VETERANS HELP GROUP

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WHAT IS A SECONDARY SERVICE-CONNECTED DISABILITY?  

You probably know that VA disability benefits cover service-connected medical conditions: illnesses or injuries sustained or aggravated during military service (even if you don’t develop the condition until later). But many veterans don’t know that they may be eligible for disability benefits based on a secondary service connection. 

The concept of a secondary connection is a bit complicated. Here’s how it works in simple terms.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SERVICE CONNECTIONS

A primary service connection is the type of connection that supports most VA disability claims. These may be related to injuries sustained during service, such as: 

• The loss of a limb in combat, or
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to military service, or
• Cancer due to chemical exposure during military service

But for many veterans, the effects of the service-related injury or exposure don’t end with that condition. That’s because many medical conditions and mental health conditions impact the body and mind in other ways. 

For example: 

• PTSD has been linked or potentially linked to a wide range of other conditions and outcomes, including stroke, cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia. 
• Spinal cord injuries have been linked to a significantly increased risk of heart disease and stroke. 
• Leg amputations and certain other types of leg injuries have been potentially linked to a greater risk of osteoarthritis. 

Some secondary conditions result from treatment for the primary condition. For example, a veteran who is diagnosed with cancer due to service-connected exposure to pesticides may be treated with chemotherapy. The chemotherapy may save the veteran’s life, but can also have serious side effects in some cases. Some of these side effects, such as damage to internal organs like kidneys and lungs, can be permanent. 

These are just a few examples of medical conditions that may indirectly be caused by a service-connected injury or exposure. The service connection in these situations and others like them is often overlooked. Unfortunately, that means disabled veterans may be missing out on veterans disability benefits they are entitled to. This type of oversight can cause serious problems for a disabled veteran whose secondary condition significantly increases the extent of the disability. 

A Secondary Service Connection Must Be Caused or Aggravated by a Primary Condition

A VA secondary service connection claim doesn’t stand alone. In order to qualify for veterans disability benefits based on a secondary service connection, the veteran must have an established service-connected disability. And, the secondary condition must be linked to the service-connected disability. 

How to Know Whether You Have a Secondary Service-Connected Disability

When a new medical condition crops up, the service connection may not be immediately obvious. For example, if you have a stroke four or five years after a service-connected spinal cord injury, you probably wouldn’t assume the two were connected. 

Sometimes, the diagnosing or treating physician may mention that the new condition or complication is more common in people with your underlying condition, or otherwise tip you off to the connection. But, your physician may not think to mention it, may not be aware of the connection, or may simply not realize that this information could impact your VA disability benefits. 

Even if you can’t see any clear connection, it’s a good idea to ask your treating physician whether there is a relationship between any new conditions or medical events and your underlying service-connected disability.

WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF SECONDARY SERVICE CONNECTION?

If you’re already receiving VA disability benefits and believe you have an additional claim based on a secondary service connection, some of the additional benefits may include: 

• An increase in your disability rating. Depending on your initial rating and your rating after the secondary service connection, this may mean: 
• Larger VA disability payments, 
• Medical coverage for the new condition that might not have been previously available, 
• Increased eligibility for your spouse and/or dependent children

For example, a disabled veteran with a disability rating below 50% typically receives free healthcare only for the service-connected condition. A veteran who is found eligible based on a secondary service connection may receive increased medical benefits in one of two ways: 

• If the secondary condition increases the disability rating to 50% or higher, the veteran will qualify for no-cost healthcare and prescriptions based on their disability rating, and
• If the disability rating remains below 50%, the veteran will gain access to no-cost healthcare and prescriptions for the secondary condition as well as the primary condition

Proving a Secondary Service-Connected Disability

Two types of evidence are required for a successful secondary service-connected disability claim. 

First, you’ll be required to show that you are suffering from the new condition or illness and that it has a disabling impact on you. This step is similar to the medical component of an initial VA disability application, and this information will typically come from your treating physician and your medical records. 

Next, you’ll have to show that your condition is linked to the already-established service-connected disability. The type of evidence required to show this connection may vary depending on the condition and how well-established the link is. This may include a combination of explanations/opinions from your treating physician, medical studies and other data-based evidence, evidence from experts, and other sources. 

At this point, the VA has no established list of accepted connections between primary and secondary conditions. The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) specifies two situations in which a secondary condition will be considered the proximate result of a service-connected disability. These are: 

• A disabled veteran with certain service-connected amputations who develops heart disease, and
• A disabled veteran with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) who suffers dementia, Parkinson’s disease, unprovoked seizures or (if certain conditions are met) depression or a certain type of hormone deficiency

That means it may take a bit more work to assemble the necessary evidence for your secondary service connection claim. However, it also means that you are free to make a secondary service connection claim based on any condition you have reason to believe occurred due to or was aggravated by your service-connected disability.

VETERANS HELP GROUP IS HERE FOR YOU

The medical evidence required to establish a secondary service connection can be complex, and these cases can be difficult to navigate. Veterans Help Group was established to make complicated and daunting processes simpler, less stressful, more accessible, and more successful for disabled veterans and their families. 

To learn more about how we can help with VA secondary service connection cases or other VA disability issues, call us at (855) 855-8992.