Category: Physical Conditions
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Securing a VA Rating for Hip Pain Secondary to Back Pain
You may qualify for a VA rating for hip pain secondary to back pain if your hip issues stem from a service-connected back condition. The VA recognizes that back injuries, especially those involving the lower spine, can cause long-term complications in the hips, including joint damage, altered gait, or nerve compression. In this guide, we’ll…
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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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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 Disability Ratings
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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How Much Weight Does a C&P Exam Have?
In this blog, we’ll break down the critical role of the C&P exam, how to tell if your exam went well, what could go wrong during the process, and how to access your C&P exam results. If you are a veteran navigating the VA disability claims process, you’ve likely encountered or heard about the Compensation…
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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
High blood pressure (i.e., hypertension) affects 48.1% of Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The chronic (long-term) condition is one of the most common illnesses impacting veterans today, possibly due to the unique stressors experienced during military service. When undiagnosed, uncontrolled, or left untreated, hypertension is known to cause or…
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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…