VA Claims Guides
Plain-language answers to the questions veterans actually ask - no jargon, no fluff, sources cited. Written by John from Lima Charlie, a veteran who went through the process himself.
Conditions secondary to diabetes: the full pathway map
See the documented conditions secondary to type 2 diabetes, the nerve and vessel pathways behind each, and what a nexus opinion needs to say to connect them.
Updated September 12, 2026Bruxism secondary to PTSD: how the VA rates teeth grinding
Check how nighttime teeth grinding connects to PTSD, the DC 9905 rating scale the VA uses for TMJ, and the evidence a bruxism secondary claim needs to hold up.
Updated September 11, 2026Hip arthritis secondary to back pain: what the VA needs
Check how a back injury wears down the hip through altered gait, the DC 5250-5255 rating codes, and the evidence a secondary claim needs to hold up.
Updated September 10, 2026VA reexaminations: what triggers one, and what doesn't
Learn what triggers a VA disability reexamination under 38 CFR 3.327, who is exempt, and what happens if you miss the appointment or your rating changes.
Updated September 9, 2026PTSD stressor statement: what belongs on VA Form 21-0781
Learn what belongs in a PTSD stressor statement on VA Form 21-0781: the four required details, corroboration rules by stressor type, and the 2024 form update.
Updated September 8, 2026The C&P exam for a VA rating increase: what to expect
Learn what's different about a C&P exam for a rating increase, the reduction due-process rules, and how to show your condition has genuinely worsened.
Updated September 7, 2026What is a 0 percent VA disability rating actually worth
See what a 0 percent VA disability rating actually locks in: service connection, healthcare for that condition, and the anchor for a later claim.
Updated September 6, 2026Conditions secondary to sleep apnea: the full pathway map
See the documented conditions secondary to sleep apnea, the oxygen-drop and CPAP pathways behind each, and what a nexus opinion needs to say to connect them.
Updated September 5, 2026Conditions secondary to PTSD: the full pathway map
See the documented conditions secondary to PTSD, the stress and medication pathways behind each, and what a nexus opinion needs to connect them to your file.
Updated September 4, 2026How to read a VA decision letter, section by section
Read your VA decision letter section by section: what granted, denied, continued and deferred mean, and where the effective date and reason for denial sit.
Updated September 3, 2026How long does step 5 of a VA claim take? All 8, timed
How long each step of a VA claim takes, why step 3 eats most of the wait, and what the step numbers on VA.gov actually mean now that they were renamed.
Updated September 2, 2026VA disability pay dates 2026: all 12, and the 5 early ones
Every 2026 VA disability pay date, which five arrive early because of a weekend or holiday, and why the deposit is for last month rather than this one.
Updated September 2, 2026VA rating for anxiety and depression: what each % needs
What a VA rating for anxiety or depression pays at each level, the exact criteria the VA applies, and why filing both labels never produces two ratings.
Updated September 2, 2026VA claim deferred: what it means and what happens next
Find out what a deferred VA claim means, why the VA defers an issue, how long the wait runs, and why a deferral is neither a denial nor appealable.
Updated September 1, 2026VA supplemental claim success rate: the honest answer
Check what the VA actually publishes about supplemental claim, higher-level review and Board appeal odds, and where the widely quoted 50% figure came from.
Updated September 1, 2026The C&P exam for PTSD: what the examiner is measuring
Understand the C&P exam for PTSD: the two halves examiners cover, what the rating criteria actually measure, and the habit that quietly costs veterans.
Updated August 30, 2026How long after a C&P exam for a decision? The honest answer
Check what really happens after a VA C&P exam: why the 30-90 day figure is not official, which claim stages actually move, and where to watch your own claim.
Updated August 29, 2026Is a C&P exam a good sign? What it actually means
Find out what a C&P exam really signals about your VA claim, what a second or third exam means, why no exam at all is usually fine, and what to do after.
Updated August 29, 2026VA ACE exam: when the VA decides without seeing you
Understand the VA ACE exam: why some claims get no C&P appointment, what Acceptable Clinical Evidence means, when it helps you, and when to ask for a real exam.
Updated August 29, 2026Nexus letter template: what your doctor actually needs
Follow a nexus letter template your provider can write from: the seven parts a strong letter needs, the wording the VA accepts, and four that sink it.
Updated August 28, 2026PACT Act presumptive conditions: the full burn pit list
Check the PACT Act presumptive conditions list for burn pit exposure - every covered respiratory illness and cancer, qualifying locations, and how to file.
Updated August 24, 2026Camp Lejeune VA disability claims: 8 qualifying conditions
Check the 8 presumptive conditions for Camp Lejeune VA disability claims, how they differ from VA health care and the closed lawsuit, and how to file.
Updated August 21, 2026Hypertension secondary to PTSD: what the research says
See what the research says on hypertension secondary to PTSD, the stress and medication pathways a nexus letter names, and the DC 7101 rating criteria.
Updated August 20, 2026Secondary conditions to a back injury: the kinetic chain
Follow the kinetic chain from a back injury to hip, knee, ankle, nerve, and mental health secondary conditions, and what evidence documents each one.
