VA Disability

Veterans with service-connected medical conditions that cause limitations or disabilities may qualify for financial benefits from the VA. However, proving eligibility for VA disability benefits will require assembling comprehensive evidence to prove the existence of a medical condition and the severity of its symptoms and to link that condition to the veteran’s military service. Knowing…

Some veterans suffer injuries or develop medical conditions due to their military service, which subsequently causes another condition or aggravates an old injury or health condition. These “secondary” service-connected conditions can affect veterans’ VA disability benefits, including entitling them to combined disability ratings that can increase their monthly benefits checks. When you have a medical…

Recent laws have made changes to various benefits programs operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs. In particular, the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act, passed at the end of 2024, enacted various proposed changes for VA disability and other agency benefits programs for 2025. Background and Legislative Context The Veterans Benefits Improvement Act, which became law…

Navigating the application process for VA disability benefits can seem confusing and challenging for many veterans. Unfortunately, a growing number of individuals and organizations have begun leveraging veterans’ difficulties with the VA disability benefits process by posing as “claims consultants,” promising to help them secure approval for benefits. However, these fake VA claims consultants often…

When you apply for VA disability benefits, the application review process may include submitting to a compensation and pension examination. The results of your C&P exam can affect the disability rating you receive for your service-connected condition. As a result, you may wonder about what to expect when you attend a C&P exam during your…

When you have a medical condition caused or worsened by your military service, you may qualify for disability benefits from the VA. These benefits include monthly financial payments and, for some veterans, access to healthcare and other services from the VA. The amount of monthly payments and types of benefits a veteran may receive will…

After filing a VA disability claim or an appeal of an unfavorable decision on your disability claim, you may become entitled to an award of back pay of disability benefits. Back pay ensures you receive the full compensation you should have received, but for the delays in processing your disability claim. But how does the…

In 2025, veterans could see various changes to the VA’s disability benefits system that may affect how veterans can obtain benefits and what financial support or services they receive.  Revisions to Disability Rating Criteria In 2022, the VA proposed changes to various disability rating criteria. Because the official disability rating criteria are part of the…

The Department of Veterans Affairs imposed a 2.5 percent increase in VA disability benefits for 2025. Veterans who receive monthly disability payments should understand how this increase affects their benefits.   Understanding COLA and How It Matters The government imposes cost-of-living adjustments to many benefits it pays to citizens. A cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) seeks to adjust…

Veterans who have disabilities caused by injuries or illnesses resulting from their military service may qualify for disability benefit payments from the Department of Veterans Affairs, with those payments based on a veteran’s disability rating. However, veterans who have two or more qualifying conditions will receive a combined rating, which may increase their benefit payments…