VA Disability Claims Guides

Filing a VA disability claim is a process with several distinct stages, and the right path depends on where you are: filing for the first time, fixing a denial, asking for an increase, or appealing a rating you believe is too low. The guides below break each stage into plain language, with the actual VA forms, regulations, and decision lanes you will encounter along the way.

If you are filing for the first time, start with How to File a VA Disability Claim. It walks through gathering your DD-214 and service treatment records, drafting personal and buddy statements, choosing between online (VA.gov), in-person, mail, or VSO-assisted filing, and submitting a Fully Developed Claim to shorten the wait. After your initial rating decision, the next step depends on what you got back: a denial points to a Supplemental Claim if you have new evidence, or a Higher-Level Review if you believe the rater applied the wrong standard. Persistent denials lead to a Board of Veterans' Appeals docket.

Two specialty topics deserve their own guides. The PACT Act dramatically expanded presumptive conditions for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxins — if you served in a covered location, you may now be eligible for conditions that were previously denied. And secondary service connection is the single most-overlooked path to a higher combined rating: conditions like sleep apnea, GERD, migraines, and radiculopathy can often be linked to an already-rated primary disability under 38 CFR § 3.310, with no separate stressor or in-service event required.

Before you submit anything, two preparation tools are worth your time: the C&P exam guide (because the examiner's report often determines your rating more than your medical records do), and the combined rating calculator so you understand exactly how additional conditions will move your overall rating under VA math. If you are deciding who should help you file, VSO vs Attorney vs Claims Consultant compares the three options on cost, accreditation, and when each one makes sense.