Service-connected conditions change. When one gets worse, the VA's answer is the increased rating claim - filed through the same system as an original claim, on the VA's how to file page.
What a claim for increase is
A request for a higher evaluation on a condition that is already service connected. You are not re-proving service connection - that is settled. The question the VA answers is narrower: does the current medical evidence meet the criteria for a higher percentage under the rating schedule?
What the VA looks for
Per the VA's filing guidance, the evidence has to show worsening in the terms the rating schedule uses. For a back condition that means measured limitation of motion; for a mental health condition, the level of occupational and social impairment; for blood pressure, the readings. Our guide on how the VA assigns ratings explains how those criteria work.
The VA will usually schedule a new C&P exam to document the current severity.
Timing and the effective date
Under the VA's effective date rules, the effective date of an increase is generally the date the VA receives the claim - or the date the worsening is factually shown, if later. Filing promptly when the records already show worsening matters more than waiting for a perfect file.
One caution the process builds in
Filing for increase opens the current rating to review. If the evidence showed genuine, sustained improvement, the regulations allow a reduction - with procedural protections like notice and a chance to respond. This is why the VA and representatives alike recommend filing when the records document worsening, not before. An accredited representative can review that question with you for free.
Where veterans start
Every case is different, and there is no obligation at any step. When veterans want to understand what their records actually support, these are the two most common starting points:
- Medical records review
A licensed physician reviews your records for a $250 flat fee and identifies which conditions the available evidence may support. The fee is refunded in full if nothing supportable is identified.
- Nexus letter
When the records support one, a licensed provider writes the medical opinion that addresses the link between your condition and your service.
Documentation that supports an increase
Recent treatment records - within the past several months to a year - carry the most weight because they speak to current severity rather than the condition's history. Records showing measured findings that match the rating schedule's criteria for a higher percentage, such as documented range-of-motion measurements or symptom frequency, are more persuasive than records that simply state symptoms have worsened in general terms.
Veterans can submit their own records along with the claim for increase rather than waiting for the VA to request them, which can shorten the time the VA needs to gather evidence before scheduling an exam.
What happens after filing for an increase
A claim for increase moves through the same stages described in our step-by-step claim process guide: initial review, evidence gathering, often a new claim exam, and a rating decision. The decision letter will state the new percentage, the effective date, and - if the request is denied - the same decision review options available for any other decision.
If the evidence in the file already clearly supports the higher criteria, some increases can be decided without a new exam, based on recent treatment records alone.
Increases for conditions rated by staged criteria
Some conditions - certain mental health and skin conditions among them - are rated using criteria that already account for flare-ups or episodes rather than only a single snapshot of severity. For those conditions, the evidence supporting an increase often needs to document the frequency and severity of episodes over time, not just symptoms on the day of a single appointment or exam.
Requesting an increase for multiple conditions at once
Veterans with more than one service-connected condition that has worsened can file a single claim listing all of them, and the VA will develop and decide each one, generally scheduling whatever exams each condition requires. As with any claim involving several issues, the VA can issue a partial decision on some conditions while others remain under development.
This guide is educational. It summarizes the VA's own published rules and links to the exact sources it relies on. It is not legal or claims advice, and it is not a substitute for an accredited representative, who can advise you about your specific claim. Accredited help is free - search the VA's accreditation database to find a Veterans Service Organization, accredited agent, or attorney.
Frequently asked questions
How do I ask the VA for a higher rating?
You file a new claim for an increased evaluation - online, by mail, or with an accredited representative, using the same claim process as an original claim. The VA then looks for evidence that your service-connected condition has gotten worse.
What evidence supports a rating increase?
Per the VA, medical evidence showing the condition has worsened: recent treatment records, and often a new claim exam. The evidence has to match the higher criteria in the rating schedule, not just show that symptoms feel worse.
Can the VA lower my rating if I file for an increase?
The VA reviews the current severity whenever you file for increase, and a reduction is legally possible if the evidence shows sustained improvement - though reductions have their own procedural protections in the regulations. An accredited representative can review your records with you before you file.