VA disability news & updates
The developments that change what you can claim: the PACT Act, presumptives, rating changes, COLA, and appeal deadlines. All in plain language, with a link to the official source.
In-depth guides
100% Permanent and Total (P&T): what it unlocks, and how it differs from 100% schedular
A 100% Permanent and Total rating means your disability is total and not expected to improve. It unlocks benefits that a plain 100% rating may not, like CHAMPVA and dependents' education. Here is what P&T means and what it opens up.
Read the guideAgent Orange presumptive conditions: the full list and who qualifies
If you served where Agent Orange was used, the VA presumes certain illnesses are service-connected, so you don't need a nexus letter. Here's the current condition list, the qualifying locations and dates, and how to file.
Read the guideCamp Lejeune water contamination: VA disability vs the lawsuit (they are different)
If you served at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987, you may qualify for VA disability AND a separate Camp Lejeune Justice Act lawsuit. They are two different things. Here is how each works and why a lawsuit settlement does not reduce your VA pay.
Read the guideEvidence for a VA disability claim: the three things you must prove
Every service-connection claim rests on three elements: a current diagnosis, an in-service event, and a nexus linking them. Here is exactly what evidence proves each one, so you can build a claim that gets granted.
Read the guideGulf War Syndrome and undiagnosed illness: why these VA claims are different (and often denied)
Gulf War veterans can claim chronic symptoms with no clear diagnosis under a special presumptive rule. But it is not automatic, and many claims are denied for missing the chronicity and manifestation requirements. Here is how the rule actually works.
Read the guideHow long does a VA disability claim take? The 5 phases explained
A VA disability claim moves through five phases, from Claim Received to the final decision. Here is what each phase means, roughly how long claims take, and what actually speeds things up.
Read the guideHow to appeal a VA disability denial: Supplemental Claim vs Higher-Level Review vs Board
A VA denial is not the end. Under the modern appeals system you have three lanes: Supplemental Claim, Higher-Level Review, and a Board appeal. Here is how to pick the right one, the deadlines, and how to protect your effective date.
Read the guideHow to file a VA disability claim: a plain-English, step-by-step guide
Filing a VA disability claim comes down to six steps: intent to file, an account, your evidence, VA Form 21-526EZ, submission, and the exam. Here is the whole process in plain language, with the exact forms and free help.
Read the guideHow to write a VA buddy statement (lay statement), with an example
A buddy or lay statement is firsthand testimony that supports your claim, from someone who witnessed your service events or your symptoms. Here is the right form, what makes one credible, and a concrete example.
Read the guideHow VA combined ratings work: why 50% plus 30% isn't 80%
The VA doesn't add your disability ratings, it combines them, so 50% and 30% comes out to about 70%, not 80%. Here's the plain-English math behind combined ratings and how to estimate yours.
Read the guideIs sleep apnea covered under the PACT Act? The honest answer, and the path that actually works
Sleep apnea is not a presumptive condition under the PACT Act, Agent Orange, or burn pits. But you can still get it service-connected as a secondary condition. Here is the accurate answer and the strategy that wins these claims.
Read the guideIs VA disability taxable? What counts as income, and what doesn't
VA disability compensation is not taxed by the federal government and is not reported as income on your tax return. But it does count in a few specific situations, like qualifying for a VA home loan. Here is the clear breakdown.
Read the guideTDIU: how to get paid at the 100% VA rate without a 100% rating
Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) pays at the 100% rate if your service-connected conditions prevent you from holding substantially gainful employment. Here are the exact rating thresholds and how it works.
Read the guideThe VA 5, 10, and 20-year rules: when your rating is protected from reduction
Worried the VA will cut your rating? Three rules protect long-held ratings: the 5-year rule (stabilized ratings), the 10-year rule (service connection), and the 20-year rule (a rating floor). Here is what each one actually does.
Read the guideVA disability back pay and effective dates: how an Intent to File protects your money
Your VA back pay is calculated from your effective date, not your decision date. Filing an Intent to File can lock that date in and protect up to a year of retroactive pay. Here's how effective dates and back pay actually work.
Read the guideVA nexus letters: what they are, when you need one, and buyer beware
A nexus letter is a medical opinion linking your condition to your service. It's often decisive, but you don't always need one, and overpriced boilerplate letters can hurt. Here is what it must say and when it actually matters.
