Have you tried unsuccessfully to get a VA rating increase? Maybe you’ve dedicated countless hours only to have your claim denied by the very government you sacrificed so much for. It feels raw…and hopeless.
The VA is slow, with a backlog of hundreds of thousands of claims. And to make matters worse, VA staffing cuts threaten to gum up the system even more. And does anyone really understand what the VA is looking for? Hard as you try, you can’t seem to convince the VA that you deserve a higher rating.
Another challenge is that you’re dependent on so many people—people who have other priorities besides just you. There were the doctors you saw while you were in the service who didn’t take the time to properly document your diagnosis or supporting evidence. Then, there was the representative from the VA-accredited VSO (Veteran Service Organization). They meant well, but they had plenty of other veterans to serve and could only give you so much time. As a result, they may not have educated you in all the ways to get your claim over the line.
Then, there was your overworked C&P examiner. They relied on information from the VSO but didn’t get your full side of the story before they rushed out the door and onto the next vet. It’s like a bad telephone game: important information is leaking out with each conversation.
By the time your claim gets to the actual VA reviewer, who is undoubtedly up to their eyeballs in submissions to review, they are looking for quick reasons to close your case. They give your claim a quick review, don’t see the key information they need, and issue a denial. You’re back to square one.
So what’s the answer? Get educated. Learn to speak the same language as your VA reviewer. That way, you’re not leaving your VA disability benefits to chance.
With the help of the right veteran benefits advocate, you can learn:
- What the VA needs to approve your claim
- What supporting documents will add the most credibility to your claim
- How to prove a connection between your military service and your medical condition, especially if the condition is not documented in your service treatment record
- How to show the VA how much your disability affects you on a daily basis
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Why You Need to Get VA-Smart
Ever heard the phrase “work smarter, not harder”? It’s especially applicable when it comes to VA claims. Here’s what getting smart on the VA can do for you.
Speak in Terms that Resonate
“VA-speak” is real. If you’re a reviewer working through a big stack of claims every day, you need a way to make it easy. As a result, you learn to look for certain words and phrases that align with the VA’s rating system.
If a claim includes these key terms, it has a better chance of getting a stamp of approval; if not, it could be at risk for denial. No matter how many times you submit your claim, if you don’t have the right verbiage or descriptions, you could be spinning your wheels.
Fill in the Holes in Your Claim
Many soldiers leave the military without clear documentation supporting their service-induced disability or illness. Here are some reasons why:
- Your condition was triggered during your military service but didn’t show significant symptoms until later.
- You didn’t see a doctor about your condition while in the military (either because it wasn’t significant at the time or because you were trying to be “tough” and not complain).
- You saw a doctor for your condition while in the military, but they failed to diagnose and/or document it properly.
- Your doctor did document your condition, but your service treatment records were lost or destroyed.
Fortunately, all is not lost if you don’t have this in-service documentation. However, the burden falls to you to fill in the gaps. Doing this requires you to get smart on what the VA wants to see and how you can procure or develop this documentation.
For example, if you don’t have documentation of your in-service injury, you will need something to show that your condition is service-connected. You can approach your doctor and have them write a nexus letter stating that “it is at least as likely as not” that your injury is service-connected.
Another excellent gap-filler is a personal statement, but most VSOs won’t tell you that you need one. And they rarely have the time to help you write a good one.
Your personal statement shows your VA reviewer all the things they can’t see on paper. For example, if you developed anxiety due to a combat deployment, it can’t be seen with an X-ray or a scope. But if you write a convincing personal statement, you can explain how it developed after you returned home from your deployment, how it awakens you out of a deep sleep at night, how it causes you to isolate at home even though you used to be very social, how it flares into frightening panic attacks, etc. With the help of a good personal statement, you can paint a full picture for your VA reviewer.
Enlist Help More Easily
You will undoubtedly need help to put together a winning VA claim. That could come in the form of a nexus letter from your doctor or “buddy statements” from your friends or family explaining how your disability affects you from day to day. But chances are, your doctor has never written a nexus letter and your friends have never written buddy statements.
If you’re VA-smart, you can tell them exactly what the VA is looking for. That way, they can provide documentation that truly supports your claim. Otherwise, these documents may not end up being any help at all.
Won’t it Cost Money to Learn the Ropes?
Yes. High-quality VA claims consulting helps you get VA-smart, but it does cost money. However, this cost can be a drop in the bucket when you consider the potential gains of a successful claim. For example, if your consultant educates you on how to get 100% VA disability and you succeed, you’ll be looking at a hefty increase in monthly compensation that is tax-free. You will also likely be eligible for free healthcare for you and your family and educational benefits for your dependents.
And no one can take your VA knowledge away from you. If you don’t get a 100% rating and want to try for another increase in the future, you’ll know how to submit a strong claim. Or if you are rated at—say—70% but develop a secondary condition, you will know how to file for that additional condition because you’ve taken the time to get smart.
For example, let’s say you’re rated at 70% for knee pain that affects your hips over time. You could file a claim for hip pain secondary to knee pain because you now know exactly how to file with impact.
Knowledge Is Power
If you’re mystified by the VA Claims process, it’s time to reach out for VA claims assistance. The more you know, the better positioned you’ll be to get the benefits you deserve and discover a brighter future.