7 Signs You May Qualify for a VA Disability Increase

For many veterans, the VA disability rating they receive after filing their initial claim feels final. The decision letter arrives, a percentage is assigned, and life moves forward. But a VA disability rating is not a permanent verdict; it is a snapshot of your condition at a specific point in time.

Conditions change. New information surfaces. Secondary health problems develop. And sometimes, the original rating simply didn’t capture the full picture. The VA’s own regulations recognize this, which is why veterans have the right to seek a rating increase whenever they believe their current rating no longer reflects the true severity of their service-connected conditions.

So how do you know if your rating might be too low? Below are seven of the most common signs that veterans, and the advocates who represent them, look for when evaluating whether a claim for increase is worth pursuing.

Sign 1 of 7 – Your Service-Connected Condition Has Gotten Worse

This is the most straightforward indicator. VA disability ratings are assigned based on the severity of your condition at the time of evaluation. If a service-connected condition has progressed, meaning your symptoms are more frequent, more severe, or more limiting than they were when you were last rated, you may be eligible to file a claim for increase.

Common examples include a back condition that once caused occasional pain but now requires daily medication and limits mobility, PTSD symptoms that have intensified over time, or a hearing loss that has measurably declined since the original audiological exam.

What veterans typically do: Updated medical records and a current examination from a private physician are generally the foundation of a successful claim for increase. The VA rates based on what your records show — not how you feel on the day of an exam.

Sign 2 of 7: You’ve Developed a New Condition Related to Your Primary Disability

This is one of the most overlooked pathways to a higher combined rating. Many veterans develop what are called secondary service-connected conditions, new health problems caused or worsened by an already service-connected disability.

For example, a veteran with a service-connected back injury may develop hip or knee problems due to altered gait. A veteran with PTSD may develop sleep apnea, depression, or chronic pain. Diabetes can cause peripheral neuropathy. These secondary conditions can each be service-connected on their own and added to your combined rating — potentially pushing you into a higher payment tier.

What veterans typically do: Establishing a secondary service connection usually requires a nexus letter from a qualified medical professional explaining how the primary condition caused or contributed to the secondary one.

Sign 3 of 7 – You’re Receiving More Frequent or Intensive Medical Treatment

An uptick in treatment is often one of the clearest signals that a condition has worsened. If you’ve recently added new medications, begun additional therapy sessions, received a new diagnosis related to a service-connected condition, undergone surgery, or required hospitalization, these are all indicators that your current level of disability may exceed what your existing rating reflects.

The VA’s rating criteria for many conditions are directly tied to treatment requirements. For some conditions, being prescribed a certain type or level of treatment can itself correspond to a specific rating percentage.

What veterans typically do: Gather all updated treatment records — both from VA facilities and private providers — and ensure they fully document the frequency, type, and reason for treatment changes before filing.

“A VA disability rating reflects your condition at a fixed moment in time. When that condition changes, or when the original record was incomplete, veterans have the right to ask for a reassessment.”

Sign 4 of 7 – Your Condition Is Affecting Your Ability to Work

The VA’s rating system is built around functional impairment, the degree to which a disability affects a veteran’s ability to perform everyday activities, maintain employment, and function in social and occupational settings. If your service-connected conditions have begun limiting your ability to work, this may indicate that a higher rating, or an entirely different benefit, is warranted.

For veterans whose service-connected disabilities prevent them from maintaining substantially gainful employment, a benefit called Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU) may allow them to receive compensation at the 100% rate, even if their combined schedular rating is lower.

What veterans typically do: TDIU claims typically require documentation of both the severity of the disability and the employment impact — including work history, terminations, and statements from treating physicians about functional limitations.

Sign 5 of 7 – You Have Service-Connected Conditions That Were Never Rated

Some veterans are service-connected for one condition but have never filed — or never realized they could file — for other conditions also rooted in their service. Others received a 0% rating for a condition (which establishes service connection but pays no compensation) and have since seen that condition worsen to a compensable level.

