Connecting Your Condition

Service connection is VA's official finding that a condition is tied to your military service, and it's the door to every disability benefit. This plain-language guide explains the 4 ways to connect a condition: direct, presumptive, secondary and aggravation. You'll learn how to prove a secondary condition, how medication side effects can be connected, which secondary conditions veterans often claim, the TBI rule, and what to do if you had a condition before service. It also covers how to file without a diagnosis, and how a condition that isn't listed in VA's rating schedule can still be connected and rated. You'll see what a strong medical opinion looks like and why even a 0% rating matters for health care, life insurance and more.

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Download our free Connecting Your Condition guide (PDF). It's a printable version of this page with real-life examples, sample medical opinions, a checklist, a connection map worksheet, and links to the official rules.