Filing for an Increased Rating

If a condition the VA already service-connected has gotten worse, you don't have to wait for anything — you can file for an increased rating at any time. The claim is filed on the same VA Form 21-526EZ you'd use for a new condition.

When to file for an increase

File when your condition now meets a higher rating level than your current percentage reflects — more frequent symptoms, more severe flare-ups, new functional limits, or a worsening your doctor has documented.

The key is documenting the worsening

An increase claim is won by showing the condition is measurably worse than at your last rating. That means:

• •Current medical evidence showing the increased severity.
• •A C&P exam the VA will usually schedule — prepare for it the same way you would a first exam.
• •A record of your symptoms over time so the worsening is concrete, not just "it feels worse."

A caution worth knowing

Filing for an increase can trigger a fresh look at the condition. In most cases that's fine — but understand that the VA evaluates current severity. If your evidence clearly supports a higher level, an increase is exactly what the process is for.

Effective date

If the evidence shows your condition worsened in the year before you filed, the VA can sometimes set the effective date back to when that worsening is shown — so filing promptly, with dated evidence of the worsening, protects more back pay.