Automated Decision Support, a tool that helps gather medical or service-related evidence, launched in December 2021.

A duty-to-assist error means the VA failed to collect needed medical evidence for a veteran’s claim. These errors have increased as Automated Decision Support, which helps gather that evidence, was expanded to more claims and as more veterans requested reviews. Most of these errors involved claims decided without a necessary or adequate medical exam or opinion.

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Appeals Modernization Act metrics reports; change in cumulative duty-to-assist errors identified in higher-level reviews, by error type.