Updated August 19, 2026100% disabled veteran spouse benefits: what applies
What a 100% disabled veteran's spouse and children actually get - CHAMPVA, Chapter 35, commissary access - and why each one keys off a different rating fact.
Updated August 16, 2026Chapter 35 VA benefits: who qualifies and what it pays
Chapter 35 VA benefits pay a veteran's spouse and children for school. Who qualifies, what it pays each month, and the 2023 change that removed the deadlines.
Updated August 16, 2026Disability student loan forgiveness: how TPD works
Disability student loan forgiveness for veterans is automatic at 100% or TDIU, and it is not federally taxable - despite the 2026 headlines saying otherwise.
Updated August 16, 2026Permanent and total VA disability: what P&T carries
Permanent and total VA disability is not the same as a 100% rating. What P&T carries for your family - Chapter 35, CHAMPVA, DIC - and how the VA grants it.
Updated August 16, 2026What service connection requires: the three elements
Service connection needs three specific things: a current diagnosis, an in-service event, and a nexus linking them. Here's what each one actually proves.
Updated August 16, 2026Sleep apnea secondary to back pain: the weight link
Sleep apnea secondary to back pain usually runs through weight gain - a chain the VA formally recognizes. What the nexus has to say to make it hold.
Updated August 16, 2026VA death benefits: DIC rates and who qualifies in 2026
VA death benefits include DIC, a tax-free monthly payment to a surviving spouse. Who qualifies, what it pays, and the ten-year rule few people hear about.
Updated August 16, 2026VA special monthly compensation: what SMC actually is
VA special monthly compensation pays for specific losses rather than percentages. The levels K through T, which ones add to your check and which replace it.
Updated August 16, 2026VA supplemental claim: what counts as new evidence
A VA supplemental claim reopens a decision with new and relevant evidence. What clears that bar, what does not, and why the standard is lower than people think.
Updated August 16, 2026VA temporary disability: the 100% nobody tells you about
A VA temporary disability rating pays at 100% during convalescence or a long hospital stay. Who qualifies under 38 CFR 4.29 and 4.30, and how long it lasts.
Updated August 16, 2026Chronic pain VA rating: there is no code for pain
Learn why a chronic pain VA rating has no diagnostic code, what Saunders v. Wilkie changed, and why claims are won by documenting function, not pain.
Updated August 15, 2026Fully developed claim vs standard: which track to pick
The only real difference between a Fully Developed Claim and a standard VA claim is who gathers your evidence - and it can mean months either way.
Updated August 15, 2026How to file a secondary VA claim, step by step
Learn how to file a secondary VA claim in order: lock your effective date, get the diagnosis, get a nexus that names the mechanism, then declare it right.
Updated August 15, 2026Tension headache VA rating: judged by the migraine code
Learn why a tension headache VA rating runs under DC 8100, the migraine code, and what that means for proving prostrating attacks and their frequency.
Updated August 15, 2026We mapped 177 secondary VA conditions: one hit 30
See which secondary VA conditions connect to the most others: depression appeared as a secondary of 30 different primaries, nearly three times sleep apnea.
Updated August 14, 2026What is a DBQ? The VA form that sets your rating
What is a DBQ? Learn what the form measures, who completes one for free, and when paying for a private DBQ is worth it - it decides your percentage.
Updated August 14, 2026What is a C-file? How to request it (Form 20-10206)
What is a C-file? Learn what it contains - every record, exam and past decision used on your claims - and how to request a copy with Form 20-10206.
Updated August 13, 2026SMC-K: the extra monthly payment most veterans miss
Learn who qualifies for SMC-K, the payment added on top of your VA rating for loss of use of a creative organ, and why it applies even at a 0% rating.
Updated August 12, 2026VA mental health rating: why all diagnoses become one
Learn why a VA mental health rating covers PTSD, depression and anxiety as one, how the anti-pyramiding rule works, and what the 2026 changes mean.
Updated August 11, 2026Current diagnosis for a VA claim: does an old one count?
Learn what a current diagnosis for a VA claim means, why no 12-month rule exists despite the forums, and how to close a gap in your treatment record.
Updated August 10, 2026Knee instability VA rating: two ratings, one knee
Learn how a knee instability VA rating differs from limited motion under DC 5257, 5260 and 5261 - and how both can combine on one knee at the same time.
Updated August 10, 2026Radiculopathy VA rating: the separate one in your back claim
Learn why a radiculopathy VA rating is separate from your back rating - nerve pain into the arms or legs is rated on its own, and most never file it.
Updated August 9, 2026Migraines VA rating: what 'prostrating' actually means
Learn what the migraines VA rating levels require under DC 8100, what prostrating means to a rater, and how attack frequency actually gets documented.
Updated August 8, 2026Easiest VA disability claims? The honest version
Searching for the easiest VA disability claims? Learn which are granted most often, what they share, and the question that predicts your own outcome.
