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The words a claim uses
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Service connection | VA's legal recognition that a disability is connected to military service under some applicable theory. It is a legal conclusion, not a medical one. |
| Direct service connection | A claimed link between a present disability and something that happened in service. |
| Secondary service connection | A disability claimed as caused or aggravated by an already service-connected condition. §3.310. |
| Aggravation | Worsening of one condition by another. A separate question from causation, and frequently the one left unanswered. |
| Presumption | A rule treating specified facts as establishing an element, within that rule's scope. Not a general shortcut. |
| Nexus | The connection between a condition and service, or between two conditions. Usually the element a denial turns on. |
| DBQ | Disability Benefits Questionnaire — VA's structured medical form. Directory. |
| C&P exam | Compensation and pension examination, requested to develop a claim. Not a treatment appointment. |
| VHA / VBA | Veterans Health Administration runs healthcare. Veterans Benefits Administration decides benefits. Different administrations; an answer from one does not bind the other. |
| Diagnostic code | The number identifying which rating criteria apply to a condition. |
| Evaluation / rating | The percentage assigned to a service-connected disability under those criteria. |
| Combined rating | VA's method of combining multiple evaluations. It is not addition — 30 and 20 do not make 50. |
| Effective date | The date from which an award applies. Decides back pay, and often matters more than people expect. |
| Intent to file | Notice that you intend to apply, which can preserve an earlier start date if you then complete the application in time. Not a deadline extension. |
| Continuous pursuit | Keeping an issue alive through a timely sequence of reviews, which can protect an earlier effective date. §3.2500. |
| New and relevant evidence | The threshold for a Supplemental Claim. Relevance is about the gap in the decision, not page count. |
| HLR | Higher-Level Review — a senior re-read of the same record. No new evidence. |
| Board docket | Which Board route you chose, which controls hearings and evidence windows. |
| Remand | An issue sent back for more work. Not a grant, and often mistaken for one. |
| CAVC | The U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, which reviews final Board decisions. |
| Benefit of the doubt | Where evidence for and against is in approximate balance, the issue is resolved in the veteran's favor. §3.102. Approximate balance means nearly equal, not a dead tie — Lynch. |
| Favorable finding | A fact VA decided in your favor. Identify exactly which element it settles — a conceded diagnosis does not establish nexus. |
| CUE | Clear and unmistakable error. A narrow, demanding challenge, not ordinary disagreement. It does not cover a later change in how a statute or regulation is interpreted — see Lynch. Get advice before attempting one. |
| Accredited representative | Someone VA currently authorizes to help with claims. Verify the individual. |
These are short guides, not substitutes for the linked text or for the wording of your own decision.
Rules and forms change, and exceptions apply. Follow the instructions on your own decision letter and the linked governing sources. This site does not track your deadlines or file anything for you.
Reviewed October 6, 2026