★Reference

VA Disability Glossary

Plain-English definitions for the acronyms, forms, and terms you'll encounter when filing VA claims.

A

Accredited Claims Agent Acronyms & Forms: A non-attorney accredited by the VA Office of General Counsel under 38 CFR § 14.629 to prepare, present, and prosecute claims for VA benefits.
Accrued Benefits Appeals & Decisions: Periodic monetary benefits owed to a veteran at death that are paid to surviving dependents under 38 CFR § 3.1000.
ACE — Acceptable Clinical Evidence Evidence & Exams: A C&P process where the examiner reviews the existing record without an in-person exam when records suffice.
Active Duty Eligibility & Status: Full-time service in the armed forces. Generally required for most VA disability benefits.
ADT — Active Duty for Training Eligibility & Status: Reserve or National Guard full-time training. Counts as active service for injuries or illnesses incurred during the training period.
Agent Orange Acronyms & Forms: A tactical herbicide used in Vietnam. Veterans with qualifying service receive presumptive service connection for a list of associated conditions under 38 CFR § 3.309(e).
Aggravation Eligibility & Status: When a pre-existing condition was made permanently worse by military service beyond its natural progression.
Aid and Attendance Special Programs: An additional pension or SMC benefit for veterans who require help with daily living activities or are bedridden.
AMA — Appeals Modernization Act Appeals & Decisions: The 2019 law replacing the legacy appeals process with three review lanes: Higher-Level Review, Supplemental Claim, and Board Appeal.
Analogous Rating Ratings & Compensation: A rating assigned under 38 CFR § 4.20 by analogy to a closely related condition when no specific diagnostic code exists.
Apportionment Ratings & Compensation: A portion of a veteran's compensation paid directly to a separated spouse, child, or dependent parent under 38 CFR § 3.450.
At Least As Likely As Not Evidence & Exams: The 50/50 standard of proof in VA claims. If evidence is in equipoise, the benefit of the doubt goes to the veteran under 38 CFR § 3.102.
Atomic Veterans Acronyms & Forms: Veterans exposed to ionizing radiation through nuclear testing or postwar occupation duties; eligible for presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d).
Automobile Allowance Special Programs: A one-time payment to help eligible veterans with severe service-connected disabilities purchase a vehicle.

B

Bar to Benefits Eligibility & Status: Statutory or regulatory grounds (e.g., dishonorable discharge, willful misconduct) preventing receipt of VA benefits.
BDD — Benefits Delivery at Discharge Claims & Filing: Program letting service members file 90 to 180 days before separation so a decision can issue around the discharge date.
Beneficiary Travel Healthcare & Survivors: VA program reimbursing eligible veterans for travel to and from VA medical appointments.
Benefit of the Doubt Evidence & Exams: When evidence for and against a claim is approximately balanced, the VA must resolve the doubt in the veteran's favor.
Bilateral Factor Ratings & Compensation: A 10% adjustment added to combined ratings when conditions affect paired extremities (both arms, both legs). Calculated before adding non-bilateral conditions.
Blue Water Navy Acronyms & Forms: Vietnam-era sailors who served in offshore waters, granted Agent Orange presumptive eligibility under the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019.
Board Appeal Appeals & Decisions: An appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals, with three options: direct review, evidence submission, or hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.
Brown Water Navy Eligibility & Status: Vietnam-era sailors who served on inland rivers and waterways, qualifying for Agent Orange presumptive service connection.
Buddy Statement Evidence & Exams: A lay statement from someone who served with the veteran, corroborating in-service events, exposures, or symptoms.
Burial Allowance Healthcare & Survivors: VA payment toward burial and funeral expenses for eligible deceased veterans, varying by service-connected status.
Burn Pits Acronyms & Forms: Open-air waste disposal sites used in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations. PACT Act presumes service connection for many respiratory conditions and cancers from burn pit exposure.
BVA — Board of Veterans' Appeals Appeals & Decisions: The administrative body within the VA that decides appeals from rating decisions.