Read the guideWhat to do after a bad or inadequate C&P exam
If your C&P exam felt rushed, wrong, or too short, you have options. You can request the report, submit a rebuttal or new evidence, ask for a new exam, or raise it on appeal. Here is how to respond.
Read the guideWhat to say (and what not to say) at your C&P exam
Your C&P exam is where the VA documents how bad your condition really is. The honest rule: describe your worst days specifically, don't minimize, and don't exaggerate. Here is how to prepare and what actually matters.
Read the guideHow the annual COLA changes your VA disability compensation
VA disability rates rise each December 1 with the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), tied to the same index as Social Security. Here's how the COLA is set, when it takes effect, and how to read the current rate tables.
Read the guideThe PACT Act presumptive conditions: what toxic-exposure veterans can claim
The PACT Act made dozens of burn-pit, Agent Orange, and other toxic-exposure conditions presumptive, so eligible veterans don't have to prove the exposure caused them. Here's how the presumption works and who qualifies.
Read the guide- Presumptives
VA Research Wrap Up: New findings on COVID, substance use disorder and Gulf War Veterans’ experience
Read at VA News - Appeals
Notice of proposed settlement agreement for VA benefits claimants whose timely, substantive appeals have not been processed
Read at VA News Introducing the Claim Assist Portal: A new, easier way to respond to VA claim requests
Read at VA News- Ratings & COLA
Rescission of Interim Final Rule, Evaluative Rating: Impact of Medication
Read at Federal Register - Ratings & COLA
Evaluative Rating: Impact of Medication
Read at Federal Register Legal Services, General Counsel, and Miscellaneous Claims
Read at Federal RegisterClarification of VA's Processing of Survivors Benefits Claims
Read at Federal Register- Presumptives
Eliminating the Requirement for Laparoscopy To Establish Service Connection for Endometriosis
Read at Federal Register - Presumptives
Presumptive Service Connection for Leukemias, Multiple Myelomas, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, and Myelofibrosis Due to Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter
Read at Federal Register - Presumptives
Presumptive Service Connection for Bladder, Ureter, and Related Genitourinary Cancers Due to Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter
Read at Federal Register - Ratings & COLA
How the annual COLA changes your monthly compensation
VA disability compensation rates rise each December 1 with the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), tied to the same index as Social Security. The current rate tables show exactly what each combined rating pays, including dependents.
Read at VA.gov - PresumptivesPACT Act
Burn-pit and airborne-hazard conditions are now presumptive
Respiratory conditions and several cancers tied to burn pits and airborne hazards are recognized as presumptive for veterans with qualifying Gulf War or post-9/11 service, removing the nexus hurdle for those claims.
Read at VA.gov - PresumptivesPACT Act
Hypertension and MGUS added as Agent Orange presumptives
Under the PACT Act, high blood pressure (hypertension) and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) became presumptive conditions for veterans with qualifying herbicide exposure, in addition to the long-standing §3.309(e) list.
Read at VA.gov - PACT ActPresumptives
The PACT Act expands benefits for toxic-exposure veterans
The PACT Act adds more than 20 presumptive conditions for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic hazards, meaning you may not need to prove the exposure caused the condition. It also expands eligibility windows for Gulf War and post-9/11 veterans.
Read at VA.gov - Deadlines
File an Intent to File first to protect your back pay
Submitting VA Form 21-0966 (Intent to File) locks in today as your effective date and gives you up to a year to complete the full claim. If the VA later grants it, benefits can be paid back to the ITF date instead of your later filing date.
Read at VA.gov - AppealsDeadlines
Three ways to challenge a decision under the AMA
Since the Appeals Modernization Act, a veteran who disagrees with a decision has three lanes within one year: a Supplemental Claim (new evidence), a Higher-Level Review (same evidence, senior reviewer), or a Board appeal. Filing within the year protects your effective date.
Read at VA.gov - Presumptives
Contaminated water at Camp Lejeune: who can file
Veterans, reservists, and guardsmen who served at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 cumulative days between 1953 and 1987 may qualify for disability benefits for a set of conditions linked to the contaminated water supply.
Read at VA.gov
Summaries are written by VA Disability Pro for general information and link to the official source; we don't republish source text. This is not legal advice.