Proud Veteran-Owned Business Partner to The Purple Heart Foundation
Professionally Reviewed by Dr. Aquilla Edwards, PhD
Securing the right VA disability rating can change the quality of your life as a veteran. If your service-connected condition has worsened, if your original decision missed important evidence, or if secondary symptoms have developed over time, you may be entitled to a higher percentage—and the additional monthly compensation and benefits that come with it. This guide explains how to increase your VA disability rating, when it makes sense to file, what evidence to include, how the VA evaluates increases, and who can help you present the strongest possible case.
Ask yourself a few clear, practical questions:
If you answered “yes” to any of the above, it’s reasonable to ask whether your current percentage actually reflects your functional impairment today. Increasing your rating is not about chasing a number—it’s about aligning your benefits with your lived reality.
You can request an increase any time your service-connected condition worsens or was underrated. Common scenarios include:
There’s no mandatory waiting period. If your situation changes, you can—and should—ask the VA to re-evaluate your rating.
No. The VA may request a reevaluation of a condition on a future date and increase a rating based on clear evidence in your records. More commonly, you must initiate the request and supply the documentation that shows a measurable worsening since your last decision.
Follow a straightforward sequence and keep your documentation tight:
Most veterans file a claim for an increase (for the same condition) with new or updated evidence. If you think the prior decision was wrong based on the record at the time, you may consider review or appeal paths; otherwise, file for an increase with fresh evidence.
Your file should demonstrate what changed since the last rating. Include:
An independent medical opinion (IMO) can clarify severity, functional impairment, and service connection (especially if secondary issues emerged). IMOs written in VA-recognized language (“at least as likely as not,” impairment tied to occupational and social functioning) help raters map your symptoms to the appropriate percentage.
Submit your request for increased benefits and upload your evidence through VA.gov or via mail. Be explicit about which conditions have worsened and why.
If scheduled, the Compensation & Pension exam is pivotal. Bring concise notes so you can communicate (we suggest a one-page summary):
Answer honestly and specifically. Don’t minimize; don’t guess. If you don’t know, say so. If the exam feels incomplete (too brief, key symptoms not addressed), write down specifics after the exam while they’re fresh. These notes can support a rebuttal or be referenced in an IMO.
Think in terms of rating criteria and functional impact:
Include concrete examples: “I forget steps of multi-stage tasks and need reminders,” “I avoid stores due to panic,” “I miss two days a week from pain flare-ups,” “My spouse now manages finances due to memory issues,” etc.
If your primary service-connected disability causes another condition (e.g., chronic pain leading to depression; TBI leading to anxiety and insomnia; orthopedic injury causing altered gait and hip problems), you can seek a rating for the secondary condition. The key is a clear medical rationale linking the two.
When filing for an increase, submit evidence for the secondary condition as well—diagnosis, symptom history, impact on functioning, and a medical opinion explaining the causal chain.
Expect a familiar rhythm:
If the VA denies your increase, don’t assume the story ends there. Review the reasons for denial and decide your next step: Supplemental Claim (with new and relevant evidence), Higher-Level Review (argue the evidence was misapplied), or Board Appeal (choose direct, evidence, or hearing lanes).
Most requests for increase are straightforward, but be aware: if the VA believes your condition improved, they can propose a reduction. If you receive a proposed reduction letter, act quickly:
You have a few strong options:
❏ List what has changed since the last rating (symptoms, frequency, impact).
❏ Gather updated medical records (VA and private).
❏ Ask treating clinicians for function-focused notes (missed work, reduced reliability, impaired judgment, safety concerns).
❏ Consider an IMO that maps symptoms to VA rating language and addresses secondary conditions.
❏ File the request for an increase with clear condition-by-condition reasoning.
❏ Prepare for the C&P with a one-page summary; describe bad days, not just good ones.
❏ If denied or underrated, choose your next step (Supplemental Claim with new evidence, Higher-Level Review, or Board Appeal).
A higher VA disability rating isn’t about a number—it’s about aligning your benefits with the true impact of your service-connected conditions. If your symptoms have intensified, if the original decision missed key evidence, or if secondary conditions emerged, you have a credible path to request an increase. Anchor your request in clear documentation, communicate your functional limitations with specificity, and consider a VA-aligned independent medical opinion when the record needs depth.
If you’re ready to move forward, organize your records, decide your path, and submit a focused, well-evidenced request for an increase. If you need help presenting your case with clinical clarity and VA-specific language, VMHA’s in-house providers can support you with comprehensive evaluations and independent medical opinions that meet VA standards.
📩 Email us at info@vmhaforvets.com or call 214-307-2198.
You may also be interested in:
Dwayne Edwards is a Marine Corps Veteran and Founder of VMHA. He served in the infantry and intelligence, deployed to Iraq, and served as the suicide awareness officer for his last command. He holds a BA from Binghamton University and an MBA from Yale School of Management.
After experiencing the difference a high-quality psychologist can make for his own mental health journey, he founded VMHA to provide high-quality, ethical, and transparent mental health evaluations to fellow service members and veterans.
At VMHA, we hold our educational content to the same high standards as our clinical assessments. This article has been reviewed and fact-checked by our Internal Quality Assurance Team, led by licensed, doctoral-level psychologists (Ph.D. / Psy.D.) to ensure it adheres to our editorial and clinical standards.
VMHA
