Increase VA Disability Rating
San Diego veterans with an undesirable disability rating may need to visit the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to raise your VA disability rating. VA disability ratings will govern your monthly veteran’s disability benefit. Some people have a low rating from the beginning which could get worse over time due to having a degenerative illness or age. The slightest change in your medical history means you should get an increase in your disability rating.
Let us take into account the 2020 fundamental disability compensation. To put things into perspective someone with no dependents, the difference among a 10 percent disability rating of $142.29 and a 20 percent rating of $281.27 is $1,667.76 a year.
What is a Disability Rating?
Veterans can receive monthly disability benefits based on the harshness of their service-oriented illness or injury. When a VA claims evaluator reviews the evidence in the veterans claim, they will evaluate medical and service records before giving you a disability rating in 10 percent increments. To achieve a 100% disability rating, there will usually need to be more than one type of service-connected medical issues.
Qualifying for 100% disability rating means complete disability which will offer the veteran the largest amount of monthly payments. Once a decision is made on their disability rating, veterans may start getting benefits. Veterans with a rating of 10% or higher payments should show up within 15 days.
Why You Should Increase Your Disability Rating
The VA can lower your disability rating and compensation. The tends to schedule future reevaluations of claims because they anticipate certain conditions improving over time. As a result, the VA may lower a veterans disability rating and how much they receive for monthly benefits upon deciding the veterans’ medical conditions is better.
The VA will perform a complete evaluation of the veterans claim file and offer the veteran an opportunity to reply to the decision. You are given a chance to prove the medical condition have not improved and may be more severe than the VA proclaimed.
A VA disability rating that is under 100% and has been implemented for five years or less is considered “unprotected”. This may lead to the VA reducing your disability rating. VA disability ratings that are 100%, Total Disability based on Individual Unemployment (TDIU) or have been active for over 10 years benefit from having more protection and therefore the VA is less likely to lower the rating.
It is important that veterans know how to protect and increase their disability rating because there are times when the VA can legally overturn their decision and determine the veteran’s disability is not service-related.
Here are two ways veterans can enhance their disability rating:
- Stay up to date on all regular medical appointments set up by the VA or one of their private doctors.
- Have a knowledgeable lawyer assist in case the VA informs the veteran they intend to lower their disability rating.
Veterans in the San Antonio can rest assure Stephen Brodsky will promptly respond to any notification from the VA expressing intent to reduce your rating. Contact us so we can make sure your benefits and compensation are to your satisfaction.
Why Veterans Should Use a Lawyer
Veterans are at a high risk of failing to get the best results for their situation without an experienced attorney who knows the ins and outs of VA disability ratings. Stephen Brodsky can make sure your medical records are properly updated and show what the VA claims evaluator anticipates.
Mr. Brodsky has 27 years of experience successfully working with a number of VA cases and will assist you in seeking the best long-term disability rating for your specific service-related disability. If you are in the San Diego area, he can help you get reevaluations to enhance your VA disability rating and appeal claims decisions.
