We Answer Your VA Disability Questions from Reddit

Hello, I’m Robert Hoffman with Veterans Guide. I’m here to answer your VA disability questions from Reddit.

How Does VA Disability Work?

This question is from Ok_Nail. They ask “How does VA disability work?”

VA disability starts with the intent to file or filing for your initial claim for your disability or disabilities. You can also file for an individual rating to be readjusted if you feel like your condition has worsened or you feel like they haven’t properly evaluated you. When you file that, if they decide that you are at a certain percentage, you can also file an appeal to that initial claim. You then go see a VA doctor. The VA doctor will look at all your conditions or your condition and then give you a justification as far as what they diagnose or see. And then from there it’s given a percentage and then all those percentages are combined or you get an individual percentage for a singular disability and then that percentage is what you receive for your disability compensation from the VA.

My VA Claim for Tinnitus Was Denied. Now What?

This question comes from Slight_Possible_4186. They ask: “My VA claim for tinnitus was denied. Now what?”

Now you submit a new claim or you file for an appeal. Tinnitus currently needs to be associated with another condition in order for it to be approved. If you need help with this, reach out to Veterans Guide. We’re here to help you.

Is a Private Doctor’s Diagnosis Enough for My VA Claim, or Do I Need To See a VA Doctor?

This question comes from DaWorldsSoSensitive and he asked: “Will submitting a record of my private doctor diagnosis be enough or will I have to see a VA doctor with records in hand?”

A medical doctor letter that you would receive, which is also called a nexus letter, would help validate what your claim is going to be during the appeal process, but you will still be seen by a VA doctor. That is a consistent process. That will always happen when filing a claim or submitting for an appeal.

Doesn’t Everyone Get Tinnitus Approved?

So this question is from MasterJack-0_o. “Does everyone get tinnitus approved?”

Currently the changes went in and you need to have tinnitus associated with something else on top of it in order to get tinnitus approved in your VA disability claim.

How Do I Prepare for a VA Disability Reevaluation?

So this question comes from a user that we do not know. “How do I prepare for an eventual reevaluation of my VA disability percentage?”

The best way to prepare for this is either do your research, have your nexus letter from your doctors and be prepared to go into the VA doctors and explain how your conditions have worsened. Also having a letter from family members or coworkers that worked with you that seen you experience these conditions.

Or you can reach out to Veterans Guide and seek an advocate that’s willing to help you go through this process because it’s a very lengthy and strenuous process and they can pretty much streamline the process for you and help you get what you need.

Will My VA Claim Be Backdated to the Day I Applied, Even if It Takes Two Years?

This question is from Grouchy-Handle300. He asks: “Even if the VA takes two years to finalize my claim, will it be back paid to the day I applied?”

The simple answer is yes, it will be back paid to the day that you applied.

Or you can file an intent to file a letter that’s in the VA and that can also suffice as before you submit your claim and your appeal process and you can be back paid till that date. We here at Veterans Guide have a calculator that calculates the back pay on our website. So please visit us at VeteransGuide.org and help yourself out.

How Hard Is It To Get a VA Disability Rating?

This question is from Heavy_Preference_251 he asked: “How hard is it to get a VA disability rating?”

It’s not hard to get a VA disability rating. It’s very hard to do the process to get a VA disability rating. You have to file the paperwork. You have to submit all the proper documentation. Ensure that when you visit the VA doctor that you are expressing the experiences that you’re dealing with in a manner that relates to you receiving a disability condition.

Do I Need My Medical Records for VA Disability?

This question is from Win_98SE. “Do I need my medical records for VA disability?”

You 1000% need your VA medical records for your disability stuff. Whether it’s during service, after service, a medical doctor that you’ve seen or a VA doctor. You are going to need medical records proving that you have this condition and the biggest part is relating it back to service connected. As long as you can correlate whatever condition you have back to service connected, it will be a VA disability that you can earn a percentage on.

Should I Submit My Social Security Disability Approval Letter to the VA for My Claim?

This question is from Grouchy-Handle300. He asked: “Should I submit my Social Security disability approval letter to the VA to help persuade them on my pending claim?”

The Social Security Disability will not benefit you when filing a VA claim. Social Security Disability could be non-related to your service connection. So when filing from the VA you just need to have your medical records and any condition that’s related to service that will allow you to file for a claim. Only the VA disability can help persuade Social Security but not the other way around.

Will Filing for an Increase for My Back and Shoulders Affect My PTSD Rating?

This question is from USMC337, Marine guy. He asks: “If I file for an increase for my back and shoulders, should I be worried about the VA reducing my PTSD rating?”

Anytime you file a new claim or an appeal, you have to be worried about the VA, overlooking all your medical records, with a possible reduction in any VA disability claim that you have on record. They could look at it and then they could just proceed on without doing a reevaluation. So it’s a, I call it a crapshoot. You got a crapshoot when you go in. When you file for a new claim, they can decide to look at a few things. Everything, or maybe nothing at all. So you’re running a crapshoot anytime you file a new claim. But as long as you’re prepared, there should be no issues.

Tune In Next Time

Thanks for joining me today. I enjoyed reading your Reddit questions. I’m hoping to do this again with you guys in the near future. Keep a lookout for my videos. Have a great day.