The Playbook › Step 1 of 7: Know the rules
You may be eligible for VA disability compensation if you have a current illness or injury that affects your body or mind, and it is connected to your military service. You do not need to have been injured in combat, and there is no deadline to file after you leave service.
The short version
- You need qualifying service, a discharge that is not dishonorable, and a condition linked to service.
- There are five ways to link a condition to service. Most veterans only know the first.
- A discharge that is “other than honorable” is not an automatic bar. VA makes its own decision.
- Guard and Reserve members can qualify for conditions tied to their training or activated service.
On this page
The basic requirements for VA disability
- Service. You served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training.
- Discharge. You separated under conditions other than dishonorable.
- A current disability. You have a diagnosis or ongoing symptoms now.
- A connection to service. One of the five paths below applies.
The five paths to service connection
| Path | What it covers | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Direct | The condition began in service or was caused by an event in service | A knee injured in a training jump |
| Presumptive | VA assumes the link because of when or where you served | A burn pit veteran with asthma diagnosed after service |
| Secondary | A service-connected condition caused or worsened another condition | Depression caused by chronic service-connected back pain |
| Aggravation | A condition you had before service got worse because of service, beyond its natural course | A pre-existing foot condition worsened by years of rucking |
| Section 1151 | An injury caused by VA medical care, vocational rehab or work therapy | A surgical error at a VA hospital |
Direct service connection
This is the standard claim. You show the three elements: a current condition, an in-service event, and a medical link between them. Your service treatment records are the best proof of the event, but they are not the only proof. Lay statements can fill gaps. See buddy statements.
Presumptive service connection
For certain conditions VA removes the burden of proving the link. The main groups are:
- Chronic diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, and hypertension that show up to a degree of at least 10% within one year of discharge
- Toxic exposures under the PACT Act, including burn pits
- Agent Orange exposure. See the Agent Orange guide
- Gulf War service. See Gulf War illness
- Camp Lejeune water contamination. See Camp Lejeune claims
- Former prisoners of war and veterans exposed to radiation
Secondary service connection
If a condition you are already rated for causes a new problem, or makes an existing one worse, the new problem can be rated too. This is one of the most overlooked ways to raise a combined rating. See secondary conditions.
Aggravation
If a condition was noted on your entrance exam and got permanently worse in service, VA can compensate you for the amount it worsened. If the condition was not noted at entrance, you are generally presumed to have entered service in sound condition.
What about discharge status?
Honorable and general discharges qualify. A dishonorable discharge does not. In between, for an other-than-honorable or bad conduct discharge, VA reviews the facts of your service and makes its own character of discharge determination. Many veterans in that group are found eligible.
You have two options that can run at the same time:
- Apply for benefits anyway and let VA make its determination
- Apply to your service branch for a discharge upgrade
Guard and Reserve
You can be service connected for a disease or injury that happened during active duty for training, and for an injury during inactive duty training, such as a drill weekend. Heart attack, cardiac arrest, and stroke during inactive duty training are also covered. Federal activations count as active duty.
What does not qualify for VA disability
- Conditions caused by your own willful misconduct
- Conditions with no current diagnosis or symptoms
- Injuries that happened after service with no link back to it
A 0% rating still matters
VA can find a condition service connected but rate it at 0% because it is not currently disabling. That still counts. It opens the door to VA health care for that condition and makes it far easier to get an increase later if it worsens. See how to file for an increase.
Free printable checklist. Everything to gather before you file, what to bring to your C&P exam, and what to check in your decision, on two pages.
Last reviewed October 2026. This guide is general educational information, not legal or medical advice, and this site is not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Rules and rates change. Confirm details on VA.gov or with an accredited representative. See our disclaimer and editorial policy.