Yes, this can happen, and it catches many veterans off guard. When you file a supplemental claim for increase, the VA is required to review the entire claims file, not just the new evidence you submitted. If the new C&P exam, or older evidence already in the file, suggests your current symptoms no longer meet the criteria for your existing rating, the rating activity can propose a reduction even though you were only asking for more money, not less.
Proposed reductions are governed by 38 CFR 3.105(e) and, for ratings in effect five years or more, by 38 CFR 3.344 (which requires evidence of sustained material improvement under ordinary conditions of life, not just a single exam showing fewer symptoms on that day). A proposed reduction is not final — it is a notice that gives you time, typically 60 days, to submit evidence showing why the rating should stay the same, and the right to request a hearing within 30 days to keep your current rating and payment level in place while the process plays out.
Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.
Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.
| Rating | Monthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
Does your rating decision hold up under a real audit?
Upload your decision letter and C&P exams — VetAid's analyzer reads the full file, checks every examiner statement word-for-word against your records, and shows which arguments for a higher rating actually hold. Free, and we never take a cut of your back pay.
Analyze my claim free →An examiner noting findings unrelated to the condition being evaluated (such as lumbar spine range of motion) does not by itself justify reducing a migraine rating, which is rated under 38 CFR 4.124a, Diagnostic Code 8100, based on frequency and severity of prostrating attacks. It's worth requesting a copy of the actual DBQ and exam report to see exactly what findings the rating decision relied on — sometimes unrelated data gets pulled in from a general medical exam and mischaracterized in the decision narrative, and sometimes the rater misapplied it.
Separately, in the appealed VA decisions in VetAid's library, when reduction or denial decisions are appealed, about 46% are vacated or remanded and 36% are affirmed — though that reflects appellate outcomes on cases that were already contested, not the odds for any single claim, and those cases aren't a random sample of all decisions.
The concrete next step is to request the C&P exam report and rating decision worksheet, and if you disagree, submit evidence and request a hearing within the 30-day window to keep your current rating protected while you respond.
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