C

C-File Acronyms & Forms: Claims file containing all evidence and decisions related to a veteran's VA benefit claims, now stored electronically in VBMS.
C&P Exam — Compensation and Pension Exam Evidence & Exams: A medical examination ordered by the VA to evaluate the current severity of a claimed condition. Often the most important piece of evidence in a claim.
C&P Exam Worksheet Evidence & Exams: Internal VA template guiding examiners through the criteria needed for a particular condition rating.
Camp Lejeune Acronyms & Forms: Marine Corps base whose contaminated water (1953-1987) is grounds for VA presumptive service connection and DoJ tort claims.
Caregiver Support Program Healthcare & Survivors: VA program providing training, respite, and stipends to family caregivers of eligible seriously injured veterans.
Catastrophically Disabled Healthcare & Survivors: VA designation for severe disability that places a veteran in Priority Group 4, regardless of service-connected status.
CAVC — Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Appeals & Decisions: The federal court that reviews final BVA decisions. Requires an attorney admitted to practice before the court.
CHAMPVA Healthcare & Survivors: Civilian Health and Medical Program of the VA. Provides healthcare coverage to spouses and children of veterans rated permanently and totally disabled.
Chapter 35 Special Programs: Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance program for spouses and children of veterans rated permanently and totally disabled or who died from a service-connected condition.
Character of Discharge Eligibility & Status: How a service member's military service ended (Honorable, General, Other Than Honorable, etc.). Affects eligibility for most VA benefits.
Character of Discharge Determination Eligibility & Status: VA process under 38 CFR § 3.12 evaluating whether service was 'under conditions other than dishonorable' for benefit purposes.
Choice Card Healthcare & Survivors: Predecessor identification used for the now-replaced Veterans Choice community care program.
Chronicity Evidence & Exams: A condition shown to be chronic during service, allowing later manifestations to relate back to that in-service onset.
Claim Claims & Filing: A formal request to the Department of Veterans Affairs for benefits based on a service-connected disability or other entitlement.
Closed Claim Claims & Filing: A claim that has reached a final rating decision and is no longer pending adjudication at the regional office.
Clothing Allowance Special Programs: Annual payment for veterans whose service-connected condition or required prosthetic/orthopedic appliance damages clothing.
COE — Certificate of Eligibility Acronyms & Forms: VA document confirming a veteran's eligibility for a VA-guaranteed home loan.
COLA — Cost-of-Living Adjustment Ratings & Compensation: Annual increase in VA compensation rates tied to the Social Security COLA, effective each December.
Combat Veteran Presumption Evidence & Exams: Relaxed evidentiary standard under 38 U.S.C. § 1154(b) accepting combat veterans' lay statements about in-service injuries.
Combined Rating Ratings & Compensation: A veteran's overall disability percentage calculated using VA math (not simple addition) when multiple conditions are service-connected.
Combined Ratings Table Ratings & Compensation: The chart in 38 CFR § 4.25 used to combine multiple disability percentages using the descending efficiency method.
Combined Schedular Rating Ratings & Compensation: The final percentage from VA math used to determine the base monthly compensation rate.
Committee on Waivers and Compromises Claims & Filing: VA body that reviews and decides waiver requests for benefits-related debts.
Community Care Healthcare & Survivors: VA program authorizing care from non-VA providers when VA cannot provide timely or accessible service under the MISSION Act.
Compensation Rate Ratings & Compensation: The monthly tax-free dollar amount paid based on combined rating, dependent status, and special allowances. Updated annually by Congress.
Compensation Service Acronyms & Forms: VBA division setting compensation policy and procedures for rating decisions nationwide.
Competency Determination Eligibility & Status: VA's finding that a beneficiary is or is not capable of managing VA benefits without supervision.
Concurrent Receipt Ratings & Compensation: Receipt of both military retired pay and VA disability compensation without offset, available through CRDP or CRSC.
Continuity of Symptomatology Evidence & Exams: Method of proving service connection by showing chronic or recurrent symptoms from service to the present under 38 CFR § 3.303(b).
Continuous Rating Ratings & Compensation: A rating that has been in effect for 20 or more years; protected from reduction except in cases of fraud under 38 CFR § 3.951(b).
Contract Examiner Evidence & Exams: A non-VA medical provider hired through QTC, LHI, VES, or MSLA to conduct C&P exams.
Convalescent Rating Ratings & Compensation: A temporary 100% rating under 38 CFR § 4.30 following surgery or hospitalization for a service-connected condition.
Copay Healthcare & Survivors: Out-of-pocket cost for VA medical services or prescriptions, often waived for service-connected care.
Correia v. McDonald Evidence & Exams: CAVC decision requiring joint exams to test active, passive, weight-bearing, and non-weight-bearing range of motion.
CRDP — Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay Ratings & Compensation: Restores military retired pay offset by VA disability for retirees with 20+ years and a 50%+ rating.
CRSC — Combat-Related Special Compensation Ratings & Compensation: Tax-free payment restoring retired pay for retirees with combat-related disabilities, regardless of years served.
CUE — Clear and Unmistakable Error Appeals & Decisions: An undebatable error in a prior final VA decision that, if corrected, would have changed the outcome. Allows revision regardless of how old the decision is.

