How to Increase Your VA Disability Rating

When it makes sense to file for an increase

You can file a claim for increased compensation when a condition the VA has already service-connected has worsened since your last rating. The key word is worsened: the VA rates the current severity of your condition against a diagnostic code, so an increase claim succeeds when the evidence shows your symptoms now meet the criteria for a higher percentage than you currently hold.

Good reasons to consider filing include new or more frequent symptoms, additional treatment or medication, hospitalization, or a work impact you did not have before. If your condition is essentially unchanged, though, filing may not help — and it opens the door to a re-evaluation, discussed below.

The evidence that supports a higher rating

Rating increases are won with evidence of current severity. The strongest claims usually include:

• Recent medical records showing worsening findings, new diagnoses, or increased treatment.
• Objective testing relevant to your condition — for example, range-of-motion measurements for a back injury, a sleep study for sleep apnea, or audiology results for hearing loss.
• A statement from your treating provider tying your current symptoms to the higher rating criteria.
• Lay statements from you, family, or coworkers describing day-to-day limitations and flare-ups.

Match your evidence to the specific criteria in your condition's diagnostic code. It is not enough to feel worse — the record has to show you meet the next level up.

Understand the re-evaluation risk

This is why a candid look at your records before filing matters. If the medical picture is mixed, weigh the potential gain against the risk before you submit.

TDIU: an alternative when you can't work

Sometimes the better path is not a higher schedular rating but Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU). TDIU pays at the 100% rate even if your combined schedular rating is lower, when your service-connected conditions prevent you from maintaining substantially gainful employment.

If your condition has worsened to the point that it interferes with your ability to work, TDIU may deliver more than a modest rating bump. Learn who qualifies and how to apply on our TDIU and unemployability page, and see how ratings combine using the VA disability calculator.

Effective dates for increases

The effective date of an increase determines how much retroactive pay you receive. As a general rule, the effective date is the date the VA receives your increase claim. But there is an important exception: if the evidence shows your condition worsened within the year before you filed, the VA can assign an effective date as early as the date that increase in severity became "factually ascertainable" — up to one year back.

That makes documentation timing important. Medical records that pin down when your condition worsened can move your effective date earlier and increase your back pay. For a deeper explanation, see our effective date and back pay page.

Staged ratings

Conditions do not always worsen in a straight line, and the VA can account for that with staged ratings. A staged rating assigns different percentages for different time periods when the evidence shows the severity of your condition changed over time. For example, your records might support a 30% rating for one stretch and 50% for a later period as symptoms progressed.

Staged ratings can apply to increase claims and to appeals, and they can meaningfully affect your total retroactive award. If your condition has had clear ups and downs, make sure the VA considered whether staged ratings apply.

If your increase is denied

An increase claim that is denied or comes back too low can be challenged through the same three AMA lanes as any other decision. A Supplemental Claim or Higher-Level Review, or a Board Appeal, may be appropriate depending on whether you have new evidence. Start with our Appeal a VA Decision hub to choose the right path, and remember the one-year deadline protects your effective date.

Frequently Asked Questions