VA disability benefits guides, ratings, appeals, and state programs for U.S. veterans. https://claim.vet/feed/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z claim.vet Editorial Team © 2026 claim.vet https://claim.vet/favicon.svg https://claim.vet/blog/va-home-loan-second-tier-entitlement/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

VA loan entitlement is the dollar amount VA guarantees to a lender if a veteran defaults on their VA loan. This guarantee is what allows lenders to offer VA loans with no down payment — they have the federal government backstopping 25% of the loan amount.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/nexus-letter-vs-dbq-which-do-you-need/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical provides both Independent Medical Opinions (nexus letters) and DBQ-equivalent examinations — completed by board-certified physicians who understand VA adjudication standards and rating criteria.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/how-to-get-second-medical-opinion-va-claim/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical provides Independent Medical Opinions and Examinations from board-certified physicians who specialize in VA claims. They review your complete file, conduct clinical evaluations, and produce opinions that hold up at the rating level, BVA, and CAVC.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-atrial-fibrillation/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical connects veterans with board-certified cardiologists who understand VA adjudication standards. Whether you need a direct or secondary nexus opinion for atrial fibrillation, their specialists review your cardiac records and Holter data to produce medically defensible nexus letters.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/nexus-letter-sleep-apnea/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical specializes in VA nexus letters for sleep apnea. Their specialists review your sleep study, CPAP records, and PTSD/TBI history to produce individualized opinions that meet VA evidentiary standards.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/burn-pit-registry-ahobpr-guide/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

The Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry (AHOBPR) is a VA-maintained database established by Congress under 38 U.S.C. § 527 to track the long-term health of veterans and service members who were exposed to airborne hazards during military deployments. Administered by VA's Office of Public Health, the registry collects detailed information about:

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-ankylosing-spondylitis/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical rheumatology and spine specialists document AS service connection, ROM limitation, and systemic manifestations in nexus letters covering DC 5240 rating criteria.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/melanoma-va-claim-pact-act/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical works with board-certified dermatologists and oncologists who understand VA adjudication standards for skin cancer claims. If you're pursuing direct service connection via sun exposure — not just the PACT Act presumptive — a nexus letter is essential.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/breast-cancer-va-disability-women-veterans-pact-act/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

Breast cancer is a deeply personal diagnosis. This guide provides factual, practical information about VA benefits — rating criteria, claim procedures, legal pathways. We've aimed for straightforward language that respects the complexity of what you're going through. If any section feels too clinical or misses your experience, know that your individual claim deserves individualized support from a VA-accredited representative who understands women veterans' health.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-scar-tissue-keloid/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical connects veterans with dermatologists and plastic surgeons who can provide thorough evaluations documenting every qualifying scar — painful, unstable, area-based — with the precise measurements and nexus documentation VA needs for each DC code.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-100-percent-free-dental-eligibility/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

A 100% schedular rating means the combined value of your service-connected conditions, calculated using VA's mathematical combination formula, reaches exactly 100% under the VA Rating Schedule in 38 CFR Part 4. For example: a veteran with PTSD at 70%, right knee at 30%, and tinnitus at 10% might combine to a 100% schedular rating.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-pilonidal-cyst/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

A pilonidal cyst is a cystic structure that develops in the cleft at the top of the buttocks (the natal cleft / sacrococcygeal area). The cyst contains hair, debris, and skin cells and typically has one or more openings (sinuses) to the skin surface. When infected — which is common — the cyst becomes an abscess that causes:

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-trigger-finger-de-quervains/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical connects veterans with hand surgeons and orthopedic specialists who understand VA rating criteria for hand and wrist tenosynovitis conditions, including the specific ROM measurements and functional assessments needed for DC 5228–5230 claims.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/cp-exam-examiner-rude-biased-what-to-do/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical's specialists can review the C&P DBQ and produce a private IMO that directly addresses the examiner's inadequate rationale — providing the reasoned analysis that VA examiner failed to provide.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-macular-degeneration/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical connects veterans with ophthalmologists experienced in providing aggravation and nexus opinions for age-related macular degeneration — the key document most denied AMD claims are missing.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-form-21-4138-personal-statement-guide/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

