If you’re looking to increase an existing VA rating, you have multiple options to get high-quality assistance with the often confusing and frustrating VA claim process.
You can file a claim for increased VA disability compensation if you have one or more service-connected disabilities rated at 0% or higher that have gotten worse over time.
You’ll need to submit new and relevant medical evidence with your increase claim that shows how your disability symptoms have worsened.
Table of Contents
Summary of Key Points
- If you have one or more service connected disabilities rated at 0% or higher that have worsened over time, you are eligible to file a claim for increased VA disability compensation.
- The key to getting your VA disability increase claim approved is to submit new and relevant medical evidence that shows how your symptoms have worsened since the date of your previous rating.
- You have three options to get help with your VA disability increase claim: (#1) File your own claim online at VA.gov, (#2) Work with an accredited VSO, or (#3) Work with an accredited claims agent or attorney.
What is a VA Disability Increase Claim?
VA disability increase claims are very common because often times your service connected conditions rated at 0% or higher get worse over time.
You can file a claim online at VA.gov to increase an existing service connected VA disability rating.
Here’s a 17-step tutorial where we teach you how to file a VA claim online step by step with screenshots.
The key to getting your VA increase approved is to submit new and relevant medical evidence (e.g., VA medical records, private treatment records, DBQs, Nexus Letters) that shows how your disability symptoms have worsened since the date of your previous rating.
How to Get Increased VA Disability Compensation Benefits
Here’s a list of eight ways to increase your existing VA disability rating:
- Option #1: File a New VA Disability Increase Claim – This option is for veterans who are already receiving disability benefits but believe their condition(s) has worsened since their last rating decision. They can file this claim to request an increase of their current disability rating, potentially increasing their VA disability compensation benefits.
- Option #2: File a New Claim for Direct Service Connection – Veterans use this option to establish a direct link between their disability and their military service. This is for new claims where the veteran needs to prove that an injury or illness directly resulted from their service.
- Option #3: File a New Claim for Secondary Service Connection – This option is for claiming disability benefits for conditions that are not directly caused by service, but are secondary to another service-connected condition. For example, a service-connected knee injury leading to a back problem.
- Option #4: File a New Claim for Presumptive Service Connection – Veterans file this claim for conditions presumed to be connected to military service due to particular circumstances of their service (like exposure to Agent Orange or service in specific regions overseas). This eases the burden of proof for the veteran.
- Option #5: File a New Claim for Service Connection via Aggravation – This claim is for veterans who had a pre-existing condition before entering service that was worsened by their military service. The claim needs to differentiate the degree of aggravation beyond the natural progression of the pre-existing condition.
- Option #6: File a New Appeal for a Previously Denied VA Disability Claim – If a veteran’s initial claim for disability benefits is denied, they can use this option to file an appeal against the decision, seeking to overturn the denial and obtain the benefits they believe they are entitled to.
- Option #7: File a New Claim for Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU) – This is used by veterans who are unable to maintain substantial gainful employment due to their service-connected disabilities. TDIU allows veterans to be compensated at the 100% disability rate, even if their combined disability rating is less than 100%.
- Option #8: File a New Claim for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) – SMC is an additional tax-free benefit that can be paid to veterans, their spouses, surviving spouses, and parents. It is for veterans who, as a result of military service, incurred the loss or loss of use of specific organs or extremities.
How to Find Quality VA Disability Increase Help
There are three ways to get help with a VA disability increase claim:
- File your own VA claim online at VA.gov (represent yourself via “Pro Se Representation”). This means you’re preparing and filing your own increase claim, and representing yourself before the VA.
- Work with an accredited VSO (select and appoint a VSO representative with Power of Attorney). This means you’re selecting an accredited representative to prepare and file your VA disability increase claim and represent you before the VA.
- Work with an accredited claims agent or attorney (select and appoint a claims agent or attorney with Power of Attorney). This means you’ve previously had a VA claim denied and you’re selecting an accredited representative to prepare and file your increase claim or appeal and represent you before the VA.
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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).
