Veterans VA Claims Blogs

A Veteran’s Guide to VA Ratings for Low Back Pain

38 CFR § 4.71a Low back pain can take over your day in quiet ways. You feel it when you get out of bed, when you stand too long, when you drive, and...

How to Qualify for PACT Act Compensation

If you're dealing with respiratory issues, unusual fatigue, high-blood pressure, unexplained chronic medical symptoms, or cancer-related warning...

Your Best Path to a VA Rating for Knee Pain

38 CFR § 4.71a Knee pain has a way of following you long after you hang up the uniform. Maybe it started as a nagging ache after ruck marches,...

Can You Get Paid Backpay After a VA Rating Increase?

Let's say you file to increase your VA disability rating for PTSD, knee pain, tinnitus, or another service-connected condition. If you are granted...

How Long Will It Take for the VA to Review My Disability Increase Claim?

When you file for a VA disability rating increase, the waiting can feel like the hardest part. You took the time to learn how to appeal a VA claim....

Your Mental Health VA Rating Depends on Your Honesty

38 CFR 4.130 Filing for a VA rating for depression, anxiety, PTSD, or other mental health condition may feel unnervingly vulnerable, especially if...

Your VA Back Pain Rating Could Hinge on the Right Diagnosis Code

38 CFR, Part 4.71 If you're filing a disability claim for a VA back pain rating, you might assume it's enough to describe your symptoms and provide...

Can Veterans Benefits Advocates Help You Increase Your VA Rating?

The wounds you carry from serving your country are heavy enough, but, too often, the VA claims process only adds to that burden. You confront...

Want 100% VA Disability? Medical Research Can Help

Reaching a 100% disabled veteran benefits rating or qualifying for TDIU (Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability) is often about more...

Why You Should Submit Your VA Claim ‘Intent to File’ Now (Even If You Aren’t Sure You Want to File)

When you're thinking about filing a VA disability claim, time is of the essence. Whether you're filing for the first time, seeking an increase, or...

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Can the VA Lower Your Rating if You Ask for an Increase?

If you are working through the VA rating increase process, you may be concerned about one question: can the VA lower your current rating instead? The short answer is yes, it can happen. The VA can review your full file when you ask for an increase, but it cannot cut...

Why You Don’t Have to Choose Between VA Benefits and SSDI

A lot of veterans worry that they have to make a choice between VA disability benefits and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). That concern makes sense. Both programs deal with disability and involve government agencies, so it may seem like you can't have...

What to Do if You Disagree with Your VA Rating Decision

When a VA disability rating decision arrives, the first thing you will most likely look for is the percentage rating you received. After all, this percentage determines what level of benefits you can receive. If that number feels too low, it can unleash a trove of...

A Guide to the VA Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) for PTSD

38 CFR § 4.130 = PTSD If you are filing a claim for a VA PTSD rating, the Disability Benefits Questionnaire, or DBQ, can play a major role in your case. The DBQ is often given as part of a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam. It helps translate your symptoms into...

Tips for Increasing Your VA Disability Rating from 90% to 100%

If you already have a 90% VA disability rating, you know how serious your service-connected conditions are. You also know that 90% and 100% are not close in terms of compensation. At the time of this writing, the monthly compensation for a single veteran rated at 90%...