Critically, personal statements are not limited to the official form. Many veterans submit their personal statement as a typed letter or narrative document attached to their claim — this is fully acceptable. The key legal requirements are that the statement be signed, dated, and submitted as part of the official claim package. Using the official form or referencing it in your submission helps ensure proper tracking, but the substance of the statement is what matters.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/nexus-letter-depression-secondary-tbi/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical includes neuropsychiatrists and psychiatrists who specialize in TBI-related mood disorders and understand VA's rating framework. They can distinguish organic mood disorder from reactive depression and produce an IMO that supports separate ratings for TBI and MDD.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/nexus-letter-back-pain/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical works with orthopedic surgeons and physiatrists who understand VA adjudication standards for musculoskeletal conditions. Their specialists review your imaging, ROM measurements, and service history to produce nexus letters that address the specific DC code criteria.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/nexus-letter-hypertension-secondary-sleep-apnea/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical includes cardiologists and sleep medicine specialists who can provide secondary-condition IMOs connecting hypertension to service-connected sleep apnea. They review your polysomnography, BP records, and medication history to produce a credible, detailed opinion.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-housebound-benefit-guide/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

For context within the broader SMC framework, see our complete guide to Special Monthly Compensation. Aid and Attendance (SMC-L) and higher levels require more severe functional impairment than Housebound but follow similar application processes.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-form-21-8940-tdiu-guide/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

TDIU is governed by 38 CFR § 4.16, which establishes two pathways to eligibility. Understanding which pathway applies to you is the first step to completing Form 21-8940 effectively.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-bunion-hallux-valgus/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical connects veterans with foot and ankle specialists who understand VA rating criteria for hallux valgus, post-surgical residuals, and secondary foot conditions. Get the documentation your claim needs.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/gulf-war-syndrome-december-2026-deadline/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

The current symptom manifestation deadline under 38 CFR § 3.317 is December 31, 2026. Even if the deadline is later extended, filing before December 2026 locks in your effective date and protects your claim. Veterans who wait until the deadline approaches may face processing backlogs. Do not wait — file now.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-peripheral-artery-disease/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical connects veterans with vascular medicine specialists and internists who understand VA's DC 7114 criteria. Whether you need a direct or secondary nexus for peripheral artery disease, their providers can review your ABI studies and vascular records to produce a medically defensible opinion.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-degenerative-disc-disease/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical specialists craft nexus letters for degenerative disc disease that address the military occupational mechanisms of accelerated disc degeneration and meet DC 5242/5243 rating criteria.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/endometriosis-va-disability-women-veterans-mst/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

This guide discusses military sexual trauma (MST) in the context of VA claims. If reading about MST triggers distress, please know you can contact the Veterans Crisis Line (dial 988, press 1) at any time. The VA also has designated MST Coordinators at every VA facility who can help with both clinical care and claims navigation — no prior report required.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-achilles-tendon/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical connects veterans with orthopedic specialists who understand VA adjudication standards for ankle and tendon conditions. A strong nexus letter documents limited ROM, painful motion, and the connection to specific in-service activities.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/kidney-cancer-va-claim-pact-act/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical works with physicians experienced in urologic oncology VA claims. They can document your diagnosis, treatment history, and residual kidney function to support the maximum rating — including the crucial six-month post-treatment review and secondary conditions like hypertension and chronic kidney disease.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/pact-act-burn-pit-medical-evidence-matters/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical includes pulmonologists, oncologists, and other specialists who can provide the diagnostic and severity documentation that PACT Act claims require — including IMOs for secondary conditions not covered by the presumptive.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/korea-dmz-agent-orange-veteran-claims/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

Korean DMZ veterans who meet the service criteria receive the full VA Agent Orange presumptive conditions list under 38 CFR § 3.307(a)(6)(iv) — the same list as Vietnam-era veterans. This includes cancers, ischemic heart disease, Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes, and all conditions added by the PACT Act of 2022. If you served in Korea during the qualifying period in a qualifying unit, you do not need a nexus letter or direct proof of herbicide exposure.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-sjogrens-syndrome/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical connects veterans with rheumatologists who understand Sjögren's multi-system presentation and how to document each manifestation for VA rating purposes — including secondary claims from lupus or RA.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-tmj-jaw-injuries/ 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z 2026-07-20T03:15:57Z

REE Medical specialists document TMJ disorders including blast-related TMJ, jaw opening limitation, and the connection to TBI and PTSD in nexus letters addressing DC 9905 criteria.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/pcos-va-disability-women-veterans/ 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a complex endocrine and metabolic disorder characterized by at least two of three diagnostic criteria (Rotterdam criteria): irregular or absent menstrual cycles (oligo/anovulation), elevated androgen levels or clinical signs of androgen excess (hirsutism, acne, alopecia), and polycystic ovaries on ultrasound. It affects 8–13% of reproductive-age individuals assigned female at birth — and its prevalence is higher among women with PTSD, metabolic syndrome, and obesity.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-kidney-stones/ 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z

REE Medical connects veterans with urologists and nephrologists who understand the Southwest Asia dehydration link to nephrolithiasis and can provide nexus letters that survive VA scrutiny.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/brown-water-navy-va-claim/ 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z

