Higher-Level Review (HLR)

A Higher-Level Review is the first of the three appeal lanes created by the Appeals Modernization Act. Instead of sending your case to the back of a long line, a more experienced reviewer — a "Decision Review Officer" — looks at your file again and can overturn the original decision without any new evidence from you.

When HLR is the right choice

HLR is built for situations where the VA made a mistake on the evidence it already had:

• The rater ignored or overlooked evidence already in your file
• The VA applied the wrong diagnostic code or rating criteria
• The decision misstated the law or the standard for service connection
• A favorable exam or opinion was in your file but not weighed

If your situation needs new evidence — a new medical opinion, a buddy statement, a recent treatment record — a Supplemental Claim is usually the better lane.

The deadline

You must file a Higher-Level Review within one year of the date of the decision you're appealing. File within that year and you preserve your original effective date — which protects your back pay. After the year, you can still file, but your benefits may only run from the new filing date.

How the process works

1. We file the HLR and identify the specific errors in the original decision.
2. Optional informal conference. You can request a phone call with the senior reviewer to point out the errors directly. We attend and argue on your behalf.
3. The senior reviewer decides. They can grant the benefit, issue a new decision, or confirm the original one.
4. If denied again, you can then choose a Supplemental Claim or a Board Appeal.

How long it takes

The VA's target completion time for a Higher-Level Review is about 4 to 5 months. It's the fastest of the three lanes. Complex cases can take longer.

What we do

We read your decision letter, identify the specific legal or evidentiary error, and file the HLR with a written argument explaining exactly why the original decision was wrong. If you want an informal conference, we join the call and make the case for you. If the HLR is denied, we help you decide whether to escalate to the Board.