What Evidence Best Supports a Claim for Secondary Conditions?

Many veterans develop new health problems as a result of disabilities that have already been recognized by the VA. If that’s the case for you, then filing for secondary conditions VA can provide you with some additional compensation, when those issues are properly documented. A veteran’s lawyer will be able to tell you what the strongest supporting materials are in your case and help you gather and use this evidence effectively.

The Basics

To succeed, you need to establish a few basic elements that the VA requires: 

• Have a current diagnosis for the additional condition you want recognized
• Have an existing service-connected disability already on record
• Have medical evidence connecting the new condition to the service-connected disability

The VA generally looks to medical records and professional opinions to prove that final link, though statements from people who know you well can help.

How a Veteran’s Lawyer Strengthens Your Claim for Secondary Conditions VA

Gathering All Your Medical Evidence

First, your lawyer will help you get the key medical documentation you need, like:

• Notes from your VA doctors or private physicians that document when the new condition was diagnosed, what symptoms you reported, and what treatments followed
• Records showing a progression after your primary disability was already service connected
• A medical opinion letter from a doctor who knows your full history, stating that it is at least as likely as not the service-connected disability caused or aggravated the new condition

Any gaps in your care can weaken your case, so you’ll want copies of records both from older visits and recent ones that show a complete paper trail. A medical opinion letter often makes the biggest difference when it comes from a doctor who has reviewed your full history, but any letter your doctor writes needs to include their reasoning and not just a description. 

Submitting Other Documentation

In addition to general medical records, there are some specific documents your lawyer can help you prepare and submit. For example, there’s the Disability Benefits Questionnaires, which has to be completed by your treating provider. These forms give the VA standardized information about the severity and symptoms of the condition in question. 

Your lawyer can also get lay statements, or buddy statements, from your friends and family. These add context by describing the changes in your daily activities or pain levels they’ve seen and how those changes align with the timeline of your service-connected disability. 

Organizing Your Evidence

Building a solid case requires that you put all your records in chronological order so the connection becomes obvious to a rater. Taking the time to compile everything in one organized package reduces back and forth with the VA later on, and this is one of the most important things your lawyer will do. The strongest evidence in the world won’t be helpful if a busy VA rater can’t see the connections.

The right evidence presented in the right way can completely change the outcome of your VA claim. Visit the the Comerford Law Office now to request a free consultation. We’ve been serving veterans in Chicago, Jonesborough, TN and Highland, IN since 2008. 

Tags: VA Claims, VA claims attorney
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