If you are one of those who are looking for the answer to the question “how to increase my VA benefits”, you have landed at the right place. The first thing you need to know is that those who have served in the military experience a lot of foot problems, including plantar fasciitis.
The VA is very aware of this, and they’ve created their own system for grading what symptoms and what severity of those symptoms will trigger the next level of disability rating. In order to increase your VA benefits, you have to be aware of all the technicalities involved in the process.
Before we jump to know how to increase my VA benefits for plantar faciitis, it is important to know about it. Your author has skills, but doctoring isn’t among them, so let’s hear a little from the Mayo Clinic about what plantar fasciitis is.
The bottom line is that the Plantar Fasciitis VA ratings operate on 10% intervals, from 0% to a maximum 50%. (But there’s no “40%” rating. What’s that about?) Anyway, nobody can get a higher rating for this disability than 50%. That said, if you know what you’re doing when making your claim, there are additional claims for benefits that typically combine themselves with plantar fasciitis: back, hip, knee, and joint conditions. These can substantially increase your rating.
How do I increase my VA Benefits for Plantar Fasciitis
Here’s where it gets a little tricky. But that’s ok, because we can do “tricky.” If you think you can tell your VA evaluating physician “Oh yeah, and in addition to my sore foot, I also have a tweaked hip, back, knee and ankle,” you’re wrong.
First, consider that the doctors chosen by the VA to evaluate your claim are not making any efforts to increase your disability rating. It’s the exact opposite. You’ll need to be making a DBQ that includes those problems, and get a finding that your related claim is “proximately due to/ aggravated by” the plantar fasciitis.
In the alternative, a “showing of causation,” specifically that the related claim (back, hip, etc.) was caused by the service-connected plantar fasciitis. This must be specifically diagnosed by a qualified medical professional. Wouldn’t it be nice if that medical professional was on your side? That’s one of the many reasons why people use VA Benefits Consultants. You can tell I’m biased, but I only say that because it’s true.
So what symptoms and severity create what VA disability ratings for plantar fasciitis?
50% VA Disability Rating
– extreme tenderness or displacement that cannot be resolved by arch support or proper footwear;
30% VA Disability Rating
– severe deformities and acute pain accompanied by swelling or callosities on the foot;
20% VA Disability Rating
– severe deformities and moderate pain resulting in swelling or callosities on the foot;
10%VA Disability Rating
– moderate symptoms that exhibit a downward concave for the tendon Achilles, accompanied by foot pain;
0%VA Disability Rating
– mild symptoms that are resolved with arch support or more supportive footwear.
How to increase my VA benefits remotely?
If you want to increase your VA Disability Rating, and accordingly increase your VA Benefits, then you have to know this information going in. And always remember your “Intent to File” to preserve your retroactivity. Give us a call, fill out the website form, or shoot us an email.
The above guide will help you to understand how to increase my VA benefits properly. Using the guide, you will be able to increase my VA benefits in a grand manner.
Do it right and leave it to trained professionals. There’s far more to know about this stuff than I can possibly tell you in a little blog like this!
Captain Kirk Thorogood 7/15/19