You should understand that your Vocational Rehabilitation (Chapter 31) case and your disability compensation claim are separate but related processes, and the medical evidence you are gathering is critical for both. For your compensation claim, you are essentially seeking an increased rating or Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) under 38 CFR 4.16 if your service-connected disabilities prevent substantially gainful employment. The key is obtaining a detailed, supportive statement from your treating physician that explicitly connects your inability to perform your self-employment duties to your specific service-connected conditions, addressing the "inability to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation" as defined by law (see *Fountain v. McDonald*). This medical evidence must be submitted to support a claim for increased compensation; a Voc Rehab entitlement decision does not automatically grant TDIU. You should file a formal claim for an increased rating or TDIU (using VA Form 21-8940) and submit the doctor's statement, which should detail your functional limitations and how they preclude work, potentially aligning with the criteria for a 100% rating under diagnostic codes like those for mental disorders (DC 9440) in 38 CFR 4.130 if applicable. Your actionable next step is to immediately request this comprehensive, nexus opinion from your doctor and then file your claim with this evidence, concurrently notifying your VSO to ensure proper development.
*Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes regarding VA claims processes and is not intended as legal, medical, or official VA advice.*
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