D

Date of Claim Claims & Filing: The date the VA receives your claim or Intent to File. Critical for determining how far back your back pay extends.
DBQ — Disability Benefits Questionnaire Evidence & Exams: Standardized forms VA examiners (and private providers) use to document the severity of a condition for rating purposes.
DC — Diagnostic Code Ratings & Compensation: A four-digit code in 38 CFR Part 4 identifying the specific disability and rating criteria applied.
DD Form 214 Acronyms & Forms: Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty; the foundational record of military service.
DD Form 215 Acronyms & Forms: Correction to DD-214 used to update awards, dates, or characterization after issuance.
DeLuca Factors Evidence & Exams: Considerations from DeLuca v. Brown requiring examiners to address pain, weakness, fatigability, and incoordination during flare-ups.
Dependent Healthcare & Survivors: A spouse, child, or parent who qualifies for additional VA compensation when added to a veteran's claim. Requires a rating of 30% or higher.
Development Letter Claims & Filing: A VA letter listing specific evidence still needed to decide a pending claim, usually with a 30-day response window.
DIC — Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Special Programs: Tax-free monthly benefit paid to eligible survivors of service members who died in the line of duty or veterans whose death resulted from a service-connected condition.
DIC Parents Healthcare & Survivors: Dependency and Indemnity Compensation paid to surviving parents of a service member who died from a service-connected cause.
Direct Review Appeals & Decisions: A Board appeal lane where the BVA decides the case on the existing record, with no new evidence and no hearing.
Direct Service Connection Eligibility & Status: Service connection established by showing the disability began during or was caused by active service.
Disability Rating Ratings & Compensation: A percentage from 0% to 100% (in 10% increments) assigned to a service-connected condition based on its severity under 38 CFR Part 4.
Discharge Upgrade Eligibility & Status: Application to a service Discharge Review Board or Board for Correction of Military Records to change discharge characterization.
DRO — Decision Review Officer Appeals & Decisions: A senior reviewer in the legacy system who could conduct de novo review of a denied claim.
Duty to Assist Claims & Filing: VA's statutory obligation under 38 U.S.C. § 5103A to help claimants obtain evidence necessary to substantiate a claim.

E

EAJA — Equal Access to Justice Act Appeals & Decisions: Federal law allowing prevailing parties at CAVC to recover reasonable attorney fees from the government.
ebenefits Acronyms & Forms: Predecessor portal to VA.gov for managing benefits online; functionality has migrated to VA.gov.
Effective Date Claims & Filing: The date the VA recognizes as the start of your entitlement to benefits. Generally the date of claim or, with an Intent to File, an earlier date.
Effective Date Rule Claims & Filing: The body of regulations under 38 CFR § 3.400 that determines when entitlement to benefits begins.
Evidence Submission Lane Appeals & Decisions: A Board appeal lane allowing 90 days from the NOD to submit additional evidence.
Extraschedular Rating Ratings & Compensation: A rating granted under 38 CFR § 3.321(b) when the schedular criteria do not adequately reflect the severity of the disability.
Extraschedular TDIU Special Programs: TDIU granted under 38 CFR § 4.16(b) when the schedular thresholds are not met but evidence still shows unemployability.

F

FDC — Fully Developed Claim Claims & Filing: A claim submitted with all available evidence at the time of filing, intended to speed processing.
Federal Circuit Appeals & Decisions: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which reviews CAVC decisions on questions of law.
Fiduciary Eligibility & Status: A person or entity appointed to manage VA benefits for a beneficiary determined unable to manage their own affairs.
Field Examination Eligibility & Status: An in-person VA visit to assess a beneficiary's competency or a fiduciary's management of benefits.
FOIA — Freedom of Information Act Request Claims & Filing: A request under 5 U.S.C. § 552 to obtain non-personal records from VA or other federal agencies.
Functional Loss Evidence & Exams: Reduction in joint function due to pain, weakness, fatigability, or incoordination, considered under 38 CFR § 4.40.
Funding Fee Special Programs: One-time fee on most VA home loans, waived for veterans with a service-connected disability rating.

