When a decision grants service connection but rates the condition at 0%, and you have new evidence that speaks to how severe the condition actually is (or was) at the time of that decision, the correct vehicle is generally a Supplemental Claim, using VA Form 20-0995, not a freestanding claim for increase. A Supplemental Claim requires "new and relevant" evidence and allows VA to reconsider the rating based on that evidence. Because it is filed in direct response to a prior decision, filing it within one year of that decision can preserve your effective date back to the original claim under the continuous pursuit rules in 38 CFR 3.2500 and 38 USC 5110, which is often more advantageous than starting over.
A claim for increase is the right tool when a condition has genuinely worsened since the rating decision was made, independent of any evidence that existed at the time. If your new evidence shows the migraines were already more disabling than 0% reflects, but VA simply didn't have or didn't properly weigh that evidence, a Supplemental Claim is the more accurate path, since it directly challenges the adequacy of the prior rating rather than treating this as a fresh worsening.
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 →Since you already went through a Higher-Level Review, which does not allow submission of new evidence, moving to a Supplemental Claim makes sense procedurally as your next option, because it is specifically designed for cases where new evidence has since come to light. You still retain the option of appealing to the Board of Veterans' Appeals (VA Form 10182) if you'd rather have a Veterans Law Judge review the file, but that route does not require new evidence and can take considerably longer, especially if you request a hearing.
Outcomes for a 0% rating being increased vary significantly based on the strength and specificity of the new medical evidence, particularly documentation of migraine frequency, duration, and whether they are prostrating, since VA's rating schedule for migraines is largely built around those factors. There is no way to predict with certainty how a given piece of evidence will be weighed, so focus on obtaining detailed, dated medical records or a buddy statement describing frequency and severity.
As a concrete next step, gather your new evidence, complete VA Form 20-0995 identifying the migraine rating as the issue you're disputing, and submit it as soon as possible to help preserve your original effective date.
Need a deeper analysis?
Our AI checks your situation against outcome data from 1,900,000+ Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) decisions (1992–2025).
Analyze Your Claim FreeVetAid is a free veterans claims tool, not a VA-accredited representative — it does not file anything with VA for you, and it works alongside your accredited VSO, claims agent or attorney. About VetAid