By VetsDisabilityClaims.com  | March 2026   Here's a scenario:   You file a VA disability claim in January 2024. The VA takes 14 months to process it and finally grants you a 70% rating in March 2025.   Do you start getting paid in March 2025?   No. You get paid back to January 2024  — the date you filed.   That back pay could be worth $20,000 or more.   This is why understanding effective dates  is absolutely critical. What Is an Effective Date?   The effective date is the d

By VetsDisabilityClaims.com  | March 2026   Let's get something out of the way first:   Your mental health condition is real. It is valid. And if it's connected to your service, you deserve compensation for it.   Mental health claims are among the most common—and most frequently underrated—VA disability claims. Let's make sure yours is done right. The VA's Approach to Mental Health Ratings   The VA rates all  mental health conditions under the General Rating Formula for Menta

By VetsDisabilityClaims.com  | March 2026   Here's a question most veterans never think to ask:   "Could my service-connected disability be CAUSING other health problems?"   If the answer is yes—and it very often is—you could be entitled to additional compensation through secondary service connection .   This is one of the most powerful and underutilized strategies in VA disability claims. What Is Secondary Service Connection?   A secondary service-connected disability is a c