The VA has broad authority to schedule periodic re-examinations for service-connected disabilities under 38 CFR 3.327, especially when the condition is not considered static or permanent. This is separate from your original C&P exam and can be requested even years after a rating is granted if a treating VA provider raises doubt about current severity.
Refusing to attend or fully participate in a scheduled re-examination carries real risk. Under 38 CFR 3.655, if you fail without good cause to report for or cooperate with a required exam, the VA can proceed to decide the claim based on the evidence of record, which for an increase or continuance review often means proposing a reduction or, in some cases, discontinuance of the rating. Refusing a specific test at a specific exam could be treated similarly to refusing the exam itself, so this is a significant decision that should not be made without strong justification and documentation.
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 →Before any reduction takes effect, the VA is required to follow due process under 38 CFR 3.105(e): you must be notified in writing of the proposed reduction, given at least 60 days to submit evidence showing why the rating should not be reduced, and given the right to request a personal hearing. If a reduction is finalized, you can challenge it through a Higher-Level Review (VA Form 20-0996), a Supplemental Claim with new evidence (VA Form 20-0995), or an appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals (VA Form 10182).
Rather than refusing the new neurologist's exam outright, it is usually safer to attend and bring your own documentation, request that your longstanding treatment records and headache diary/logs be considered, and ask the examiner to review your full claims file. If you believe the exam itself is inadequate or the examiner lacks relevant expertise, you can raise that concern in writing to the VA and request a different examiner, rather than declining participation entirely, since an inadequate exam can be challenged after the fact but an outright refusal is harder to defend.
The concrete next step is to contact the VA in writing before the appointment, explain your concerns about the exam and request accommodation or a different examiner, while still attending and providing all supporting medical evidence to protect your current rating.
Need a deeper analysis?
Our AI checks your situation against outcome data from 1,300,000+ Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) decisions (2009–2025).
Analyze Your Claim Free