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.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/
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.