In this Insider’s Guide, VA disability expert Brian Reese reveals and explains 8 ways to increase your VA disability rating.
The key to getting an increased VA disability rating is to file a new claim with new and relevant medical evidence.
In general, you need to provide the VA with medical evidence that shows how your disability symptoms have worsened in terms of frequency (how often), severity (how bad), and duration (how long).
Remember this: MEDICAL EVIDENCE WINS VA CLAIMS!
Table of Contents
Summary of Key Points
- Veterans have 8 options to increase an existing VA rating: File a New VA Disability Increase Claim, File a New Claim for Direct Service Connection, File a New Claim for Secondary Service Connection, File a New Claim for Presumptive Service Connection, File a New Claim for Service Connection via Aggravation, File a New Appeal for a Previously Denied VA Disability Claim, File a New Claim for Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU), or File a New Claim for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC).
- Filing a new claim for increased compensation on conditions already service-connected at 0% or higher is the simplest and easiest route to raising your existing VA disability rating.
- Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs) are great for simple increase claims and might result in a VA rating increase without having to attend a C&P exam.
- If your condition was not diagnosed during active duty military service (no evidence in your service treatment records) or you’ve been out of the military for more than 12 months, a Nexus Letter from a private healthcare provider is highly recommended.
- If you’re trying to increase your combined VA disability rating, consider filing high value VA claims rated at 30% or higher.
4 Essential Elements to Increasing Your VA Disability Rating
There are four mission critical elements you must prove to get your VA disability rating increased or to get your conditions service connected for the first time.
It’s called The VA Claims Insider Golden Circle: (#1) Medical diagnosis of a disability condition, and (#2) Evidence of an in-service event, injury, disease, or aggravation, and (#3) Nexus (link or connection) between #1 and #2 via competent medical evidence, such as a Nexus Letter, and (#4) “Severity of Symptoms” in terms of frequency (how often), severity (how bad), and duration (how long).
Option #1: File a New VA Disability Increase Claim
The easiest way to increase your VA disability rating is to file a new increase claim online for conditions already service connected at 0% or higher; here’s a 17-step tutorial where we show you how.
For example, let’s say you’ve got a 50% VA rating for PTSD, but you think the preponderance of your symptoms meet the 70% rating criteria.
You simply open a new claim on VA.gov and click the radio button that says, “I’m filing a claim for a new condition or for a condition that’s gotten worse.”
Make sure you upload new medical evidence in the form of medical records, Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs), or Nexus Letters to show how your symptoms have become worse over time.
Pro Tip: DBQs from private healthcare providers are great for simple increase claims. Why? Since you’re already service connected but are applying for an increase in severity of symptoms, a DBQ with your claim submission means your claim is “decision ready.” This means the VA rater can potentially review and rate the claim without ordering a separate C&P exam.
Option #2: File a New Claim for Direct Service Connection
Regardless of your current VA disability rating, you can always file a new claim for direct service connection and add new conditions.
For example, let’s say you’re rated at 70% combined for mental health and tinnitus, but you want to file a new claim for headaches and GERD.
Open a new claim on VA.gov and click the radio button that says, “I’m filing a claim for a new condition or for a condition that’s gotten worse.”
Make sure you upload new medical evidence in the form of medical records, especially your service treatment records along with DBQs or Nexus Letters.
Pro Tip: If your condition was not diagnosed during service or if there are no documented symptoms in your military medical records or you’ve been out of the military for more than 12 months, you should strongly consider getting a Nexus Letter to help you prove service connection. Why? Because you don’t have medical evidence that the disability existed during service.
Option #3: File a New Claim for Secondary Service Connection
If you have a new secondary disability condition that you think was proximately due to or aggravated by another service-connected disability rated at 0% or higher, you should open a new claim, add the new disability condition, and select the option for “secondary service connection.”
For example, maybe you have sleep apnea diagnosed and you want to file it as a new secondary claim for secondary service connection.
You can file a claim for new claim for sleep apnea secondary to another disability that’s already service connected.
Pro Tip: If you’re filing a new claim for secondary service connection, a Nexus Letter is highly recommended. Why? Because a secondary claim requires “Medical Nexus Evidence” that your new disability is proximately due to or aggravated by a service-connected disability.
Option #4: File a New Claim for Presumptive Service Connection
Presumptive service connection is an easy way to increase your VA disability rating, assuming you meet the eligibility criteria.
A presumptive disability is a condition that the VA presumes to be service connected, even if there’s no specific “Nexus” for service connection.
Here’s how it works: If you served at X location during the qualifying period and developed Y condition as a result, then X + Y = automatic service connection.
VA presumptive conditions are easy to win and can help you increase your VA disability rating because you just need to show on your DD 214 that you were in an eligible location during a specific period and that you developed a qualifying disability as a result.
