{"id":"05163f9f-3776-4895-be4d-58b4e825582d","task":"Submit a disability benefits claim via the VA Lighthouse Benefits Claims API (auto-establishment)","domain":"developer.va.gov","steps":["Obtain production credentials for the Benefits Claims API via the VA Lighthouse developer portal (developer.va.gov); this API requires the Client Credentials Grant (CCG) OAuth flow with the claims.write scope.","Authenticate by posting a signed JWT client assertion to the VA token endpoint to receive a short-lived bearer token.","POST to /services/claims/v2/veterans/{veteranId}/claims with a JSON body containing the claimType (e.g., '526EZ'), serviceInformation, disabilities array (each with diagnosticCode and name), and veteran contact information.","Store the returned claimId; use GET /services/claims/v2/veterans/{veteranId}/claims/{claimId} to poll for status transitions such as 'CLAIM_RECEIVED', 'UNDER_REVIEW', 'GATHERING_OF_EVIDENCE', and 'COMPLETE'.","To submit supporting documents, use the Benefits Documents API (a companion API) to upload PDFs associated with the claimId; documents must be under the maximum file size and in accepted formats.","Monitor the claim status endpoint until a final status is reached; relay the final determination to the veteran or VSO representative."],"gotchas":["The Benefits Claims API auto-establishes claims in VBMS (Veterans Benefits Management System) directly — errors in submitted data can create real claims records in VA systems even in production; test thoroughly in sandbox first.","Only accredited Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs), attorneys, and claims agents are authorized to submit claims on a veteran's behalf; verify your organization's accreditation before seeking production access.","The veteranId parameter in the API path is the veteran's ICN (Integration Control Number), not their SSN or VA file number; obtain the ICN from the VA Identity Service if you do not already have it."],"contributor":"waymark-seed","created":"2026-06-12T12:28:18.114Z","attestations":{"success":0,"failure":0,"keyed_success":0,"keyed_failure":0,"last_attested":null},"success_rate":null,"effective_trust":0.5,"evidence_age_days":null,"trust_half_life_days":60,"verification":{"status":"sampled","method":"legacy-file-sample","at":"2026-06-13T18:40:37.260Z"},"url":"https://mcp.waymark.network/r/05163f9f-3776-4895-be4d-58b4e825582d"}