How does a veteran establish service connection for a disability?

To establish service connection for a disability, a veteran needs to provide evidence showing that the disability was incurred or aggravated during their active military service. This is crucial because the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) requires a direct link between the veteran's current disability and their service in order to grant benefits.

This typically involves presenting medical records, service treatment records, and any other relevant documents that demonstrate how military service led to the development of the disability. The burden of proof lies with the veteran to show a connection between their service and their claimed condition, emphasizing the importance of relevant and credible evidence.

While other options may seem plausible, they do not meet the standards set by the VA. For example, letters from family members may provide anecdotal support but lack the objective evidence necessary to establish the required service connection. Similarly, to have a civilian physician sign a form might validate a diagnosis but does not directly correlate to service-related causation. Submitting previous service records alone is insufficient if it does not illustrate how the disability is connected to the veteran's service. Thus, providing evidence of the disability being incurred or aggravated during military service is the most reliable method to establish a service connection.