Pro Tip: There are 10 categories and more than 200 conditions eligible for presumptive disability. Also, you do not need a Nexus Letter for presumptive conditions. Why? Because presumptive conditions do not have a specific “Nexus” requirement under the law.
Option #5: File a New Claim for Service Connection via Aggravation
Another way to increase your VA disability rating is to file a new claim for service connection via aggravation.
This type of service connection includes two types: (#1) aggravation of a pre-service disability and (#2) secondary service connection via aggravation.
For example, let’s say you entered military service with flat feet, but the wear and tear of active service aggravated your flat feet beyond its natural progression, leading to foot and heel pain.
In this example, you’re eligible to file a new claim for aggravation of pre-service disability.
Secondary service connection via aggravation means a current service connected disability “aggravated” a non-service connected disability.
For example, maybe you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) that was aggravated by obesity/weight gain due to side effects of SSRI medications taken to manage your symptoms of service-connected PTSD.
You can file a claim for sleep apnea secondary to PTSD with obesity/weight gain as an intermediate step for service connection.
Pro Tip: A Nexus Letter is highly recommended for service connection via aggravation, including aggravation of a pre-service disability and secondary service connection via aggravation.
Option #6: File a New Appeal for a Previously Denied VA Disability Claim
If you’ve had a previous disability claim denied, you’ll need to appeal it using one of three options:
Higher Level Review (HLR)
This appeal option involves having a more senior VA official review the same evidence that was originally submitted. No new evidence can be submitted in this review. The senior reviewer looks for errors in the initial decision or provides a new interpretation of the evidence.
This is a good option if you believe that there was an error in the initial decision or that the evidence you originally provided was not properly considered.
Supplemental Claim
Under this option, veterans can submit new and relevant evidence that was not included in their original claim. The VA will then reevaluate the claim considering this new evidence.
This is suitable if you have additional evidence that supports your claim or if you can obtain new evidence that strengthens your case.
Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA)
Also known as a Board appeal, this option allows you to have your appeal reviewed by a Veterans Law Judge at the Board of Veterans’ Appeals in Washington, D.C. You can choose one of three dockets:
- Direct Review Docket: A review by the Board based on the evidence already in your VA file. No new evidence can be submitted, and no hearing will be held.
- Evidence Submission Docket: You can submit additional evidence but must do so within 90 days of your Notice of Disagreement. No hearing will be held.
- Hearing Docket: You can request a hearing with a Veterans Law Judge, during which you can present new evidence and make arguments. You can submit additional evidence within 90 days after the hearing.
Pro Tip: Supplemental Claims are the fastest appeal option right now at ~5-6 months from beginning to end. Higher Level Reviews are the second fastest appeal option at ~6-8 months. Board Appeals are the slowest appeal option with a Direct Review taking around 1 year, Evidence Submission around 1.5 years, and Hearings at 2 years minimum.
Option #7: File a New Claim for Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU)
If you can’t work because of your service-connected disabilities, you might qualify for an extra-scheduler VA rating called Individual Unemployability or TDIU.
Eligible veterans can get paid at the highest possible rating by law (the 100% VA pay rate), even if their combined VA rating is less than 100%.
You can file a claim for TDIU online at VA.gov after you’ve added new disabilities and click through to later screens.
To file a claim for Individual Unemployability, you’ll also need to fill out and upload the following:
- A Veteran’s Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability (VA Form 21-8940) Download VA Form 21-8940, AND
- A Request for Employment Information in Connection with Claim for Disability Benefits (VA Form 21-4192) Download VA Form 21-4192.
Pro Tip: VA unemployability means you’re unable to maintain “substantially gainful employment” due to your service connected disabilities. The income limits for TDIU benefits are based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s poverty thresholds, and these limits are subject to change annually with cost of living adjustments. As of the most recent data, the estimated income limits for 2024, accounting for projected cost of living adjustments, are approximately: Veterans under 65 years old: $17,115. Veterans 65 years and older: $15,778.
Option #8: File a New Claim for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC)
The final option to get increased VA disability benefits is to file a new claim for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC).
SMC is an extra benefit provided by the VA to veterans or their eligible dependents who have specific disabilities or combinations of disabilities.
VA SMC benefits are designed to compensate veterans for disabilities that result in a higher level of impairment or a need for extra assistance or care.
Some common examples of situations that may qualify a veteran for SMC include: Loss of use of a creative organ, loss or loss of use of one or more limbs, need for aid and attendance due to disabilities, blindness or visual impairment, severe deafness or hearing impairment, housebound status due to disability, need for assistance with activities of daily living, or a combination of disabilities that result in a high level of impairment.
Pro Tip: Extra scheduler SMC pay rates can go much higher than the scheduler pay rates. For example, the max VA disability benefit is for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) R.2/T, which has a minimum monthly payment of $10,697.23 and can exceed $11,000 per month with dependents.
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About the Author
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).
