How to Increase Your VA Disability Rating
Increase claim vs. new claim vs. secondary
: the same service-connected condition has worsened. File on , identifying the existing condition and the increased severity.
New primary : a different condition not yet service-connected — separate elements (diagnosis, in-service event, ) must be proven.
: a new condition caused or aggravated by an existing service-connected condition — the in-service-event element is satisfied by the underlying .
When the evidence is strong enough
- Recent treatment notes (within 6–12 months) that document the worsening.
- Objective testing tied to the rating criteria — range-of-motion measurements for orthopedic; FEV1/DLCO for respiratory; ejection fraction or METs for cardiac; sleep study for OSA.
- A completed by a treating provider that addresses the specific rating-schedule language.
- Documented frequency and severity — flare-ups, prostrating episodes, missed work, hospitalizations.
- Lay statements from family or coworkers describing observable changes.
When NOT to file
If your current rating is at or near the maximum schedular evaluation for the condition, an increase is unlikely. If your most recent treatment notes do not document worsening (or show improvement), a re-examination may produce a lower rating. Stabilized ratings in effect 5+ years (§ 3.951) and 20+ years (§ 3.957) carry meaningful protections — but a fresh adverse exam can still cause issues if the prior rating was not based on sustained findings.
The C&P re-examination risk
Filing an increase generally triggers a C&P examination. The examiner's findings can support an increase — or document improvement that justifies a proposed reduction. Veterans with stable but mild conditions sometimes find a re-exam produces a worse outcome than the prior rating reflected.
Counter-strategy: build the paper record before filing. A treating-provider that addresses the rating criteria gives the C&P examiner a clear benchmark and reduces the chance of a low-ball finding.
Document each rating criterion
Open 38 CFR Part 4 to the specific , and make sure the evidence speaks the language of the next-higher rating. Examples: '' versus 'limitation of motion' for orthopedic; 'occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas' for mental health; 'attacks of pain or limitation of motion' versus 'incapacitating episodes' for IVDS.
Choose the right filing path
- — , identifies the existing rating, requests an evaluation under updated evidence.
- — when a recent denial of an increase needs new and relevant evidence (Form 20-0995).
- — when the recent decision was wrong on the evidence already in the file (Form 20-0996).
Where these claims break down
- ×Filing without first reading the diagnostic code criteria — evidence misses the language the rater needs.
- ×Triggering a C&P re-exam on a stable claim without a fresh DBQ to anchor it.
- ×Filing a new condition claim instead of an increase, restarting the in-service-event analysis.
- ×Ignoring the one-year look-back rule on the effective date (§ 3.400(o)(2)).
- ×Underestimating the impact of flare-ups — documenting frequency and severity changes outcomes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Useful Tools & Topics
Have questions about your specific case?
Every veteran's facts are different. A free initial consultation with a VA-Accredited Claims Agent can tell you whether your matter is a fit for representation — and what the right next step looks like either way.
Disclaimer: This page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Oakridge Claims is a private business and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. No guarantees of outcomes are made. Each claim is decided on its individual facts.
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