I can not take credit for this list VA Claim Strategy from FaceBook put this together and I thought it needed to live here too.
๐ ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ง ๐ฉ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ง
I made this list because I'm tired of seeing veterans get bad advice and waste time on evidence that doesn't actually matter.
None of this is theory. These lessons come from hundreds of Board appeals and show what the VA actually uses to approve and deny claims.
Let's speedrun the most common conditions.
๐ Save this list to potentially save yourself years of denials.
๐ง๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ง๐จ๐ฆ
โข The VA can only really disprove your tinnitus if you contradict yourself.
โข A detailed personal statement is worth its weight in gold.
โข Tinnitus CAN'T be denied solely because your hearing tests were normal. Appeal it.
โข Describe your tinnitus as better days and worse days, NOT as coming and going.
โข You must state exactly what caused your tinnitus and when the ringing began.
๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ๐ก๐๐
โข Forget direct service connection if you weren't diagnosed in service.
โข A lot of sleep apnea claims get denied at the C&P exam no matter how strong they are.
โข A nexus letter that rules out alternative causes and attacks a negative C&P opinion is worth its weight in gold.
โข Be VERY clear whether you're arguing causation or aggravation before you file the claim.
โข Be prepared to win at the Board, not the Regional Office (and collect years of back pay).
๐ฃ๐ง๐ฆ๐
โข The VA cares far more about functional impairment than your symptom checklist.
โข The fastest way to tank a C&P exam is to downplay your symptoms.
โข Symptoms explain your impairment. They don't prove it.
โข The VA will often point to your job or relationship as evidence you aren't 100%.
โข Suicidal ideation does not require a plan, intent, or suicide attempt.
๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฆ
โข The VA doesn't rate painful migraines. The VA rates migraines that force you to stop functioning.
โข Prostrating means you have to stop what you're doing, not that your head hurts really bad.
โข Your migraine claim cannot be denied just because medication helps. Appeal it.
โข Most migraine claims are won by a detailed log showing the difference between normal migraines and prostrating attacks.
โข Don't say migraines make work harder. Explain exactly what they stop you from doing.
๐๐๐ฆ
โข The VA rates how often bowel episodes cause pain, not just how many symptoms you have.
โข Diarrhea alone does not get you 30%.
โข Consistently reporting the same bowel episode frequency is 90% of an IBS claim.
โข A private DBQ won't save a claim if your symptom history is inconsistent.
โข Pain alone means nothing unless it's tied to bowel episodes.
๐ฆ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐ฆ / ๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ฆ
โข The VA rates sinus infections, not how miserable your sinuses make you feel.
โข Personal statements help prove symptoms, but they don't prove an infection happened alone.
โข Antibiotics are some of the strongest evidence a sinus infection actually happened.
โข Sinus surgery alone does not automatically qualify you for 50%.
โข You can receive separate ratings for rhinitis and sinusitis when sinusitis causes infections and rhinitis causes obstruction or polyps.
๐ ๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ง ๐ฉ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ง
I made this list because I'm tired of seeing veterans get bad advice and waste time on evidence that doesn't actually matter.
None of this is theory. These lessons come from hundreds of Board appeals and show what the VA actually uses to approve and deny claims.
Let's speedrun the most common conditions.
๐ Save this list to potentially save yourself years of denials.
๐ง๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ง๐จ๐ฆ
โข The VA can only really disprove your tinnitus if you contradict yourself.
โข A detailed personal statement is worth its weight in gold.
โข Tinnitus CAN'T be denied solely because your hearing tests were normal. Appeal it.
โข Describe your tinnitus as better days and worse days, NOT as coming and going.
โข You must state exactly what caused your tinnitus and when the ringing began.
๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ๐ก๐๐
โข Forget direct service connection if you weren't diagnosed in service.
โข A lot of sleep apnea claims get denied at the C&P exam no matter how strong they are.
โข A nexus letter that rules out alternative causes and attacks a negative C&P opinion is worth its weight in gold.
โข Be VERY clear whether you're arguing causation or aggravation before you file the claim.
โข Be prepared to win at the Board, not the Regional Office (and collect years of back pay).
๐ฃ๐ง๐ฆ๐
โข The VA cares far more about functional impairment than your symptom checklist.
โข The fastest way to tank a C&P exam is to downplay your symptoms.
โข Symptoms explain your impairment. They don't prove it.
โข The VA will often point to your job or relationship as evidence you aren't 100%.
โข Suicidal ideation does not require a plan, intent, or suicide attempt.
๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฆ
โข The VA doesn't rate painful migraines. The VA rates migraines that force you to stop functioning.
โข Prostrating means you have to stop what you're doing, not that your head hurts really bad.
โข Your migraine claim cannot be denied just because medication helps. Appeal it.
โข Most migraine claims are won by a detailed log showing the difference between normal migraines and prostrating attacks.
โข Don't say migraines make work harder. Explain exactly what they stop you from doing.
๐๐๐ฆ
โข The VA rates how often bowel episodes cause pain, not just how many symptoms you have.
โข Diarrhea alone does not get you 30%.
โข Consistently reporting the same bowel episode frequency is 90% of an IBS claim.
โข A private DBQ won't save a claim if your symptom history is inconsistent.
โข Pain alone means nothing unless it's tied to bowel episodes.
๐ฆ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐ฆ / ๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ฆ
โข The VA rates sinus infections, not how miserable your sinuses make you feel.
โข Personal statements help prove symptoms, but they don't prove an infection happened alone.
โข Antibiotics are some of the strongest evidence a sinus infection actually happened.
โข Sinus surgery alone does not automatically qualify you for 50%.
โข You can receive separate ratings for rhinitis and sinusitis when sinusitis causes infections and rhinitis causes obstruction or polyps.