The Department of Veterans' Affairs has quietly changed how it records wait times for veterans' compensation claims to exclude time waiting for additional medical records, leading key veterans' advocates and the opposition to accuse the agency of artificially making processing times look shorter.

Details contained in a redacted incoming ministerial brief, obtained under freedom of information, show the department began pausing the clock whenever it requested more information from a veteran on April 1.

The changes apply to new initial liability claims lodged after March 31.

Initial liability claims are usually the first step in the compensation process and determine whether a person has a condition directly linked to their military service and is eligible for benefits.

A DVA spokesperso

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