To increase your VA disability rating, file a new claim when your condition worsens, file a Supplemental Claim if you have new and relevant evidence, or use appeals options within one year. Bring updated medical records and written opinions, expect a claim exam, and document how symptoms limit work, daily function, and safety.
Quick Facts
- New claim, Supplemental Claim, Higher Level Review, and Board Appeal are distinct paths with different evidence rules.
- Updated treatment notes, specialist opinions, and detailed lay statements often tip outcomes when ratings are borderline.
- Compensation and Pension exams validate severity and functional loss, preparation and clarity are essential.
- Effective dates drive back pay, timely filings and continuous pursuit generally preserve earlier dates.
- TDIU and secondary conditions may increase compensation when disabilities limit substantially gainful employment.
Mini FAQ
Should I file a new claim or a Supplemental Claim
Use a new claim when your condition has objectively worsened and you are outside the one year appeal window. Use a Supplemental Claim when you can provide new and relevant evidence that was not considered before, such as a specialist opinion or newly obtained treatment records.
Do I need new medical evidence for an increase
Yes. Ratings change only when evidence supports higher severity, frequency, duration, or functional loss. Submit recent treatment records, clinician opinions that explain medical rationale, and detailed lay statements describing work limitations, safety concerns, and daily interference. These materials guide the examiner and the rater toward the correct evaluation.
Will I have to attend another VA exam
Often. A claim exam verifies current severity and functional impact. Arrive ready to describe worst days and typical days, explain flare patterns, and demonstrate limitations safely. Be consistent with your records and medication use, since credibility and detail matter when raters decide between adjacent rating levels.
Key Takeaways
- Choose the correct path first, rules for evidence and timing differ by option significantly.
- Submit recent records and persuasive medical opinions that explain worsening in plain language.
- Describe frequency, duration, and functional loss with specific daily examples during examinations.
- Use secondary claims and TDIU when combined effects limit reliable, substantially gainful employment consistently.
- Protect effective dates by filing promptly, track submissions, and keep proof of every upload.
- Compare paths using outcomes, timelines, evidence rules, and your willingness to attend hearings.
How do you increase a VA disability rating?
You must choose the correct lane and submit new, persuasive evidence that supports a higher evaluation. File a new claim if you are outside the one year window or your condition worsened, file a Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence, or pursue Higher Level Review or a Board Appeal to challenge errors. See the VA overviews for filing claims and decision reviews. VA claim filing overview and VA decision reviews.
- New claims work best when symptoms have objectively worsened since the last decision, because current medical records and clinician statements can show increased severity and more frequent flare patterns that justify a higher evaluation under the applicable diagnostic code.
- Supplemental Claims require new and relevant evidence that was not previously considered, which can include private specialist opinions, new diagnostic testing, or official records discovered later that directly relate to the disability, severity, or functional impact described in the prior denial.
- Appeals and Higher Level Review focus on errors of law or fact based on the record, so strategy should target misapplied criteria, overlooked favorable findings, or credibility and weight issues that a more experienced reviewer or a Veterans Law Judge can correct.
- Identify the outcome you want and the fastest lane that supports it, then verify the rules for evidence, timelines, and effective date protection before you file to avoid losing retroactive benefits unintentionally.
- Collect updated records, obtain a clear clinician statement that explains medical reasoning, and write lay statements that translate daily limitations into concrete work and safety impacts that match the rating criteria language.
- Submit through official portals and save receipts for every upload, then monitor your claim status so you can respond quickly to exam scheduling or evidence requests without missing critical deadlines during development.
Which path is right for you, new claim, Supplemental Claim, Higher Level Review, or a Board Appeal?
