Veteran Advocacy Articles
Analysis of VA disability law, health care policy, and how the VA system actually operates under federal law.
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When VA Conditions Worsen: Looking Beyond the Original Rating Decision
Many veterans think about worsening service-connected disabilities primarily in terms of whether they qualify for a higher rating. While increased evaluations are certainly important, worsening conditions often affect far more than a single percentage under a diagnostic code. As disabilities progress over time, veterans may gradually experience more pain, reduced mobility, declining stamina, sleep problems,…
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The VA Is Moving Faster. The Law Still Requires Clarity. What That Means for Your Claim.
When the VA denies a claim, you should know it. That sounds obvious. But under recent changes in how claims are decided, it is becoming more difficult to tell exactly what was decided—and what was not. Some decisions now move more quickly through the system. They may address one pathway clearly while leaving others less…
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Veterans Caught Between Two Agencies: VA Unemployability and Social Security Disability
VA says a veteran cannot work. Social Security may still deny the claim.This article examines how VA disability findings are evaluated in Social Security disability decisions, and what the data shows when those conclusions do not align. A veteran can be found unable to work, or individually unemployable, by the Department of Veterans Affairs and…
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Bad VA Exams Still Drive Denials — And Most Veterans Never See the Problem
It’s natural to conclude that a claim was denied because the evidence wasn’t strong enough. If the VA said no, then something must have been missing. And often enough, strengthening the case with more evidence does resolve the issue. But that’s not always what happened. There’s a distinction that gets overlooked early in the process,…
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Your VA Medical Record May Be Working Against You
What gets written in your record is not always what you said. But it is what the system uses. Once something is written into your VA medical record, it becomes part of the story used to make decisions about your care and your benefits. Most veterans assume their VA medical record reflects what actually happened…