Updated August 7, 2026GERD secondary to medications: the SSRI connection
Learn why GERD secondary to medications is a recognized VA claim when the drug treats a service-connected condition, and what the evidence must show.
Updated August 14, 2026Protected VA ratings: the 5, 10 and 20-year rules
Learn how protected VA ratings work: what the 5-year, 10-year and 20-year rules each shield from reduction, and what none of them actually protect.
Updated August 6, 2026VA claim denied? Your three review lanes, explained
VA claim denied? Compare the three review lanes - Supplemental Claim, Higher-Level Review and Board Appeal - and learn how to pick the one that fits.
Updated August 6, 2026VA claim process timeline: all 8 stages and how long
Track the VA claim process timeline through all 8 stages, learn what each VA.gov status means, which stage takes longest, and how to speed things up.
Updated August 6, 2026VA rating increase: how to file and is it worth it
Learn how a VA rating increase claim works, the evidence that moves it, the real risk of reduction, and the VA-math check worth running before you file.
Updated August 6, 2026What not to say at a C&P exam, and what to say
Learn what not to say at a C&P exam - 'I'm fine', good-day answers - and the specific alternatives that give the examiner something worth documenting.
Updated August 6, 2026VA personal statement: what to write, what to leave out
Learn what belongs in a VA personal statement on Form 21-4138 - onset, progression and your worst days - how long it should run, and where it goes.
Updated August 6, 2026Buddy statement for a VA claim: who should write yours
Learn what a buddy statement can and cannot do for a VA claim, who is best placed to write one, the structure that works, and the mistakes to avoid.
Updated August 6, 2026The VA bilateral factor: the 10% most never hear about
Learn how the VA bilateral factor adds a hidden bonus when a rated condition affects both arms or both legs, and where it lands in the combined math.
Updated August 6, 2026What is TDIU? Getting paid at 100% without the rating
What is TDIU? Learn who qualifies, the two eligibility thresholds, the forms it takes, and how back pay works when your rating stays below 100 percent.
Updated August 6, 2026C&P exam: what to expect and what examiners look for
Learn what to expect at a VA C&P exam: who runs it, how long it takes, physical versus mental exams, the traps that under-rate veterans, and the 48-hour play.
Updated August 6, 2026Tinnitus VA rating: small percentage, big strategic value
Learn why the tinnitus VA rating is the most claimed of all, what DC 6260 pays, and how it opens documented links to migraines, insomnia and vertigo.
Updated August 14, 2026Sleep apnea secondary to PTSD: rating and evidence
Learn the documented pathways for sleep apnea secondary to PTSD, the DC 6847 criteria, what the nexus letter must say, and what sinks these claims.
Updated August 14, 2026VA benefits by rating level: every threshold, 0% to P&T
Learn the VA benefits by rating level that go beyond the monthly payment - healthcare, home loans, TDIU, CHAMPVA - and why P&T is a door of its own.
Updated August 6, 2026100% rating vs TDIU: same pay, opposite work rules
Compare a 100% rating vs TDIU: identical monthly pay, completely different rules about holding a job, and how switching between the two actually works.
Updated August 6, 2026The most overlooked secondary claims veterans never file
Learn which overlooked secondary claims go unfiled - not because the evidence is missing, but because nobody ever pointed out the connection to you.
Updated August 14, 2026PTSD VA rating: the criteria at 30, 50, 70 and 100%
Learn what separates each PTSD VA rating level in the schedule's own language, plus the automatic 50% rule and the evidence that actually moves ratings.
Updated August 6, 2026How VA back pay works: effective dates and the ITF
Learn how VA back pay is calculated, how your effective date is set, why an Intent to File protects it, and what changes if you have to appeal.
Updated August 6, 2026Intent to file: the 5-minute form that protects back pay
Learn how an intent to file locks your effective date for up to a year while you build the claim, and exactly how VA Form 21-0966 works in practice.
Updated August 6, 2026What is a presumptive condition? PACT Act, Agent Orange
Learn how a presumptive condition works under the PACT Act, Agent Orange and Gulf War lists, what it removes from your claim, and what you must prove.
Updated August 6, 20262026 VA disability pay rates: the full monthly table
See the official 2026 VA disability pay rates, effective December 2025 with the 2.8% COLA, alone and with a spouse, and how dependents change the math.
Updated August 6, 2026Nexus letter vs DBQ: which one do you actually need?
Compare a nexus letter vs DBQ: one gets you approved, the other sets your percentage - plus which the VA gives free, and the order to buy them in.
Updated August 6, 2026VA math: why 50% + 50% equals 80%, not 100%
Learn how VA math combines ratings instead of adding them, with a worked three-condition example, the rounding line, and where the bilateral factor lands.
Updated August 6, 2026VA secondary conditions: the claims most veterans miss
Learn what makes VA secondary conditions claimable, the most common chains, how the aggravation rule works, and why this is where ratings actually move.
Updated August 14, 2026What is a nexus letter? It makes or breaks your claim
What is a nexus letter? Learn what it must say, the six elements of a strong one, when you need one, and the two routes to getting one written for you.
Updated August 6, 2026