Pick the path that matches your evidence posture, your timelines, and your willingness to add testimony. New claims and Supplemental Claims add evidence, Higher Level Review reconsiders the record without new evidence, and Board Appeals add judge review with docket choices. For the claim application form, see VA Form 21 526EZ. VA Form 21 526EZ.
| Option | Best when | Evidence rules | Typical tradeoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New claim | Condition worsened and appeal window has closed | Submit current medical and lay evidence | Protects future date, no review of old errors |
| Supplemental Claim | You have new and relevant evidence | Must be new to VA and relevant to outcome | Faster than a Board Appeal, still evidence driven |
| Higher Level Review | No new evidence, you suspect clear adjudicative error | No new evidence allowed, informal conference possible | Quicker decision, limited to record at time of decision |
| Board Appeal | Complex disputes, testimony helpful, judge review needed | Choose direct, evidence, or hearing docket | Strong oversight, longer timelines depending on docket |
- Use a Supplemental Claim when you can attach compelling new documents such as specialist opinions that apply the rating criteria directly, explain symptom frequency and duration, and address prior gaps that caused the original rating or denial to fall short.
- Choose Higher Level Review when you believe the rater misapplied a diagnostic code, ignored favorable evidence, or failed to follow policy, and you want a senior reviewer to correct the record without introducing new documents.
- Select a Board docket based on urgency and record needs, direct for pure record review, evidence docket to add more documents, and hearing docket when live testimony will explain complex medical or occupational limitations clearly.
- Map your current evidence to the rating criteria line by line, then choose the path that lets you present that alignment most effectively within your timeline and risk tolerance.
- If your file lacks a persuasive medical rationale, commission a detailed clinician opinion that explains causation, severity, flare frequency, and functional loss using plain terms a rater can apply without guesswork.
- Document your choice, set calendar reminders for every deadline, and keep all confirmations, since timely filings preserve effective dates that can produce significant retroactive compensation if your rating increases later.
What evidence most effectively supports a higher rating?
Recent treatment records, clear clinician opinions, and credible lay statements that detail functional loss are the backbone of a successful increase. The VA explains the types of evidence that help establish service connection and evaluation levels, including medical records, private opinions, and supporting statements from people who know you. Review the VA evidence overview for guidance. Evidence to support a claim.
- Ask treating clinicians to write opinions that address diagnosis, current severity, and the specific rating criteria, using measurements, test results, and functional descriptions that translate directly into the schedule of ratings rather than vague phrases that leave room for interpretation.
- Keep a symptom diary that captures frequency, duration, and severity, including missed work, near falls, panic episodes, or incapacitating days, since detailed contemporaneous notes make lay statements more persuasive and easier for examiners and raters to interpret correctly.
- Submit third party statements from supervisors, coworkers, family members, or caregivers that describe observable limitations, safety concerns, accommodations, or declined responsibilities, because credible outside observations often confirm patterns found in medical records and strengthen the overall narrative.
- Request updated records from VA and private providers, then highlight entries that document escalation in symptoms, medication changes, or new restrictions that show measurable worsening since the prior decision date.
- Draft lay statements that use specific examples with dates, locations, and consequences, and attach them using the current VA form for supporting statements to ensure they are properly associated with your file.
- Organize a single evidence packet with a short index that points the reviewer to the most probative pages, which speeds reading and reduces the chance that key facts are overlooked during adjudication.
How do VA claim exams affect the outcome, and how should you prepare?
Claim exams document current severity and functional impact, so preparation and clarity can determine whether you land on a higher evaluation line. The VA describes what to expect at examinations, including how clinicians assess symptoms and functional loss. Read the official guidance to understand process and expectations before your appointment. VA claim exam overview.
- Describe worst days and typical days without minimizing or exaggerating, explain how often flares occur and how long they last, and bring medication lists and assistive devices so the examiner can verify what you need to function safely during normal activities.
- Demonstrate movements only to safe limits, report pain, weakness, fatigue, and incoordination accurately, and explain how these factors reduce endurance and reliability at work or during daily tasks compared with your baseline functioning before worsening occurred.
- Answer clearly if symptoms vary with weather, stress, or exertion, and ask the examiner to record estimates for functional loss during flares, because these details often determine whether the assigned rating should be higher than a snapshot measurement suggests.
- Confirm the exam location, time, and required identification, then bring a concise symptom summary and any recent test results that have not yet posted into your electronic record.
- After the exam, write down what was discussed while it is fresh, and upload any missing documents promptly if the examiner requested additional information for an accurate addendum.
- Track your claim status and exam completion, then follow up with your representative or the VA if status stalls, so your file moves through decision making without unnecessary delays.
