactly to your VA records as they appear on every prior letter or DD-214 - any mismatch causes intake delays.
(use legal name from DD-214)
Common mistakes
- ×Mismatched name/SSN.
Section II - Issues Disagreed With
Block 8Specific issues from the legacy decisionRepeatable
List each issue with condition + decision (denied or under-rated at X%). Issues not listed here are NOT appealed.
e.g., Lumbar DDD - DENIED 03/15/2018 - disagree.
Common mistakes
- ×Forgetting to list an issue - not appealed.
Section III - Optional AMA Opt-In
Block 9Opt into AMA appeal lanes?
Many legacy appellants benefit from opting into the AMA system - the new system is faster on average. Opting in means filing 10182 (Board) or 20-0995 (Supplemental) or 20-0996 (HLR) instead. One-way decision; no going back to legacy.
Stay in legacy / Opt into AMA
Common mistakes
- ×Opting in without reviewing whether legacy or AMA is faster for your specific posture - consult VSO before deciding.
Section IV - Signature
Blocks 10-11Signature and datePII
Sign and date. By signing you certify the statements are true to the best of your knowledge under penalty of perjury.
(signature/date when filing)
Common mistakes
- ×Forgetting to sign.
Statutory and regulatory authority
- 38 CFR 19.2 - Legacy appeals process definitions.
- 38 USC 7105 - Legacy appeal NOD and Form 9 timing.