G

GI Bill Special Programs: Education benefits for service members and veterans, including the Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) and Montgomery GI Bill (Chapter 30).
Goniometer Evidence & Exams: Instrument used by C&P examiners to measure joint range of motion in degrees.
Gulf War Illness Acronyms & Forms: Medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness in Gulf War veterans. Presumptively service-connected under 38 CFR § 3.317.

H

Hearing Lane Appeals & Decisions: A Board appeal lane providing a videoconference or in-person hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.
HLR — Higher-Level Review Appeals & Decisions: A review of a denied claim by a senior VA reviewer based on the existing evidence record. No new evidence allowed.
Honorable Discharge Eligibility & Status: The highest discharge characterization. Generally required for the full range of VA benefits.
Housebound Benefit Special Programs: An additional pension or SMC benefit for veterans substantially confined to their immediate premises due to disability.
Hyphenated Diagnostic Code Ratings & Compensation: A two-part DC (e.g., 5010-5237) showing both the underlying condition and the criteria used to rate it.

I

IDT — Inactive Duty Training Eligibility & Status: Reserve or National Guard drill weekends. Service connection limited to injuries (and certain cardiac events) occurring during IDT.
IMO — Independent Medical Opinion Evidence & Exams: A medical opinion from a private physician addressing nexus, severity, or other claim-relevant issues. Used to support or rebut C&P findings.
Implementing Decision Appeals & Decisions: A regional office rating decision carrying out a Board grant of benefits and assigning the new rating and effective date.
In-Person Exam Evidence & Exams: A face-to-face C&P examination at a VA medical facility or contractor location.
Increase Claim Claims & Filing: A claim asking the VA to raise the rating on a condition that is already service-connected because the condition has worsened.
Informal Claim Claims & Filing: A pre-2015 communication that signaled intent to file. Replaced by the standardized Intent to File process.
ITF — Intent to File Claims & Filing: A formal notice to the VA that you plan to file a claim. Locks in your effective date for up to one year while you gather evidence.

J

JMR — Joint Motion for Remand Appeals & Decisions: An agreement at CAVC to send a case back to the Board for additional development or readjudication.

K

Korean DMZ Service Eligibility & Status: Service in the Korean Demilitarized Zone (April 1968-August 1971), qualifying for Agent Orange presumptive eligibility.

L

Lay Competent Evidence Evidence & Exams: Statements about observable symptoms or events that a layperson is competent to provide without medical training.
Lay Evidence Evidence & Exams: Statements from the veteran, family, or fellow service members about observable symptoms or events. Admissible under 38 CFR § 3.159.
Legacy Appeal Appeals & Decisions: Appeals processed under the pre-AMA system for claims pending before February 19, 2019, or that opted in.
LHI Evidence & Exams: Logistics Health Incorporated (now Optum Serve), a contractor that performs C&P exams for the VA.
LOD — Line of Duty Eligibility & Status: A determination that an injury or illness occurred during qualifying military service and was not due to misconduct.

M

M21-1 Acronyms & Forms: VA's adjudication procedures manual used by raters to apply law and policy when deciding claims.
MISSION Act Healthcare & Survivors: 2018 law expanding access to community care, caregiver support, and provider flexibility for VA healthcare.
Mitchell v. Shinseki Evidence & Exams: CAVC case requiring C&P examiners to estimate functional loss during flare-ups, even without observed flares during exam.
MST Acronyms & Forms: Military Sexual Trauma. The VA provides specialized care and adjudicates related PTSD claims under relaxed evidentiary standards in 38 CFR § 3.304(f)(5).

N

National Guard Eligibility & Status: State-based military force whose members may earn VA benefits through federal active service or qualifying line-of-duty events.
Nexus Evidence & Exams: The causal link between a current disability and an in-service event, injury, illness, or exposure. One of the three elements of service connection.
Nexus Letter Evidence & Exams: A medical opinion linking a current condition to military service, typically using the 'at least as likely as not' standard.
NOD — Notice of Disagreement Appeals & Decisions: Under the AMA, a Board appeal initiated by filing VA Form 10182 within one year of a rating decision.
Notice Letter Claims & Filing: VA correspondence acknowledging a claim, requesting evidence, or scheduling a C&P exam.
Notice of Disagreement (Legacy) Appeals & Decisions: Pre-AMA appeal initiation document used for claims with rating decisions issued before February 19, 2019.
Notification Letter Appeals & Decisions: The cover letter accompanying a rating decision that explains appeal rights and deadlines.
Notification of Appellate Rights Appeals & Decisions: The portion of a rating decision letter explaining how to appeal and the applicable deadlines.

