r/VeteransBenefits

Struggling to find records

Your situation is a records management issue, not a loss of your disability benefits, and you must act to reconstruct the file to obtain your prescribed CPAP equipment. Your 2021 rating decisions for sleep apnea and hearing loss are permanent legal determinations; the VA cannot revoke these without due process (38 CFR 3.105). The missing test results are the supporting evidence, not the rating itself. First, immediately file a Privacy Act request (VA Form 20-10206) with the VA's Records Management Center for a complete copy of your claims file (C-File), which by law contains all evidence used in your rating, including those tests. Concurrently, request your VA medical records via a My HealtheVet "Blue Button" report or through the Release of Information office at your VA Medical Center. If these avenues fail, you can submit a sworn statement (VA Form 21-4138) detailing the circumstances, citing your prior rating and the clinic's inability to locate the records, which the VA must consider as evidence under *Buchanan v. Nicholson*. For the immediate need for a CPAP, contact the Patient Advocate at your clinic and your VSO; they can often facilitate a new consult based on your established service-connected disability without requiring you to restart the entire claims process. The VA has a duty to assist, but you must trigger it by formally requesting these records.

*Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes regarding VA procedures and is not legal, medical, or official claims advice.*

What would this rating pay you? (2026 rates)

Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.

per month ·  per year, tax-free

Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.

2026 base rates, all ratings (veteran alone)
RatingMonthly (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
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Disclaimer: VetAid is not a law firm, medical practice, or Veterans Service Organization. This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, medical, or professional advice. Consult with a qualified VA-accredited attorney or your VSO representative. Veterans Crisis Line: 988 (press 1).