5 conditions · Claim tips · C&P prep

Condition Guides

Detailed guides for the most commonly claimed VA disabilities — how to file, what evidence you need, secondary conditions to include, and how to prepare for your C&P exam.

Guides

Find Your Condition

Each guide covers symptoms, how to claim, secondary conditions, C&P exam tips, key evidence, and resources. Select a condition to get the full guide.

Mental Health

PTSD, MST, anxiety, depression, and related conditions

PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)

PTSD is one of the most commonly rated VA disabilities. Roughly 1 in 3 veterans who served in a combat zone experience PTSD symptoms.

PTSD develops after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event during military service. The VA rates PTSD at 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, or 100% based on how much it affects your work and social life. You do not need a combat deployment to qualify — any in-service trauma counts, including accidents, assaults, and witnessing injuries or death.

Content note: This section discusses sexual trauma. Read at your own pace. If you need support, call the Veterans Crisis Line (988, press 1) or the DoD Safe Helpline (opens in new tab).

MST (Military Sexual Trauma)

MST is more common than many realize. The VA reports that about 1 in 3 women and 1 in 50 men experienced MST during their service. These numbers may underrepresent actual rates due to unreported incidents.

Military Sexual Trauma (MST) refers to sexual assault or repeated, threatening sexual harassment that occurred during military service. The VA has relaxed evidence standards for MST claims — you do not need to have reported the incident during service, and the VA accepts a wider range of evidence. Your privacy is protected throughout the claims process. MST can lead to PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other conditions, all of which can be service-connected.

Physical / Musculoskeletal

Joint pain, back injuries, TBI, and chronic pain

TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury)

TBI is sometimes called the "signature wound" of post-9/11 conflicts. Over 450,000 service members have been diagnosed with TBI since 2000, mostly from blast exposure and IED incidents.

Traumatic Brain Injury occurs from a blow, jolt, or penetrating injury to the head during service. TBI can range from mild concussions to severe brain damage. The VA rates TBI based on 10 different facets including memory, concentration, judgment, social interaction, orientation, motor activity, visual-spatial orientation, communication, consciousness, and neurobehavioral effects. Many veterans with TBI also qualify for secondary conditions.

Joint Pain & Musculoskeletal Conditions

Musculoskeletal conditions are among the most commonly rated VA disabilities. Back pain, knee pain, and shoulder injuries are in the top 10 most claimed conditions. Years of carrying heavy gear, running on hard surfaces, and physical training take a toll.

Joint pain and musculoskeletal conditions include back pain (lumbar spine), knee conditions, shoulder injuries, ankle and foot problems, neck pain (cervical spine), and hip conditions. The VA rates these based on limitation of range of motion, pain, instability, and functional impairment. Each joint is rated separately, so you should claim every affected joint individually. The bilateral factor gives you a small rating boost when the same condition affects both sides of your body (e.g., both knees).

Hearing & Sensory

Hearing loss, tinnitus, and related conditions

Hearing Loss & Tinnitus

Tinnitus is the #1 most claimed VA disability, and hearing loss is #2. Together they affect over 2.5 million veterans receiving VA compensation. Noise exposure from weapons, engines, aircraft, and explosions is the primary cause.

Military service exposes you to hazardous noise levels from weapons fire, aircraft, vehicles, machinery, and explosions. Hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing, buzzing, or hissing in the ears) are often claimed together. Tinnitus is typically rated at 10% (the maximum schedular rating). Hearing loss is rated based on audiometric testing results. Even if your hearing test at discharge was "normal," you can still file — hearing damage from noise exposure can worsen over time.

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Claim every condition — even the small ones

Many veterans only file for their most obvious condition and miss secondary conditions that could significantly increase their rating. For example, if you have PTSD, you may also qualify for sleep apnea, migraines, and GERD — each rated separately. Check the “Secondary Conditions” section in each guide above.

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Consider working with a VSO

A Veterans Service Organization (VSO) can help you file claims for these conditions at no cost. They know which evidence works best and can help you prepare for C&P exams. Find a VSO near you → (opens in new tab)

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Is it too late to file?

No. There is no deadline to file a VA disability claim. Veterans have successfully filed first claims decades after separation. If your condition is connected to your service, you can file at any time.

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