When one service-connected condition causes others: secondary claims
· Claim Situation
The situation
Many Veterans are rated for the first injury but not for what it set off later. A bad knee can change your gait and hurt the hip and back. Medication can cause new problems. Those can be service-connected too.
The rule
A condition caused or aggravated by a service-connected condition is itself service-connected (38 CFR 3.310). For aggravation, VA pays for the worsening beyond the baseline.
Common chains to look for
- Knee or ankle → hip, back (altered gait).
- Back → radiculopathy (nerve pain down the legs).
- PTSD or depression → sleep problems, sexual dysfunction, weight gain.
- Pain medication (NSAIDs) → stomach problems (GERD), kidney or blood pressure issues.
- Diabetes → neuropathy, kidney disease, erectile dysfunction.
What the claim needs
- A current diagnosis of the secondary condition.
- The service-connected condition it is tied to.
- A medical opinion explaining how one causes or worsens the other.
Avoid two common mistakes
- Filing the secondary condition as a direct claim when there is no in-service record of it.
- Listing symptoms ("my hip hurts") instead of a diagnosis.
Next step
Read our secondary claims guide and ask your doctor to note the connection in your chart.
Related
Get free help
You never have to pay to file an initial VA claim. Free help: a VSO such as DAV, VFW or the American Legion, or a VA-accredited representative.
Educational only, not legal or medical advice. We are not VA-accredited. No one can promise an outcome; VA decides each claim on its own evidence. Rules and rates change; check the linked VA and eCFR sources.