Know What to Expect When Requesting a VA Rating

When your circumstances change because your disability has worsened or you’ve developed additional disabilities related to your service, it may be time to request an increase in your VA rating.

You may have bad memories of your initial approval process that are causing you to dread or hesitate making this request. However, it is within your rights to do so and you should pursue it if you need to.

When a veteran’s disabilities worsen or multiply, it’s natural that you’d need more resources at your disposal to help you cope.

You may need to hire caretakers to perform tasks you used to be able to do on your own, or you may need to make modifications to your vehicle. You’ll need extra income as your needs increase, and the Veteran’s Administration is supposed to provide disabled vets with this assistance.

Requesting an increase in your rating means that you need to understand the requirements and what you can expect when submitting a request. Keep reading to understand the process. This article may answer your questions.

What can prompt you to request a VA increase?

You might be receiving VA benefits for a while, but then your disability becomes more severe, causing you to require an increase in benefits. The amount of pain you were experiencing some time back might increase. You may also realize that you are developing other chronic complications.

As long as you are not receiving total disability benefits, you may still be working while receiving VA Disability benefits.

Your current employer may not be giving you enough income to sustain you as your condition becomes more dire. As a result, you may realize that your current VA percentage is not adequate. That may prompt you to request for a better VA rating.

What does an increase in VA rating means?

If you are approved for the increase in your rating, you will be eligible for other healthcare benefits. These benefits will be very useful should your condition become worse in the future. A higher rating means you will also receive more compensation because your ability to support yourself decreases as your disabilities worsen.

Expect the opposite to happen

When you ask for your rating to be reviewed, one unexpected situation that you can find yourself in is your rating can decrease instead of increasing.

This could happen if the Veteran’s Administration determines that the evidence you’ve presented demonstrates that your disability is less serious than it was when you received your original rating.

Another thing you’ll need to anticipate during this process is the fact that the VA appeals process may not be as quick as you wish.

If your rating increase request is denied, you have the right to file an appeal, but you may have to wait quite a while for a verdict. A simple appeal with the VA can take years due to government bureaucracy.

Can you seek legal assistance?

While many may find it easy to request a disability increase, others may struggle with the decision because they feel like it’s hopeless.

To simplify the process and learn more about your options, you may decide to seek the help of an attorney who has experience helping veterans to get their ratings increased.

It’s not easy to predict the outcome of this process. No one can guarantee a successful outcome, but a lawyer can develop a strategy to approach your case that can increase your chances.

Your lawyer can help the process go smoothly, find evidence that proves your level of disability has increased, and apply the laws regarding VA disability to your advantage.

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