Many veterans are rated for one condition and never realize that other problems linked to it can also be service-connected. Under 38 CFR 3.310, a condition can be granted as "secondary" if it is caused or aggravated by an already service-connected disability. Common examples include tinnitus and hearing loss tied to in-service noise exposure, headaches or migraines linked to PTSD, sleep disturbance, or medication side effects, erectile dysfunction connected to PTSD medications or other service-connected conditions, sinusitis or respiratory issues from documented in-service exposures, and skin conditions such as scars from surgeries for skin cancers that may be tied to sun exposure, herbicide exposure, or other verified service circumstances.
Each of these requires its own evidentiary foundation: a current diagnosis, evidence of the underlying service-connected condition, and a medical nexus opinion linking the two. A private or VA treating provider can often supply this nexus statement, and Disability Benefit Questionnaires (DBQs) are frequently used to document the connection in the format VA reviewers expect. New claims or claims for additional conditions are typically filed on VA Form 21-526EZ, and if a claim was already decided and denied, a veteran can file a Supplemental Claim (VA Form 20-0995) with new and relevant evidence, or a Higher-Level Review (VA Form 20-0996) if no new evidence is needed but the veteran believes the original decision misapplied the law or facts.
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 |
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Analyze my claim free →It's also worth understanding that added conditions do not simply stack on top of each other; VA uses the Combined Ratings Table under 38 CFR 4.25, so a veteran's overall percentage rises in a step-down fashion rather than by straight addition, which is why accumulating several secondary conditions with even modest individual ratings can meaningfully raise a combined rating over time.
In the appealed VA decisions in VetAid's library, PTSD-related appeals were vacated or remanded 52% of the time versus 27% affirmed, and hearing loss appeals were vacated or remanded 49% of the time versus 29% affirmed — though these figures describe outcomes only for cases that were already appealed, not the odds of success on an initial claim, and appealed cases are not representative of all claims filed.
The concrete next step is to request copies of service treatment records and current medical records, discuss with a treating provider whether any current diagnoses could be linked to an already-rated condition, and file a claim or supplemental claim with a supporting nexus opinion for each condition being newly claimed.
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