By VetsDisabilityClaims.com  | March 2026   The VA denies approximately 30% of initial disability claims . Many of those denials are completely avoidable.   After helping countless veterans navigate the claims process, I've seen the same mistakes repeated over and over. Here are the top 10 — and exactly how to avoid them. Mistake #1: Filing Without a Current Diagnosis   The problem:  You know something is wrong, but you haven't been officially diagnosed by a medical provider.