O

OEF Acronyms & Forms: Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan, 2001-2014); qualifying service for many PACT Act and post-9/11 benefits.
OGC — VA Office of General Counsel Acronyms & Forms: VA office that accredits attorneys, claims agents, and VSO representatives under 38 CFR § 14.629.
OIF Acronyms & Forms: Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq, 2003-2010); qualifying service for many post-9/11 and PACT Act benefits.
OND Acronyms & Forms: Operation New Dawn (Iraq, 2010-2011); included in PACT Act qualifying service for Southwest Asia.
One-Year Rule Claims & Filing: Filing window during which earlier effective dates can be preserved through Intent to File or post-discharge claims within one year of separation.
Original Claim Claims & Filing: The first claim a veteran files for a particular condition or benefit. Distinct from supplemental or increase claims.
OTH — Other Than Honorable Eligibility & Status: An administrative discharge that may bar most VA benefits absent a character-of-discharge determination favorable to the veteran.
Overpayment Claims & Filing: VA debt created when a beneficiary received more in benefits than entitled, often due to retroactive rating changes or unreported income.

P

P&T — Permanent and Total Ratings & Compensation: A 100% rating that the VA has determined is unlikely to improve. Triggers eligibility for Chapter 35 dependents' benefits, CHAMPVA, and other programs.
PACT Act Acronyms & Forms: The 2022 Honoring our PACT Act, dramatically expanding presumptive service connection for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances.
Painful Motion Evidence & Exams: Joint motion that produces objective pain, which warrants at least the minimum compensable rating under 38 CFR § 4.59.
PCAFC — Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers Healthcare & Survivors: Tier of the Caregiver Support Program providing monthly stipends and benefits to caregivers of qualifying veterans.
Peacetime Service Eligibility & Status: Service outside designated wartime periods; eligible for compensation and most other benefits but not wartime-restricted programs.
Pending Claim Claims & Filing: A claim that has been received by the VA but has not yet received a rating decision.
Pension and Fiduciary Service Acronyms & Forms: VBA division administering pension benefits and overseeing fiduciaries who manage benefits for incompetent beneficiaries.
Period of Service Eligibility & Status: The qualifying time frame the veteran served, used to determine eligibility for wartime, presumptive, and pension benefits.
Plot Allowance Healthcare & Survivors: VA payment for the cost of a burial plot when the veteran is not buried in a national cemetery.
PMC — Pension Management Center Acronyms & Forms: Specialized VA office processing pension and survivors' pension claims for assigned regions.
Post-9/11 GI Bill Special Programs: Chapter 33 education benefit covering tuition, fees, housing allowance, and book stipend for those serving after September 10, 2001.
Pre-Discharge Claim Claims & Filing: A claim filed before separation through Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) or Quick Start, allowing benefits to begin shortly after discharge.
Pre-Service Disability Evidence & Exams: A condition documented before service that may be eligible for service connection only if aggravated beyond natural progression.
Presumption of Aggravation Eligibility & Status: Presumption that a pre-existing condition that worsened during service was aggravated by service unless rebutted by clear evidence.
Presumption of Soundness Eligibility & Status: Statutory presumption under 38 U.S.C. § 1111 that veterans were sound at enlistment except for noted defects.
Presumptive Service Connection Eligibility & Status: Service connection granted automatically for certain conditions in veterans who served in specified locations or eras (Agent Orange, burn pits, Gulf War, etc.).
Priority Group Healthcare & Survivors: One of eight categories the VA uses to enroll veterans in healthcare. Lower numbers (1-4) generally have higher service-connected status and fewer copays.
Privacy Act Request Claims & Filing: A request under 5 U.S.C. § 552a to obtain copies of records the VA maintains about the requester.
Protected Rating Ratings & Compensation: A rating in effect for 5, 10, or 20 years that receives heightened protection from reduction under 38 CFR § 3.951.
Pyramiding Ratings & Compensation: Rating the same disability or symptoms under two different diagnostic codes. Prohibited under 38 CFR § 4.14.

Q

QTC Evidence & Exams: Leidos QTC Health Services, a major VA contractor performing compensation and pension examinations.
Quick Start Claims & Filing: Pre-discharge program for service members with 1 to 89 days until separation who cannot complete BDD timelines.

