01 / Resources
Read the sources.
Curated references, definitions, and source links for veterans who want to read the authorities themselves. The Veteran's Bearing does not replace the official sources; it points to them and explains what they are.
02 / Primary Sources
The authorities, directly.
These are the official sources The Veteran's Bearing draws on. When current law or policy matters, the official source governs.
- VA disability benefits Official VA portal for disability compensation.
- 38 CFR (eCFR) The Code of Federal Regulations, including the rating schedule.
- M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual VA’s internal manual for processing claims.
- VA decision reviews Official overview of the modernized review options.
- The PACT Act and your VA benefits VA’s official PACT Act resource.
- Federal Register: VA rules Proposed and final rules published by VA.
- Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims The court that reviews Board decisions.
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit The court that reviews CAVC decisions.
- VA Office of Inspector General Oversight reports on VA programs.
- Government Accountability Office Reports on federal programs, including VA.
03 / Definitions
A short glossary.
The vocabulary of VA disability, in plain language. Each definition is a starting point, not a complete treatment.
- Service connection
- The legal determination that a condition is related to military service. It is the foundation of a VA disability claim.
- Disability rating
- A percentage assigned under the rating schedule that reflects the severity of a service-connected condition.
- C&P examination
- A Compensation and Pension examination, a VA medical examination used to gather evidence about a claimed condition.
- Effective date
- The date an award begins. It is tied to when the claim was filed and to specific rules.
- Nexus
- The medical link between a condition and military service, or between two conditions in a secondary claim.
- Secondary condition
- A condition caused or aggravated by a service-connected condition.
- Presumptive condition
- A condition for which VA presumes the link to service, based on exposure or service in a qualifying location.
- TDIU
- Total disability based on individual unemployability, a benefit for veterans unable to work due to service-connected conditions.
- Supplemental Claim
- A review option that allows new and relevant evidence to be submitted after a decision.
- Higher-Level Review
- A review option where a senior reviewer examines the existing record without new evidence.
- Board Appeal
- A review of a decision by the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.
- Decision letter
- The written explanation of VA’s decision on a claim, including reasons, effective dates, and review options.
- 38 CFR
- Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which contains VA’s rules, including the rating schedule.
- M21-1
- VA’s Adjudication Procedures Manual, which guides how claims are processed.
- CAVC
- The U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, the court that reviews Board decisions.
04 / How to Verify
Proposed is not law.
Always confirm current law and policy against the official sources. A proposed rule has no effect until a final rule is published. A news headline is not a regulation.
Check before you rely on
- • A proposed rule, until it is final
- • A news summary, against the original source
- • A social post, against the official text
The Veteran's Bearing standard
- • Distinguish current law, current policy, proposals, and commentary
- • Cite the source, not the rumor
- • Update when the authorities change
Next step
Prefer a structured starting point?
The free tools and the Bearing Guide organize the concepts this page introduces. Start with the situation, then read the sources.