Blast Exposure TBIs and the VA Claims Process Not all traumatic brain injuries look the same in a VA file. A veteran who sustained a TBI in a car accident, a fall, or a sports collision typically has something concrete to point to: a medical record, an emergency room visit, a documented loss of consciousness. […]

Getting a TDIU grant from VA is a significant win. It means VA has recognized that your service-connected disabilities prevent you from maintaining substantially gainful employment, and you’re now being compensated at the 100% rate. But the grant itself is only the beginning. There are several steps veterans should generally consider taking after a TDIU […]

VA rates all mental health conditions, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and adjustment disorders, under the same framework: the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders at 38 C.F.R. § 4.130. The formula assigns ratings of 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100% based on the level of occupational and social impairment the condition causes. For most […]

If you have a service-connected physical disability and you’ve developed depression, anxiety, or another mental health condition because of it, you may be entitled to a separate VA disability rating for that mental health condition. This is called secondary service connection, and it’s governed by 38 C.F.R. § 3.310. The connection between chronic physical conditions […]

The landscape of veterans’ benefits is continually evolving, with changes aimed at better serving the needs of those who served our nation. One area that has seen recent updates is the policy surrounding Total Disability Ratings based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU). Understanding these changes is crucial for veterans who rely on these benefits or are […]

Most veterans who research TDIU learn the schedular requirements quickly: one service-connected disability rated at 60% or more, or a combined rating of 70% with at least one condition rated at 40%. If they don’t meet those thresholds, many assume they’re disqualified. That’s wrong. Under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b), VA is required to consider TDIU […]

The effective date on your VA disability award determines when your benefits start, and it controls how much retroactive pay you receive. A veteran who wins a 70% rating with an effective date of January 2020 gets back pay from that date forward. Move that effective date back to January 2018, and the veteran collects […]

Under the AMA, the difference between a “new claim” and a “supplemental claim” can be worth years of retroactive compensation. A supplemental claim filed within one year of a VA decision preserves your original effective date. A new claim resets it. Until recently, VA took the position that the only way to file a valid […]

Most veterans who look into TDIU benefits quickly run into the same two numbers: 60 and 70. The standard eligibility requirements state that a veteran needs either one service-connected disability rated at 60% or more, or a combined rating of at least 70% with at least one condition rated at 40% on its own. If […]

If VA denied your TDIU claim, you’re not alone — and the denial may not be correct. TDIU claims are among the most frequently denied benefits in the VA system, and the reasons follow a pattern. VA raters apply the wrong legal standard, ignore relevant evidence, or rely on C&P exam opinions from examiners who […]