Category: Nexus Letter
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VA Secondary Conditions to Degenerative Disc Disease
Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) is a painful and often disabling spinal condition that many veterans develop due to the physical demands of military service. If you’re already service-connected for DDD, you may also qualify for additional VA disability compensation. These benefits are available for VA secondary conditions to degenerative disc disease—such as nerve damage,…
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Proposed VA Sleep Apnea Rating Changes
Significant sleep apnea rating changes are on the way. If you’re a veteran with sleep apnea, it’s critical to understand what these VA sleep apnea rating changes mean for your disability benefits. For years, a CPAP prescription virtually guaranteed a 50% sleep apnea rating. That’s no longer going to be the case. The new VA sleep…
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Understanding the VA Mental Health Rating Changes
Upcoming VA mental health rating changes represent a significant overhaul of how the VA evaluates mental health conditions for disability compensation. The goal? To make the system more fair, transparent, and aligned with modern clinical standards. In this post, you’ll learn what’s changing, how the new system may affect your VA rating, and what steps…
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Top 10 Questions About the Upcoming VA Tinnitus Rating Changes
Tinnitus is one of the most claimed VA disabilities, affecting over 3.2 million veterans according a 2024 VA compensation report. But big VA tinnitus rating changes are coming in 2025. The VA is planning to update how tinnitus is rated under the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD), and this shift could significantly impact both…
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Radiculopathy VA Ratings Guide
You may qualify for a radiculopathy VA rating if your condition directly results from your military service. Radiculopathy, a nerve disorder caused by spinal compression or inflammation, can lead to debilitating pain, weakness, and numbness in the arms or legs. In this post, we examine how the VA rates radiculopathy, the steps to establish a…
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When Do You Need a Nexus Letter for a VA Claim?
VA disability claims can be complex and frustrating, particularly when it comes to proving service connection for your condition. A Nexus Letter is often the missing piece that help veterans establish the link between their military service and their current disability. But when do you need a Nexus Letter for a VA claim? In this…
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6 Common VA Secondary Conditions to Migraines
Chronic (long-term) migraines often cause or worsen other severe conditions, such as sleep, mood, and digestive disorders. If you are a veteran, receiving, or applying for migraine disability compensation, you may be interested in knowing that if your service-connected migraine condition leads to a VA-ratable secondary condition, you could be entitled to a higher VA…
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8 Common VA Secondary Conditions to Hypertension
If you have service-connected hypertension, you may be eligible for a higher VA disability rating—especially if your high blood pressure has caused or worsened another VA-ratable health condition. The VA recognizes several secondary conditions to hypertension, including heart disease, kidney disease, and even erectile dysfunction (ED). In this post, we’ll examine how high blood pressure…
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How a GERD DBQ Strengthens Your VA Claim
Researchers estimate that approximately 20% of people in the U.S. have a gastrointestinal disorder called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). If you were diagnosed with GERD, you most likely know how its symptoms can interfere with your day-to-day life because GERD is more than just an occasional experience of indigestion. If you feel your GERD was…
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Service Connecting VA Sleep Apnea Secondary to Weight Gain (as an Intermediate Step)
For many veterans, sleep apnea is not just an isolated condition—it’s linked to other issues like weight gain, medication side effects, or service-connected physical limitations. Fortunately, you may be able to connect these factors through an intermediate step making a case for sleep apnea as secondary to your existing conditions. In this post, we’ll explain…