Can you add secondary conditions or request TDIU while seeking an increase?
Yes, secondary conditions and TDIU can raise overall compensation when disabilities cause additional diagnoses or prevent substantially gainful employment. The VA explains secondary service connection for conditions caused or aggravated by service connected disabilities and outlines TDIU eligibility for Veterans who cannot sustain gainful work due to service connected impairments. Review official guidance for each path. TDIU overview and Secondary conditions guidance.
- Common secondary links include orthopedic injuries leading to gait changes and subsequent back or hip problems, chronic pain driving depression or anxiety, or diabetes causing neuropathy, each requiring medical opinions that explain causation or aggravation with clear clinical reasoning.
- TDIU requires evidence that service connected disabilities prevent reliable, substantially gainful employment given your education and work history, often supported by vocational assessments that explain why necessary tasks cannot be performed with consistency and safety.
- Secondary claims and TDIU can be pursued with an increase request, but you must submit tailored evidence for each theory so adjudicators can grant independently if one path succeeds before the others.
- List all symptoms that arose after the original disability, discuss them with your clinician, and request a written opinion that addresses causation or aggravation in straightforward terms tied to your medical facts.
- For TDIU, obtain work records showing accommodations, reduced hours, warnings, or separations, then add a vocational opinion that connects functional limits to job demands you can no longer meet reliably.
- File the additional claims together if timing allows, then reference each supporting document in a short index so the rater can match evidence to the correct issue quickly.
How are combined ratings calculated, and why can increases fail to change pay?
VA uses a combined ratings table, not simple addition, which rounds down partial totals before adding the next disability. Small increases may not change the combined percentage until a threshold is passed. The VA explains its method for combining evaluations and rounding rules used to determine final compensation levels. Review the official explanation. About disability ratings.
- Two ratings of thirty and twenty percent do not equal fifty, the higher rating is applied first, then the remaining efficiency is reduced by the second rating, and the result is rounded according to VA rounding rules for monthly compensation.
- Functional impact matters more than labels, so a focused increase that lifts one condition to a higher evaluation can shift the combined percentage over a threshold even when other conditions remain stable for an extended period.
- Use the combined ratings method to set expectations before filing, then decide whether a secondary path or TDIU offers a better route to the compensation level that reflects your true occupational limitations.
- Calculate your current combined rating using the official method, then model potential outcomes from each path so you know which requests are most likely to change monthly pay.
- Target evidence at criteria that actually move you to the next evaluation line, rather than adding volume that does not change the final calculation meaningfully.
- Document changes in work reliability and safety, since these details support either a higher schedular rating or TDIU when combined effects prevent sustained, gainful work in your field or a comparable one.
What deadlines and effective date rules should you plan around?
You generally have one year from a decision to select a review option, and timely filings help preserve earlier effective dates. Choosing a path that maintains continuous pursuit can protect retroactive benefits. The VA outlines modern decision review timelines and options that affect effective dates when outcomes change. See the official overview. Decision reviews and timelines.
- Filing a Supplemental Claim within the allowable window after a denial can preserve earlier dates if new and relevant evidence leads to a grant, while waiting too long can reset the clock and reduce potential back pay significantly.
- Board docket selection influences timing and evidence windows, direct docket is faster but fixed to the record, while evidence and hearing dockets allow submissions that can improve outcomes at the cost of longer timelines and more preparation.
- Keep proof of mailing or digital receipts for every submission and note when agency requests arrive, because response deadlines are strict and missing them can close a lane or force you to start over with a later effective date.
- Mark the decision date, select your lane within the one year window, and file before deadlines so continuous pursuit preserves entitlement to earlier benefits if the decision changes later.
- If you discover powerful new evidence later, measure whether a Supplemental Claim now or a Board docket later serves both outcome probability and effective date preservation better for your situation.
- Consult accredited representatives if timing is complex, then memorialize your plan in writing with specific filing dates to avoid missed opportunities for retroactive payment.
What should you do after filing, and how do you manage delays?
Track status, respond quickly, and escalate when progress stalls so your file keeps moving. The VA provides online tools to check claim status and see outstanding requests. Use them to monitor development, confirm exam completions, and verify that uploaded evidence posted to your file as intended. Review the claim status resource. Check claim or appeal status.
