Skip to content

April 26, 2018

Why you should apply for Chronic Pain

Last updated on December 22, 2022

I hope you enjoy reading this blog post.

If you want to learn how to implement these strategies to get the VA benefits you deserve, click here to speak with a VA claim expert for free.

The reason you should consider to apply for chronic pain is that while Chronic Pain is something that many Veterans do not feel like they should qualify for. By applying you may be able to increase your claim amount significantly.

Chronic Pain Syndrome qualifies as more than six months of persistent pain. This interferes with daily life and makes working and spending time with friends and family trying. The VA recently made a change to how they view these claims which you can read here.

What many people do not know is that chronic pain is one of the best ways to get an extra rating on your claim, if you know what to include.

What is Chronic Pain?

Chronic Pain is long lasting pain which interferes with your daily life. It begins to qualify as chronic once it lasts over six months. In some cases, chronic pain is persistent for years of someone’s life.

Chronic Pain can be linked to a number of different reasons, including injury, disease, or damage to nerves.

Chronic pain is a condition which directly affects someone’s mental health. Through anxiety, lack of sleep, hopelessness, and depression chronic pain can reveal itself.

This type of pain is usually invisible, which is why it becomes so difficult to prove. There are many times when close friends do not even believe you are in pain. This is one of the reasons why it is a challenging disability to prove.

How to prove Chronic Pain

Another step in this process is establishing credibility. One way you can do this is by proving that you have tried to relieve the pain in other ways. This could be done with some approaches, including massage therapy, seeing a chiropractor, or visiting with a pain specialist.

Basically, the VA needs to see that you have worked towards trying to live with your chronic pain. The more they see that you have already tried to get help with this, the more inclined they will be to approve your rating.

What to include in your claim when you apply for chronic pain

In many instances, chronic pain also leads to insomnia from inability to sleep. If this is the case for you, document it on your claim. Any additional contributing factors to chronic pain are helpful.

Present every type of proof you can to win your claim. This includes being prepared for your C&P exam, Buddy letters, a DBQ, and your written testimony.

All of these will significantly improve your credibility. Since your word is all that you have in applying for this case, it is essential that you are prepared. There is a very fine line between exaggerating and playing down your symptoms. You will need to be in the middle of both of those.

Provide any medical evidence you have undergone.

Having a written DBQ is a valuable resource for Veterans. Through a DBQ, the prescribing Doctor will be able to write your story for the VA. This outsiders opinion is a piece the VA needs to solidify your claim.

By documenting any medical evidence or feelings of hopelessness, you will begin to paint the picture of how it is damaging to your life.

What to do now

According to founder Brian Reese, applying for Chronic Pain is an excellent idea. Adding a secondary rating for chronic pain and connecting it to other disabilities will strengthen your claim.

We understand that this process is laborious. If you have sought out treatment, reached out for help, and are still feeling discouraged, let us know. We can help you get the disability you deserve!

We would love for you to reach out to us! Our team of experienced Veterans has extensive experience under their belts in filing for this type of claim.

For any additional training, please watch our YouTube video!  Additionally, we have some other resources for you.

Hi Veterans! Here are some free resources for you:

Watch my free webinar training here.

Join my Elite program, and have us get started on your VA disability claim for free here.

Brian Reese, The VA Claims Insider, breaks down How to File a VA Claim for Chronic Pain.

This video training is specific to Veteran’s who want to file a VA disability claim for chronic pain.

As of April 2018, veteran’s are now eligible to receive disability benefits and compensation for chronic pain, so long as that chronic pain causes functional impairment or loss.

Typically, a chronic pain claim or chronic pain syndrome should be linked to another service-connected disability, aka, a secondary claim.

Learn more about Brian Reese and VA Claims Insider.

If you found this video valuable, please give it a like. If you know someone who needs to see it, share it. Leave a comment below with your thoughts.

Have questions about your VA disability claim?

We can help you file, win, and get a higher VA disability rating from the VA.

Please reach out to us at VA Claims Insider, and we’ll get you the VA disability compensation YOU deserve.

Check out the VA Claims Insider YouTube channel

Learn more about the VA disability claims process here.

As always, feel free to reach out to me about your VA disability claim.

Become an Insider

We’re Veterans helping Veterans Worldwide™, and since 2016 we’ve helped 10,000+ Veterans just like you INCREASE their VA disability rating!


About the Author

Brian Reese
Brian Reese

Brian Reese

Brian Reese is one of the top VA disability benefits experts in the world and bestselling author of You Deserve It: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Veteran Benefits You’ve Earned (Second Edition).

Brian’s frustration with the VA claim process led him to create VA Claims Insider, which provides disabled veterans with tips, strategies, and lessons learned to win their VA disability compensation claim, faster, even if they’ve already filed, been denied, gave up, or don’t know where to start. 

As the founder of VA Claims Insider and CEO of Military Disability Made Easy, he has helped serve more than 10 million military members and veterans since 2013 through free online educational resources.

He is a former active duty Air Force officer with extensive experience leading hundreds of individuals and multi-functional teams in challenging international environments, including a combat tour to Afghanistan in 2011 supporting Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.

Brian is a Distinguished Graduate of Management from the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO, and he holds an MBA from Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business, Stillwater, OK, where he was a National Honor Scholar (Top 1% of Graduate School class).

Related Articles

Featured Resources

Elite Membership

Dear Veteran,
Here’s the brutal truth about VA disability claims:

According to our data, 8/10 (80%) of veterans reading this message right now are underrated by the VA…

This means you do NOT currently have the VA disability rating and compensation YOU deserve, and you could be missing out on thousands of dollars of tax-free compensation and benefits each month.

As a fellow disabled Veteran this is shameful and I’m on a mission to change it.

Brian Reese here, Air Force service-disabled Veteran and Founder @ VA Claims Insider.

Since 2016, VA Claims Insider has helped thousands of Veterans just like you get the VA rating and compensation they deserve in less time.

If accepted into our ELITE membership program, you’ll get free up-front access and permission to use $13,119 worth of proprietary VA claim resources, including access to our network of independent medical professionals for medical examinations, disability evaluations, and credible Medical Nexus Letters, which could help you get a HIGHER VA rating in LESS time.

It’s FREE to get started, so click “Go Elite Now” below to complete our 3-step intake process.

  1. Complete Basic Information
  2. Sign Members Agreement
  3. Join the Mastermind Group

If you’re stuck, frustrated, underrated, and currently rated between 0%-90%, VA Claims Insider Elite is for you!

Click “Go Elite Now” below to get started today and a member of our team will be in touch within minutes.

Go Elite Now!

Why Choose VA Claims Insider

You’ve exhausted your free resources

You're not alone. Thousands of other Veterans in our Community are here for you.

Veteran Community

You’re ready to get the rating you deserve

We know the pain of feeling stuck, frustrated, and alone, and we want to make this process as easy and painless as possible for you.

Explore Elite Membership

We win ONLY when YOU win

Hear from fellow Veterans just like you, with many of our Veteran Ambassadors having gone through our programs.

Schedule a Call

Fellow Veterans:

For a limited time, you can book a free, no-obligation VA Claim Discovery Call with one of our experts.

Book A Call

Fellow Veterans:

For a limited time, you can book a free, no-obligation VA Claim Discovery Call with one of our experts.

Book A Call