R

RAMP — Rapid Appeals Modernization Program Appeals & Decisions: Pilot program that allowed legacy appellants to opt into the AMA review lanes before full implementation.
Rating Decision Appeals & Decisions: The VA's written decision granting or denying a claim, explaining the evidence considered and the rating assigned.
Rationale Evidence & Exams: The reasoned medical explanation a C&P examiner must provide to support any opinion on nexus, severity, or aggravation.
Reduction Proposal Ratings & Compensation: A VA notice proposing to lower a rating, triggering a 60-day response window and the right to a personal hearing.
Remand Appeals & Decisions: A Board decision sending a claim back to the regional office for additional development before a final decision can be made.
Reopened Claim Claims & Filing: Under the legacy system, a previously denied claim re-examined based on new and material evidence. Largely replaced by the Supplemental Claim under the AMA.
Reservist Eligibility & Status: A member of a reserve component of the armed forces; eligibility for VA benefits depends on the type and length of qualifying service.
RO — Regional Office Acronyms & Forms: VBA field office that processes claims for veterans in its geographic area.
ROM — Range of Motion Evidence & Exams: Measured joint movement using a goniometer, central to musculoskeletal ratings under 38 CFR § 4.71a.
Rounded Rating Ratings & Compensation: Combined ratings are rounded to the nearest 10% under 38 CFR § 4.25 (e.g., 84% becomes 80%, 85% becomes 90%).

S

SAH — Special Adapted Housing Special Programs: A grant to help severely disabled veterans build, buy, or modify a home to accommodate their disability.
Saunders v. Wilkie Evidence & Exams: Federal Circuit decision recognizing pain alone, without an underlying diagnosis, as a compensable disability if it causes functional impairment.
SBP — Survivors Benefits Plan Healthcare & Survivors: DoD annuity that provides continued income to survivors of military retirees; coordinated separately from VA DIC.
Schedular Rating Ratings & Compensation: A rating assigned based strictly on the criteria in the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities (38 CFR Part 4).
Schedular TDIU Special Programs: TDIU granted when a veteran has one disability rated at 60% or two or more disabilities with combined rating of 70% (with one at 40%).
Secondary Claim Claims & Filing: A claim for a condition caused or aggravated by an already service-connected disability (e.g., depression secondary to chronic back pain).
Service Connection Eligibility & Status: VA recognition that a current disability resulted from or was aggravated by military service. Requires three elements: current disability, in-service event, and nexus.
Service-Connected Care Healthcare & Survivors: VA medical treatment for a condition the veteran is service-connected for; generally exempt from copays.
Severance of Service Connection Ratings & Compensation: Withdrawal of a previously granted service connection, allowed only on a showing of clear and unmistakable error or fraud.
SHA — Special Home Adaptation Special Programs: Grant assisting eligible disabled veterans with home modifications when SAH eligibility criteria are not met.
Sharp v. Shinseki Evidence & Exams: Federal Circuit case requiring examiners to provide an opinion on flare-up severity based on lay reports when no flare is observed.
SMC — Special Monthly Compensation Ratings & Compensation: Additional compensation above the standard rate for severe disabilities such as loss of use of a limb, aid and attendance needs, or housebound status.
SMC-K — Special Monthly Compensation K Special Programs: Statutory rate for loss or loss of use of specific anatomic parts (e.g., a hand, foot, or reproductive organ).
SMC-L — Special Monthly Compensation L Special Programs: SMC level for veterans needing regular aid and attendance or with specific paired-extremity loss.
SMC-S — Special Monthly Compensation S Special Programs: SMC paid at the housebound rate for veterans rated 100% on one disability with additional disabilities totaling 60% or more.
SMC-T — Special Monthly Compensation T Special Programs: SMC for veterans with TBI requiring in-home care that would otherwise require institutionalization.
SOC — Statement of the Case Appeals & Decisions: A legacy appeals document explaining the VA's decision and the evidence considered. Replaced under the AMA.
Sound at Entry Evidence & Exams: Presumption that a veteran was healthy at induction unless a defect was noted on the entrance examination.
Southwest Asia Theater Eligibility & Status: Geographic area used to define eligibility for Gulf War and PACT Act presumptive service connections.
Special Operations Command Eligibility & Status: Often relevant for unique exposure histories and specialized C&P documentation needs.
Specially Adapted Housing Grant Special Programs: Lump-sum grant for severe service-connected disabilities to construct or modify a home for accessibility.
Speculative Opinion Evidence & Exams: A medical opinion the VA finds inadequate because it relies on words like 'possibly' or 'could' without a probability assessment.
Stabilized Rating Ratings & Compensation: A rating in effect for five or more years that cannot be reduced without showing sustained improvement under 38 CFR § 3.344.
Standard Claim Claims & Filing: A claim filed without the FDC certification, where the VA assists in obtaining outstanding evidence under its duty to assist.
Statement of Accredited Representative Acronyms & Forms: A written argument filed by a VSO, attorney, or claims agent advocating the veteran's position to the VA.
Static Rating Ratings & Compensation: A rating the VA does not schedule for future re-examination, typically because the condition is unlikely to improve.
STR — Service Treatment Records Evidence & Exams: Medical records created during military service, including enlistment and separation exams. Foundational evidence in most claims.
Stressor Statement Evidence & Exams: A written account of the in-service event(s) causing PTSD or related mental health conditions. Required under 38 CFR § 3.304(f).
Subsistence Allowance Special Programs: Monthly stipend paid to VR&E participants enrolled in approved training programs.
Substantially Gainful Employment Special Programs: Employment that produces income above the federal poverty threshold. Marginal employment (e.g., a sheltered workshop) does not bar TDIU.
Substitution of Claimant Appeals & Decisions: Process under 38 U.S.C. § 5121A allowing an eligible survivor to step into a deceased veteran's pending claim.
Supplemental Claim Claims & Filing: A claim filed after a denial that introduces new and relevant evidence the VA has not previously considered. One of three review lanes under the AMA.
Surviving Spouse Healthcare & Survivors: The spouse of a deceased veteran, eligible for DIC, pension, and other benefits if specific marriage and dependency requirements are met.
Survivor Pension Healthcare & Survivors: Needs-based monthly benefit (formerly Death Pension) for low-income surviving spouses and children of deceased wartime veterans.

