Single-disability claims, such as a bad knee, are usually rather straightforward. A Compensation and Pension doctor (C&P) performs some range of motion and other tests, grades them, and that is the veteran’s disability test. An independent examination could increase your VA disability rating, but then again, it might not. Multiple-disability claims are much more complex. That is especially true if …

“Disability” is not just a medical issue. Frequently, the d-word has educational, vocational, legal, and other implications, as well. Because disabilities are subjective, the VA’s disability rating system is not always appropriate. In these cases, the Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) VA benefits system might be more appropriate. So, even if you are not rated at 100% disabled, …

If the VA denied your disability claim, you are certainly not alone. Largely for financial reasons, Claims Examiners deny about a third of the applications they review. There is only so much money to go around, and every dime paid out takes money away from the bureaucratic machine. Fundamentally, you have two choices in this situation: accept the result or …

In many cases, eligibility for VA benefits is completely objective. Applicants must have the proper service background along with a current disability, and there must be a nexus (direct or indirect connection) between these two things. Total Disability due to Individual Unemployability, however, is a bit different. As the name implies, this area is more subjective. Benefits depend not on …

The human brain is a complex organ, and it’s one that is still not fully understood by scientists and doctors. Experts are getting closer to understanding the way the brain works, though. As science progresses, more is known than ever before about the damage a traumatic brain injury, or TBI, can have on a person.  For veterans with brain injuries, …

Yes you can!  In fact, these type of service-related disabilities have a name: secondary service-connected disabilities.  The regulation, 38 C.F.R.§ 3.310(a), provides: [D]isability which is proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury shall be service connected. When service connection is thus established for a secondary condition, the secondary condition shall be considered a part of …

The short answer to this question is: Yes.  However, it is very uncommon. Usually, a 100% disability rating translates to a psychiatric disability so severe as to preclude a claimant from engaging in gainful employment. Recall that there are two ways to achieve a 100% disability award: by establishing that the veteran’s symptoms fit the 100% scheduler criteria or by …

Receiving a remand from the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA) can seem like a mixed blessing. On the one hand, the Board has not denied your claim(s), allowing you to continue to prosecute your case. Yet, on the other, the battle to get your entitled benefits continues without any apparent end in sight. One thing is for sure: DO NOT …

There are two ways to establish service-connection for service-related disability(ies). The first, causal service-connection, is the most common and familiar. If some in-service incident (e.g. physical accident/injury, toxic exposure or psychological trauma) results in a permanent disability, the disability is deemed service-connected/service-related. It is important to keep in mind that the in-service incident need not immediately cause the disability; the …

1) What is Sleep Apnea? Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person’s breathing is interrupted during sleep. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times. This means the brain — and the rest of the body — may not get enough oxygen. There are two types of sleep …