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A little more clarity.
Plain-language guides, office news, and thoughts on VA claims, appeals, and life after service.
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Your VA Secure Messages Can Matter More Than You Think
A Practical Guide to Communicating With Your Doctors and Protecting the Medical Record Behind Your VA Claim If you receive health care through VA, one of the most useful tools available to you may already be sitting on your phone. Secure messaging through VA.gov and the VA health care system lets you communicate directly with members of your VA health care team. Most veterans probably think of it as a convenient way to ask about a prescription, request an appointment, or send
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Aug 98 min read
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How to Get a VA Nexus Letter
One of the most important pieces of evidence in many VA disability claims is the nexus letter. A nexus letter is a medical opinion that explains the connection between a veteran’s current medical condition and military service. Without a clear nexus, the VA may conclude that the condition is not service connected, even when the veteran strongly believes the connection exists. What a Nexus Letter Does A nexus letter explains how a current condition is related to military servi
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Mar 152 min read
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What Evidence Does the VA Need to Approve a Disability Claim?
Many veterans assume that filing a VA disability claim simply requires explaining what happened during military service and describing current symptoms. In reality, the Department of Veterans Affairs evaluates claims based on specific types of evidence. Understanding what evidence the VA looks for can help veterans build stronger claims and avoid some of the most common reasons for denial. The Three Core Elements of a VA Disability Claim For direct service connection, VA gene
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Mar 153 min read
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Three Key Elements of Direct VA Service Connection
Many veterans believe that if they developed a medical condition during or after military service, the Department of Veterans Affairs will automatically grant disability compensation. Unfortunately, the VA claims process is more complicated than that. For direct service connection, VA generally looks for a current disability, an in-service disease or injury, and a link between them. Presumptive and secondary service connection have different evidentiary routes; not every clai
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Mar 154 min read
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