T

TDIU — Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability Special Programs: A benefit paying at the 100% rate when service-connected conditions prevent substantially gainful employment, even if the schedular rating is below 100%.
Telehealth C&P Exam Evidence & Exams: A C&P exam conducted by video for conditions that do not require physical examination, primarily mental health.
Temporary Total Rating Ratings & Compensation: A time-limited 100% rating granted for hospitalization (38 CFR § 4.29) or convalescence (38 CFR § 4.30).
Thailand Service Eligibility & Status: Service at certain Royal Thai Air Force bases during the Vietnam era, qualifying for herbicide-based presumptive service connection.
Title 10 Service Eligibility & Status: Federal active duty service that qualifies for the full range of VA benefits.
Title 32 Service Eligibility & Status: State active duty for National Guard members under federal funding; eligibility for some VA benefits varies by mission.
Total Disability Ratings & Compensation: A 100% disability rating, either through a single condition rated 100% or through a combined rating reaching 100%.
TRA — Temporary Residence Adaptation Special Programs: A grant allowing veterans to adapt a family member's home where the veteran is temporarily living.
Travel Board Hearing Appeals & Decisions: An in-person BVA hearing held at the regional office. Largely replaced by videoconference and virtual hearings.
TRICARE Healthcare & Survivors: Department of Defense health program for active duty service members, retirees, and their families. Separate from VA healthcare.

