Veteran FAQs

Initial claims currently average four to six months, though complex claims with multiple conditions or missing evidence take longer. The biggest delay driver you control is response time — answer VA letters immediately and get requested records in early.

Yes, with one exception: veterans receiving TDIU (unemployability) cannot maintain substantially gainful employment. Standard schedular ratings — including 100% — have no work restrictions and no income limits.

Filing for a new condition doesn't re-open existing ratings. A claim for increase on an existing condition does prompt a fresh look at that condition, so make sure your records support worsening before you file.

Service-connected means the VA has formally linked a condition to your service, which pays monthly compensation. Non-service-connected pension is a separate, income-based benefit for wartime veterans.

Yes. Tinnitus rates at 10% ($179.31/month in 2026 — over $2,100/year) and is one of the most commonly granted conditions. It also anchors secondary claims like hearing loss or sleep disturbance.

No — and attorneys legally cannot charge for initial claims. Accredited VSOs (DAV, VFW, American Legion, state veteran departments) prepare and file claims for free. Paid help only makes sense at the appeal stage, and even then VSOs remain free.

A nexus letter is a medical opinion connecting your condition to service, ideally stating it is 'at least as likely as not' service-connected. You need one whenever the link isn't obvious from your records — it's often the difference between approval and denial.

For certain service periods and locations — Vietnam-era Agent Orange, Gulf War, post-9/11 burn pits under the PACT Act — the VA presumes the connection, so you skip the nexus requirement entirely. You still need a current diagnosis.

Yes. Approved claims pay retroactively to your effective date — usually the date you filed or your Intent to File date. That's why filing an ITF early matters so much.

You can file a Supplemental Claim at any time with new and relevant evidence. If your condition is now presumptive under the PACT Act, that change itself supports reopening. Denials aren't permanent.

VA compensation is tax-free and doesn't reduce Social Security. Military retirees may see offsets unless they qualify for CRDP (50%+ rating) or CRSC — worth checking your specific situation with a VSO.

Log in at VA.gov and select 'Check your claim status,' or use the VA Health & Benefits mobile app. You'll see the current phase, estimated completion window, and any items the VA is waiting on.