VA Disability Glossary – Key Terms Every Veteran Should Know

Secondary Service Connection

  • A secondary service-connected condition is a disability or illness that develops as a direct result of, or is aggravated by, a service-connected disability. To claim secondary service connection with the VA, you must have a service-connected primary disability and provide evidence linking the primary and secondary conditions.

    A veteran also needs to prove three things: a current, diagnosed secondary condition; an existing, service-connected primary disability; and a medical nexus (link) between the two conditions.

  • Requirement: You must have a primary disability that the VA already recognizes as service-connected.

    Evidence: You need to provide evidence, usually medical records or a nexus letter, to demonstrate the causal link between the primary and secondary condition.

    Causation: The secondary condition must be directly caused by, or proximately due to, the service-connected primary disability.

    Nexus Letter: A nexus letter is a medical opinion from a qualified healthcare professional stating there is a causal connection between the primary and secondary condition.

    VA Rating: The VA uses a combined rating table to determine your overall disability rating, taking into account both primary and secondary conditions.

    C&P Exams: The VA may require a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam to evaluate the severity of your secondary condition.

    • Nerve damage or arthritis caused by a service-connected knee injury

    • Depression or anxiety stemming from chronic pain

    • Sleep apnea worsened by service-connected PTSD

    • Heart disease aggravated by a service-connected diabetes diagnosis

    Note: These are only a few examples, and there are many different ways a disability can have secondary service connection.

  • Secondary conditions can increase your total combined VA rating, often leading to higher monthly compensation. In some cases, they can even push a veteran toward Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU) status.

    A VA-accredited representative can help identify secondary conditions, gather medical opinions, and make sure they are properly claimed and documented.

    We have attorneys and representatives here at Greene & Marusak who can help you establish service connection.

    Give us a call at (844) 483-8737

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