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Title 38, Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-110

§7113 Evidentiary Record Before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals

Title 38 › PART V — BOARDS, ADMINISTRATIONS, AND SERVICES › CHAPTER 71 — BOARD OF VETERANS’ APPEALS › § 7113

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Limits what evidence the Board of Veterans’ Appeals can look at when it reviews an appeal. If no hearing was asked for and no one asked to submit more evidence, the Board may only use the evidence that was in the file when the original decision was made. If a hearing is asked for, the Board still mainly uses the evidence in the original file, but it must also consider any evidence given at the hearing and any new evidence filed within 90 days after the hearing. If no hearing was asked for but the person asked for a chance to submit evidence, the Board mainly uses the original file but must also consider evidence filed with the notice of disagreement and any new evidence filed within 90 days after the agency receives that notice.

Full Legal Text

Title 38, §7113

Veterans' Benefits, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Cases With No Request for a Hearing or Additional Evidence.—
For cases in which a hearing before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals is not requested in the notice of disagreement and no request was made to submit evidence, the evidentiary record before the Board shall be limited to the evidence of record at the time of the decision of the agency of original jurisdiction on appeal.
(b)Cases With a Request for a Hearing.—
(1)Except as provided in paragraph (2), for cases in which a hearing is requested in the notice of disagreement, the evidentiary record before the Board shall be limited to the evidence of record at the time of the decision of the agency of original jurisdiction on appeal.
(2)The evidentiary record before the Board for cases described in paragraph (1) shall include each of the following, which the Board shall consider in the first instance:
(A)Evidence submitted by the appellant and his or her representative, if any, at the Board hearing.
(B)Evidence submitted by the appellant and his or her representative, if any, within 90 days following the Board hearing.
(c)Cases With No Request for a Hearing and With a Request for Additional Evidence.—
(1)Except as provided in paragraph (2), for cases in which a hearing is not requested in the notice of disagreement but an opportunity to submit evidence is requested, the evidentiary record before the Board shall be limited to the evidence considered by the agency of original jurisdiction in the decision on appeal.
(2)The evidentiary record before the Board for cases described in paragraph (1) shall include each of the following, which the Board shall consider in the first instance:
(A)Evidence submitted by the appellant and his or her representative, if any, with the notice of disagreement.
(B)Evidence submitted by the appellant and his or her representative, if any, within 90 days following receipt of the notice of disagreement.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section applicable to all claims for which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs provides notice of a decision under section 5104 of this title on or after the later of 540 days after Aug. 23, 2017, or 30 days after the date on which the Secretary submits to Congress a certification of certain capabilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out the new appeals system established by Pub. L. 115–55 and to address appeals of decisions on legacy claims, with provision for early applicability of the new appeals system to certain claims, see section 2(x) of Pub. L. 115–55, set out as an

Effective Date

of 2017 Amendment note under section 101 of this title, and bracketed note thereunder.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

38 U.S.C. § 7113

Title 38, Veterans' Benefits

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110