What is the VA Disability 5 Year Rule?
Did you know that the United States Department of Veterans Affairs can increase, decrease, or even terminate your VA disability benefits upon re-examination? The VA has the right to ex-examine you to see if your disability has lessened or even disappeared over time. Since some disabilities are permanent, not every veteran will be re-examined. However, our Kalamazoo VA disability lawyers want you to know what to expect if you have a condition that could improve over time.
Continue reading to learn about the VA disability 5 year rule and how it affects your case. To learn more, don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation with our office in .
Our VA disability attorneys are ready to help and answer any questions you might have about your case.
Understanding the VA Disability 5 Year Rule
The VA disability 5 year rule allows the VA to ex-examine your within 5 years of your initial examination if your condition is expected to improve over time. However, the VA may still change your disability rating past the 5-year deadline if your condition has significantly improved. If you still have questions about your case, schedule an appointment with one of our VA disability attorneys.
Why does the VA re-examine VA disability ratings?
Not all types of service connected disability are permanent. For this reason, the VA reserves the right to re-examine any veteran whose condition is expected to improve over time. The only exceptions to the VA disability 5 year rule are veterans who are protected by a Permanent and Total Rating or anyone else with a condition that’s never expected to improve. For example, a veteran with a missing leg has a permanent service connected disability.
When does the VA re-examine VA disability ratings?
If you have a condition that’s expected to improve over time, the VA will most likely re-evaluate your condition within 2 to 5 years of your initial examination. The VA may also re-examine your VA disability rating if there’s obvious evidence that your condition has improved or even disappeared.
How does the VA re-examine VA disability ratings?
The VA will schedule an examination to determine if your VA disability rating is still appropriate for how much your service connected disability affects your ability to function, as well as your quality of life. It is vitally important that you attend this appointment or reschedule it for a better time. Otherwise, the VA will have grounds to reduce or even terminate your VA disability benefits.
Just because you received a re-examination notice from the VA doesn’t mean you have to panic about losing your VA disability benefits. If your condition has remained the same, the VA will most likely find that your VA disability rating is still accurate.
Still have questions about your VA disability rating? The VA Disability Group is dedicated to helping veterans just like you get the compensation they deserve for service connected disability. To schedule an appointment with our VA disability attorneys in Kalamazoo MI and learn how the VA disability 5 year rule affects your case, call 1-844-VET-LAWS.