- Set calendar reminders for expected milestones and follow up when a deadline passes without movement, since prompt calls and messages often surface fixable issues like missing uploads, scheduling conflicts, or requests that were never delivered to the right queue.
- Document every contact with date, time, and summary of the discussion, and store confirmations and attachments in one folder so you can resend quickly if a document fails to attach or a reviewer reports that a file cannot be opened.
- Use representatives, congressional liaisons, or patient advocates when necessary to escalate complex cases, especially when medical addendums or specialty opinions are required to resolve questions that block a fair decision on your requested increase.
- Check your online status weekly, verify that evidence is visible under your submission, and call promptly if a scheduled exam is missed or a request expires before you could respond.
- Keep your contact details current so appointment notices and letters reach you, and add backup contacts where the system allows to reduce the chance of accidental no shows.
- When you receive a decision, read reasons and bases carefully, then decide immediately whether to accept, supplement, request higher review, or appeal so timelines remain within your control.
The Bottom Line
Raising a VA disability rating is about choosing the right lane and proving real world impact. Decide whether you need to add evidence or correct errors, then align your path with those goals. Build strong medical opinions tied to rating criteria, provide consistent lay statements, and prepare for examinations. Protect effective dates by filing on time and tracking every step. Consider secondary conditions and TDIU when combined effects limit work. With the right plan and proof, Veterans can secure accurate, sustainable ratings.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a rating increase decision usually take
Timelines vary by lane, evidence volume, and exam scheduling. New claims and Supplemental Claims can resolve faster than Board hearings. Delays happen when exams are missed or evidence is incomplete. Track your status weekly, respond quickly, and escalate when milestones slip without explanation.
What makes a clinician opinion persuasive to a rater
It explains diagnosis, objective findings, and functional loss in plain language tied to rating criteria. It references tests, treatment response, and flare patterns, and connects those details to reliable work limitations. Opinions that address prior gaps or misunderstandings are especially persuasive during reconsideration.
Can I submit private medical records and still use VA care
Yes. Private records are allowed and often helpful when they add specialty perspectives or recent data. Continue VA care for continuity of treatment and medication management. Submit legible copies with provider names and dates, and index key pages so reviewers find critical evidence quickly.
Will a missed exam automatically result in denial
Missing an exam can lead to denial if the agency cannot evaluate current severity. If you miss an appointment, contact the contractor or VA immediately and request rescheduling. Provide a clear reason for the absence, then attend promptly and confirm completion posted to your file.
Should I choose Higher Level Review or a Board Appeal
Choose Higher Level Review for faster correction of clear errors using the existing record. Choose a Board docket when you need a judge to weigh credibility, testimony, or complex medical disputes. Select direct docket for speed, evidence docket for records, or hearing docket for testimony.
Will adding many pages help my case
Volume does not equal value. Target evidence that addresses rating criteria, frequency and duration of symptoms, and functional loss. Highlight key pages and provide a short index. Unfocused submissions can slow review and bury persuasive facts that matter for evaluation lines and effective dates.
Can I work while applying for TDIU
Yes, but earnings must not be substantially gainful. Marginal or sheltered employment may be acceptable when accommodations mask functional loss. Provide records that show reduced productivity, safety issues, or accommodations. Vocational opinions help connect work demands to reliable performance you cannot sustain consistently.
Do lay statements really influence outcomes
Well written lay statements often help, especially when they provide specific examples that show frequency, duration, and impact on work and safety. Consistency with medical records matters. Statements from supervisors or coworkers can corroborate on the job limitations credibly and persuasively.
What if my combined rating does not increase after a higher evaluation
The combined ratings method rounds at each step, so small changes may not shift the final percentage. Model outcomes before filing. Consider secondary conditions or TDIU if combined effects better reflect the true limitation on reliable, substantially gainful employment over time.
How do I protect my effective date
File within one year of a decision to keep continuous pursuit. Keep receipts and screenshots for every submission and response. When new evidence appears, evaluate whether a Supplemental Claim now or a Board docket later best preserves earlier dates while maximizing approval odds.
