WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- The Veterans Administration 's handling of disability claims has seen improvements and setbacks , a congressional watchdog said Wednesday . Sen. Daniel Akaka says , `` Our goal is to provide veterans with accurate and timely resolution to their cases . '' `` Over the past several years , VA disability claims workloads at both the initial and appellate levels have improved in some areas and worsened in others , '' the Government Accountability Office said in a report . The Senate Veterans ' Affairs Committee asked the GAO to present its preliminary findings on the processing of disability claims , which were under discussion at a committee hearing . `` Our goal is to provide veterans with accurate and timely resolution to their cases , '' said Sen. Daniel Akaka , D-Hawaii , the committee 's chairman . Ranking member Sen. Richard Burr , R-North Carolina , said , `` For the men and women who have served and sacrificed for our nation , they deserve a system that meets their needs without hassles or delays . '' Along with a GAO representative , the hearing invited testimony from the Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs , a professor and an official from the Disabled American Veterans . The GAO report said the number of initial claims the VA annually completes has increased from the 1999 to 2008 fiscal years . But it says the number of pending claims at year 's end has grown during the same time period . The review cites `` increases in disability claims received , growing complexity of claims , court decisions and changes in regulation . '' There have been mixed results for claims workloads at the appellate level . The number of resolved claims has increased from 2003 to 2008 , but it took an average 96 days longer to resolve appeals during that same time period . `` One factor that affects workloads at the appellate level is the submission of new evidence or claims that must be evaluated , '' the report said . The report said the VA has worked to improve the handling of claims but said the results of those efforts `` is not yet known . '' It mentions an increase in staff from 2005 to 2009 , `` which has helped to increase the total number of decisions VA issues annually . '' At the same time , training and staff integration challenges could cause a `` short-term '' decline in productivity . `` In addition , VA has established 15 resource centers to which it redistributes claims and appeals for processing from backlogged regional offices . Although VA has not collected data to evaluate the effect of its workload redistribution efforts , these efforts may ultimately increase the timeliness and consistency of VA 's decisions , '' the report said . The VA is starting a pilot program with the Pentagon `` to perform joint disability evaluations that has the potential to streamline the disability process for prospective veterans . '' The VA also is reviewing other potential programs -- `` targeting certain claims for fast-track processing and leveraging technology . ''
Senate 's handling of disability claims has seen improvements , setbacks , review finds . GAO presents findings at Government Accountability Office panel hearing . Number of pending claims at annually has grown , Government Accountability Office report says . Report : Larger staff has led to increase in number of decisions VA issues annually .