The Intent to File (VA Form 21-0966) is a one-page form that takes 5 minutes to complete. It locks in your effective date — the date from which VA calculates your back pay. If your claim is approved 6 months after you file Intent to File, you get 6 months of back pay from your intent date. If you never filed Intent to File, back pay only goes back to your actual claim date.
The difference can be thousands of dollars. A veteran rated 70% ($1,759/month) who filed Intent to File 12 months before their claim was decided gets $21,108 in back pay. Without Intent to File, they get $0.
Many veterans file claims based on their medical records alone, hoping VA will connect the dots between their service and their disability. VA will not do this for you. You need a written medical opinion — a nexus letter — that says "it is at least as likely as not" that your condition is related to your military service.
Without a nexus letter, VA will schedule a C&P exam, and the examiner may write an unfavorable opinion. Having your own nexus letter shifts the burden of proof in your favor.
Veterans often claim their "main" condition and ignore secondary or less obvious conditions. This is a costly mistake. VA uses the "whole person" combined rating method — adding 10% to your existing rating is worth far less than adding a separate condition with its own 10-30% rating.
Common missed conditions: tinnitus (10% flat rate — nearly universal among veterans), sleep apnea, back pain, knee or shoulder issues, scars, migraines, and mental health conditions secondary to physical disabilities.
The Compensation and Pension exam is VA's medical evaluation of your claim. Veterans often unconsciously minimize symptoms during the exam — they dress nicely, maintain composure, and describe how well they're managing. The examiner then rates them based on how they appeared at the exam, not on their worst days.
C&P exams determine the rating for millions of veterans every year. A single unfavorable C&P exam can result in a lower rating — or a denial — that takes years to overturn.
Secondary service connection allows you to claim conditions caused or worsened by a service-connected disability. For example: if you have a service-connected knee injury and it's changed how you walk, causing hip or back pain — that back pain may be secondary to your knee. If you have PTSD and it's causing alcohol dependency — that dependency may be secondary. If you have diabetes from Agent Orange and it's caused peripheral neuropathy — that's secondary.
VA must consider lay evidence — statements from people who know you and can observe your symptoms. Many veterans file claims with only medical records and no buddy statements. This misses an opportunity to paint a complete picture of how your disabilities affect your daily life.
Buddy statements from family members, fellow veterans, friends, and coworkers who can describe your symptoms, behavioral changes, and functional limitations carry real weight in VA decisions.
VA often issues initial ratings that are lower than they should be. Studies show that veterans who appeal their first decision frequently receive higher ratings. Yet most veterans accept their initial rating decision and move on.
The BVA (Board of Veterans' Appeals) grants claims at a rate of 30-40% — meaning nearly 1 in 3 appeals are won. Higher level reviews succeed at even higher rates when new evidence is submitted.
Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU) allows veterans to receive 100% compensation ($3,737/month) even with a combined rating below 100%. If you're rated at 60%+ (or 40%+ with one condition) and can't maintain gainful employment due to service-connected conditions, you may qualify for TDIU.
TDIU is one of the most valuable — and most underused — benefits available. Many eligible veterans never apply because they don't know it exists.
After a VA rating decision, you have exactly one year to take action. After that, the decision becomes final and your options are much more limited. Many veterans receive a rating they disagree with, intend to appeal "later," and miss the window entirely.
VA claims are complex. Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) — like the DAV, VFW, American Legion, and others — provide free, accredited claims assistance. Many veterans who file alone make avoidable errors that an experienced VSO officer would catch immediately.
Accredited claims agents and attorneys also work on contingency (no win, no fee) — they only get paid if you win a higher rating from an appeal. There's no risk in getting professional help.
Our free tool walks you through every step of the claims process — starting with Intent to File to protect your effective date.
File Intent to File First →