Increasing Your Combined VA Disability Rating
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With VA disability compensation offering potentially Thousands of dollars a month in tax free money it is not hard to imagine why people want to find ways to get to the top of the mountain and join the 100% club.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

  • NOT EVERYONE rates 100% and that is fine! Sometimes it just is what it is and 94% is where your final stop is.

  • Do NOT commit FRAUD! Seriously, do NOT try it!

  • Filing additional claims/appeals CAN result in your benefits being reduced! So do NOT jump into the fight blind!

    • There ARE various protections that might apply to you that prevent reduction.

      • Click HERE for details.

How to Increase Your Combined Disability Compensation Rating

To be brief, VA math is complicated but know each increased percentage requires more/higher severity conditions than the last. Meaning it takes a lot to go from 85% to 95%.

  • For a detailed explanation on VA math click HERE.

Increase Existing Ratings

The easiest and most direct path is to file for increases for existing service-connected conditions. If your condition(s) have worsened file a claim for increase.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

  • BEFORE YOU FILE, look at the rating schedule first! Don’t be the one who files an increase for something already at the max or your condition(s) simply do not warrant an increase. Or who files thinking their condition got worse when according to the rating schedule you improved or the prior evaluation was wildly wrong in your favor.

    • Click HERE to find your condition in the rating schedule and find out how it is rated.

    • Okay… yes… technically you CAN get an Extra-scheduler evaluation if you are already maxed BUT it is exceptionally hard to get.

  • If you have a Joint condition rated at 0% AND it hurts for you to move it, YOU ARE entitled to an increase to at least 10%.

  • If you have a Shoulder condition rated at 10% AND it hurts to move, as of May 23, 2016 YOU ARE NOW entitled to an increase to at least 20% due to a court case after your decision.

  • Under the old rating schedule for the Digestive system; both GERD and IBS had to be rated together as a singular condition. As of May 19, 2024, the VA is now ALLOWED to grant them separately! Meaning if you had say IBS with GERD granted at 30% combined, you could file for an increase to try and get them separated!

Claiming New Conditions

Did you claim everything that happened during service?

Have you looked over the Master condition or Commonly overlooked condition lists?

Did you know you can claim conditions caused by a service-connected condition (Secondary conditions) as well as Intermediately caused conditions such as taking medication to treat a service-connected condition that medication then causes a secondary condition?

IMPORTANT NOTES:

  • Even if you did not seek treatment for something does NOT mean you cannot get it service-connected.

  • Be aware of Pyramiding! You are prohibited from having the same symptoms rated twice. This site’s rating schedule does note pyramiding issues. Common examples include:

Appealing Previously Denied Conditions

Being denied previously does NOT mean your opportunity to get service-connection is forever gone, even if it has been years from the decision. Especially with VA now being required to consider your Toxic exposures as well as the addition of various new Presumptive conditions over the decades.

  • For information on winning appeals click HERE.

Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU)

Kinda a last ditch effort situation. But if you are unable to maintain gainful employment due to service-connected condition(s) you can file for TDIU and be paid at the 100% disability rate.

  • For more information click HERE.

Miscellaneous Information

You can increase your pay slightly - if you are rated at least 30% combined and have eligible dependents.

  • For more information click HERE.

You can also increase your pay, sometimes significantly if you are eligible for Special Monthly Compensation.

  • For information click HERE.

There are also various factors when it comes to the VA being able to award earlier effective dates for grants and increases.

  • For information click HERE.