The term "Brown Water Navy" emerged during the Vietnam War to describe U.S. Navy and Coast Guard operations on Vietnam's inland waterways — rivers, canals, tributaries, and the complex network of waterways in the Mekong Delta and other regions. The "brown water" designation comes from the turbid, sediment-laden appearance of these inland waterways, distinguishing them from the blue waters of the open ocean where the "Blue Water Navy" operated.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/thyroid-cancer-va-disability-claim/ 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z

Unlike most cancers where veterans must choose a single presumptive basis, thyroid cancer veterans may have access to two separate legal pathways depending on their service history. The key is identifying which applies to you — or whether both apply and which creates the most favorable effective date for your benefits.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-lumbar-radiculopathy/ 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z

REE Medical specialists document radiculopathy severity using clinical exam findings, EMG correlation, and nerve-level analysis that maps directly to VA's paralysis grading scale.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/nexus-letter-ibs-secondary-ptsd/ 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z

REE Medical includes gastroenterologists and psychiatrists who can provide secondary-condition IMOs connecting IBS to service-connected PTSD. They review your full medical records and explain the gut-brain axis mechanism in terms VA adjudicators accept.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-spinal-stenosis/ 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z

REE Medical spine specialists document ROM limitation, neurogenic claudication, radiculopathy, and myelopathy in nexus letters designed to address DC 5238 criteria directly.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-allergic-rhinitis/ 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z

The critical observation: under DC 6522, polyps are the gateway to a 30% rating. A veteran with severe, debilitating allergic rhinitis without polyps maxes out at 10%. A veteran with even mild rhinitis who has developed nasal polyps is rated at 30%. This is why it's essential to get a thorough ENT evaluation — nasal polyps can develop without dramatic symptoms and may not be visible without nasal endoscopy.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-pension-vs-disability-rates-2026/ 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z

The practical implication: compensation rewards service-connected sacrifice regardless of wealth. Pension is a safety net for wartime veterans who are aging or disabled and have limited financial resources.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/camp-lejeune-family-member-va-benefits/ 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z

If you are reading this as a surviving family member — someone who lost a spouse, a child, or a sibling to a Camp Lejeune-related illness — we acknowledge that navigating bureaucratic systems while grieving is profoundly difficult. This guide aims to be a clear, respectful resource. Surviving family members may still have claims available to them on behalf of deceased loved ones. You are not alone in this.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-cervical-radiculopathy/ 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z

REE Medical specialists document cervical radiculopathy using nerve root level analysis, EMG correlation, and clinical severity grading aligned with VA's DC 8510-8515 paralysis scale.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/gulf-war-registry-exam-guide/ 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z

The Gulf War Registry exam is completely free to eligible veterans, requires no co-payment, and is voluntary — you request it rather than being ordered to attend. It is separate from your disability claims process. The findings become part of your official VA medical record, which means they can be referenced in disability claims, used to establish symptom history, and cited by private physicians who treat you. Get this exam regardless of your current claims status.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-gallbladder-cholecystitis/ 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z

VA rates gallbladder disease and biliary conditions under Diagnostic Code 7314 (Cholecystitis, chronic) in 38 CFR Part 4, Schedule for Rating Disabilities. DC 7314 falls under the digestive system section of the rating schedule (38 CFR § 4.114).

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/mild-tbi-va-disability-rating-getting-rated/ 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z

REE Medical works with neurologists and neuropsychologists who understand the 10-facet TBI rating system. Their specialists provide medical opinions that address each facet systematically — the same framework VA uses to assign your rating.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/how-to-file-pact-act-claim-2026/ 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z

The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (PACT Act) fundamentally changed how VA handles toxic exposure claims by:

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/va-disability-rating-shin-splints-medial-tibial-stress/ 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z

REE Medical connects veterans with specialists who can provide nexus letters for conditions rated by analogy — including shin splints and MTSS — with the specific medical rationale VA needs to assign a compensable rating.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/mental-health-cp-exam-second-opinion/ 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z

REE Medical includes board-certified psychiatrists with trauma specialization and veteran mental health experience. Their IMOs are designed specifically for VA's 38 CFR § 4.130 rating framework — documenting occupational and social impairment in the terms VA adjudicators require.

claim.vet Editorial Team https://claim.vet/blog/imo-vs-cp-exam-which-wins/ 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z 2026-07-20T03:15:56Z

REE Medical's specialists provide IMOs designed specifically for the VA claims environment — full file review, thorough clinical rationale, and direct rebuttal of C&P examiner reasoning where applicable.

claim.vet Editorial Team