Mental health conditions are a notable example. A veteran may have received a rating for a physical injury but never pursued a claim for PTSD, depression, or anxiety, conditions that developed from the same service experience and that can carry significant rating percentages on their own.

What veterans typically do: Review your full list of service-connected conditions and compare it against your complete medical and service history. Conditions you didn’t file for, or conditions rated at 0% that have since worsened, may be worth revisiting.

Sign 6 of 7 – Your Original C&P Exam Was Incomplete or Inaccurate

The Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam is one of the most consequential steps in the VA claims process — and one of the most commonly problematic. A C&P examiner who spends only a few minutes with a veteran, fails to document key symptoms, or produces a report that doesn’t match the veteran’s actual functional limitations can result in an artificially low rating.

If your original exam report omitted symptoms you described, contained factual errors, or failed to address how your condition affects your daily functioning, this may be grounds to challenge the original rating decision through a Supplemental Claim or Higher-Level Review.

What veterans typically do: Request a copy of the C&P exam report (you are entitled to it) and review it carefully against your actual symptoms. A private medical opinion that contradicts or supplements an inadequate exam can be powerful new evidence on a Supplemental Claim.

Sign 7 – You Were Denied or Underrated and Never Appealed

Many veterans receive an unfavorable rating decision, assume the process is over, and move on. In reality, a denial or an inadequate rating is often the beginning of the process, not the end. The VA’s Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) framework gives veterans three distinct pathways to seek reconsideration:

• Supplemental Claim: when you have new and relevant evidence (updated medical records, a nexus letter, new diagnoses, buddy statements)
• Higher-Level Review: when you believe a VA rater made a clear error on your existing record, without adding new evidence
• Board of Veterans’ Appeals: a formal appeal before a Veterans Law Judge, with or without a hearing

There is no set limit on how many times you can seek reconsideration, provided you have a legitimate basis and, in the case of Supplemental Claims, new evidence to support your position.

What veterans typically do: Before deciding which lane to pursue, carefully review the denial letter for the specific reasons given. The reason for denial determines the most effective response, and choosing the wrong appeal type can cost time and money.

What Comes Next: A General Overview of the Process

Recognizing one or more of these signs is an important first step, but it’s only the beginning. The VA claims process involves specific forms, evidence standards, deadlines, and procedural decisions that can significantly affect the outcome of your claim.

While many veterans successfully file increase claims on their own, others benefit from working with a VA-accredited claims agent, Veterans Service Organization (VSO), or veterans disability attorney — particularly for more complex situations such as secondary conditions, TDIU claims, or Board appeals.

General Steps Veterans Typically Take When Pursuing an Increase

• Review the current rating decision and identify which conditions may be underrated or missing
• Gather updated private medical records documenting current severity and functional impact
• Consider requesting a Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) from a treating physician
• Evaluate whether a nexus letter is needed to establish or strengthen a service connection
• Collect buddy statements from people who can describe day-to-day functional limitations
• Determine the appropriate filing pathway: claim for increase, Supplemental Claim, Higher-Level Review, or Board appeal

• Consider consulting a VA-accredited representative or attorney for complex or previously denied claims

Important to Know

The VA can, in rare circumstances, reduce a rating during the review process if your condition appears to have improved. Understanding the protections against rating reductions (such as the “stabilized rating” rule at 38 CFR § 3.344) is an important part of any increase strategy. This is another reason many veterans choose to consult an accredited representative before filing.

Think Your Rating May Be Too Low?

Our team offers free, no-obligation case reviews for veterans who believe their rating doesn’t reflect the full impact of their service. At Stevens & Sullivan we fight for every benefit you’ve earned.

To learn more about va disability ratings, contact our office today at 404-467-9017 to schedule a consultation or complete a free case evaluation form and learn how we can help with your VA disability claim.