Veterans Affairs Policies & Regulations Flashcards
7 cards from real CVA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Veterans Affairs Policies & Regulations flashcards as text
What is 'secondary service connection' under VA regulations?
Answer: A disability that is proximately due to or the result of a service-connected condition
Secondary service connection under 38 CFR § 3.310 applies when a disability is caused or aggravated by an already service-connected condition.
How does VA calculate combined disability ratings for veterans with multiple service-connected disabilities?
Answer: Using the whole person method, applying each rating to remaining efficiency
VA uses the combined ratings table, starting with the highest rating and applying subsequent ratings to the remaining 'whole person,' which prevents the total from exceeding 100%.
What is the purpose of a Compensation and Pension (C&P) examination in the VA claims process?
Answer: To obtain a medical opinion on the nature, severity, and service connection of a claimed disability
A C&P exam provides VA with an independent medical assessment of the veteran's disability, its severity, and whether it is related to military service.
Under 38 CFR § 3.156(c), when must VA reconsider a previously denied claim?
Answer: When official service department records received after the decision contain relevant information
Under § 3.156(c), VA must reconsider a prior decision when relevant official service records, such as service treatment records, are received after the rating decision was made.
What does 'aggravation' mean in the context of VA disability claims?
Answer: A worsening of a pre-existing condition beyond its natural progression due to military service
Under 38 CFR § 3.306, aggravation means that military service permanently worsened a pre-existing condition beyond its natural progression, entitling the veteran to service connection.
Which VA policy provides that a veteran's disability evaluation should not be reduced without following specific procedural safeguards?
Answer: 38 CFR § 3.344 — Stabilization of disability evaluations
38 CFR § 3.344 protects veterans who have held a disability rating for five or more years by requiring VA to show sustained improvement before reducing the rating.
What is a 'continuous treatment' theory and how is it used in VA claims?
Answer: It establishes service connection by showing an unbroken chain of medical evidence from service to the present
The continuous treatment theory supports service connection by demonstrating ongoing medical documentation of a condition from the time of service through the present claim.