V

VA Choice Healthcare & Survivors: Predecessor to MISSION Act community care, allowing veterans to receive non-VA care under specific access criteria.
VA Form 10182 Acronyms & Forms: Decision Review Request: Board Appeal (Notice of Disagreement). Initiates an appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals under the AMA.
VA Form 20-0995 Acronyms & Forms: Decision Review Request: Supplemental Claim. Used to submit new and relevant evidence.
VA Form 20-0996 Acronyms & Forms: Decision Review Request: Higher-Level Review. Requests review by a senior VA reviewer.
VA Form 21-0781 Acronyms & Forms: Statement in Support of Claim for Service Connection for PTSD, used to document in-service stressors.
VA Form 21-0781a Acronyms & Forms: Statement in Support of Claim for PTSD secondary to personal assault or military sexual trauma.
VA Form 21-0966 Acronyms & Forms: Intent to File a Claim form. Locks in the effective date for up to one year.
VA Form 21-22 Acronyms & Forms: Appointment of Veterans Service Organization as Claimant's Representative. Used to designate a VSO.
VA Form 21-22a Acronyms & Forms: Appointment of Individual as Claimant's Representative. Authorizes a VA-accredited claims agent or attorney to represent the claimant.
VA Form 21-2680 Acronyms & Forms: Examination for Housebound Status or Permanent Need for Regular Aid and Attendance.
VA Form 21-4138 Acronyms & Forms: Statement in Support of Claim. A general-purpose form for veteran statements, buddy statements, and stressor statements.
VA Form 21-526EZ Acronyms & Forms: Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits. The standard form for filing original or supplemental claims.
VA Form 21-674 Acronyms & Forms: Request for Approval of School Attendance, used to add a child age 18-23 attending school as a dependent.
VA Form 21-686c Acronyms & Forms: Application Request to Add and/or Remove Dependents. Used to add a spouse or child for additional compensation at 30%+ ratings.
VA Form 21-8940 Acronyms & Forms: Veteran's Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability. Required to file for TDIU.
VA Form 21P-534EZ Acronyms & Forms: Application for DIC, Survivors Pension, or Accrued Benefits filed by surviving spouses or children.
VA Form 26-1880 Acronyms & Forms: Request for a Certificate of Eligibility for the VA home loan program.
VA Healthcare Healthcare & Survivors: Medical care provided through the Veterans Health Administration. Eligibility is determined by Priority Group based on service-connected status, income, and other factors.
VA Home Loan Special Programs: VA-guaranteed mortgage allowing eligible veterans to purchase, refinance, or build a home with no down payment.
VA Math Ratings & Compensation: The descending efficiency method the VA uses to combine multiple ratings. Each new rating reduces the remaining 'whole person' instead of being added directly.
VA Medical Records Evidence & Exams: Treatment records from VA healthcare facilities. Automatically considered by the VA when adjudicating claims.
VA Pension Special Programs: A needs-based benefit for wartime veterans who are 65+ or permanently and totally disabled and have limited income and assets.
VA Pharmacy Benefits Healthcare & Survivors: Prescription medication coverage for enrolled veterans, with copays based on priority group and service-connected status.
VA Waiver Ratings & Compensation: The election by retirees to receive VA disability compensation in lieu of an equal amount of military retired pay.
VA.gov Acronyms & Forms: Department of Veterans Affairs official website and the primary online portal for filing claims and managing benefits.
VBA — Veterans Benefits Administration Acronyms & Forms: The branch of the VA that administers compensation, pension, education, and home loan benefits.
VBMS Acronyms & Forms: Veterans Benefits Management System; VA's electronic claims processing platform replacing paper files.
Vet Center Healthcare & Survivors: Community-based counseling centers offering readjustment services to combat veterans, MST survivors, and bereaved family members.
Veteran Eligibility & Status: A person who served in the active military, naval, air, or space service and was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.
Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act Appeals & Decisions: The 2017 statute (Public Law 115-55) that created the AMA appeals system effective February 2019.
VHA — Veterans Health Administration Acronyms & Forms: The branch of the VA that operates VA hospitals, clinics, and medical centers.
Virtual Hearing Appeals & Decisions: A BVA hearing conducted through online video from the veteran's home or other location.
VISN — Veterans Integrated Service Network Healthcare & Survivors: One of 18 regional networks organizing VA healthcare facilities under the Veterans Health Administration.
VLJ — Veterans Law Judge Appeals & Decisions: An attorney appointed to the Board of Veterans' Appeals who issues final BVA decisions.
VR&E — Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Special Programs: Chapter 31 program providing job training, education, and employment services to veterans with service-connected disabilities. Now branded as Veteran Readiness and Employment.
VR&E — Veteran Readiness and Employment Special Programs: Updated branding for the Chapter 31 program offering job training and employment services to disabled veterans.
VSO — Veterans Service Organization Acronyms & Forms: Congressionally chartered nonprofit (e.g., DAV, VFW, American Legion) accredited to assist veterans with claims at no charge.

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Waiver of Indebtedness Claims & Filing: Request to forgive a VA overpayment based on equity, good conscience, and the veteran's lack of fault.
Wartime Service Eligibility & Status: Service during congressionally designated wartime periods, required for VA pension and certain other benefits.
Willful Misconduct Eligibility & Status: Conduct involving conscious wrongdoing that bars service connection for resulting injuries under 38 CFR § 3.1(n).
Withdrawal of Appeal Appeals & Decisions: A written statement asking the Board or regional office to stop processing an appeal before a decision is issued.
Withdrawn Claim Claims & Filing: A claim the veteran asks the VA to stop adjudicating in writing before a decision is issued.

Y

Yellow Ribbon Program Special Programs: Voluntary agreement between VA and participating schools to cover tuition exceeding the Post-9/11 GI Bill cap.

Educational reference only. Definitions are paraphrased in plain English from VA regulations and policy. Always consult Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations and VA.gov for official guidance. Need help applying any of this to your claim? Schedule a free consultation.

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