VA Secondary Conditions List: 50+ Claims by Condition
Conditions caused or aggravated by your service-connected disabilities, grouped by the primary condition they are linked to. New to secondary claims? Read How to claim a secondary condition for how 38 CFR 3.310 works and what evidence VA needs.
VA usually needs medical records or a clinician's opinion supporting the link; in some circumstances it can also consider lay evidence. A separate private nexus letter is not always required. See VA's evidence requirements.
Secondary to PTSD
Read the PTSD secondary conditions guide for how these claims work, the evidence VA looks for, and how ratings combine.
Sleep Apnea
Secondary to PTSD
Research has examined links between PTSD and sleep-disordered breathing. If the VA grants the claim, the rating depends on the evidence and the applicable criteria.
GERD
Secondary to PTSD
PTSD and reflux symptoms can occur together. Stress or treatment may affect symptoms, but medical evidence should address whether PTSD caused or aggravated GERD.
Migraines
Secondary to PTSD
PTSD is associated with higher migraine rates. A secondary claim needs medical evidence explaining a possible causal or aggravating pathway in the individual case.
Erectile Dysfunction
Secondary to PTSD
PTSD and some treatments are associated with sexual dysfunction. Medical evidence must explain whether PTSD or its treatment caused or aggravated your erectile dysfunction.
Hypertension
Secondary to PTSD
Chronic hyperarousal from PTSD may contribute to elevated blood pressure over time in some veterans.
Insomnia
Secondary to PTSD
Insomnia is generally treated as a symptom already captured in the PTSD rating under 38 CFR § 4.130 — separate ratings are typically barred as pyramiding. The right path is usually documenting sleep impairment to support a higher PTSD rating.
Depression
Secondary to PTSD
Major depressive disorder can coexist with PTSD and may involve overlapping biological and psychological factors.
IBS
Secondary to PTSD
PTSD is associated with IBS. Proposed gut-brain pathways may be relevant, but individual medical evidence must establish causation or aggravation.
TMJ
Secondary to PTSD
PTSD, bruxism and TMD can occur together. Medical or dental evidence must connect the individual jaw disability to PTSD or its treatment.
Substance Use Disorder
Secondary to PTSD
PTSD can coexist with alcohol or substance use disorders, and some veterans use substances in response to PTSD symptoms.
Chronic Fatigue
Secondary to PTSD
PTSD can involve fatigue and disrupted sleep. Fatigue symptoms are different from diagnosed chronic fatigue syndrome; the claim depends on the diagnosis and medical evidence.
Secondary to Anxiety
Sleep Apnea
Secondary to Anxiety
Anxiety and sleep apnea often occur together. Medical evidence should address how your anxiety or its treatment, for example medication-related obesity, caused or aggravated your sleep apnea.
GERD
Secondary to Anxiety
Anxiety is associated with reflux symptoms. Possible stress or treatment pathways require case-specific medical evidence explaining whether anxiety caused or aggravated GERD.
IBS
Secondary to Anxiety
Anxiety is associated with IBS and may precede it. Medical evidence should address whether anxiety caused or aggravated the individual bowel disorder.
Hypertension
Secondary to Anxiety
Research on anxiety and hypertension is mixed. Medical evidence should address how your anxiety caused or aggravated your high blood pressure.
Secondary to Back Pain
Knee Pain
Secondary to Back Pain
Back pain can alter gait, a possible pathway for knee symptoms. Medical evidence must explain whether the service-connected back condition caused or aggravated the individual knee disability.
Radiculopathy
Secondary to Back Pain
Lumbar spine conditions often cause nerve root compression, leading to radiculopathy in the lower extremities.
Depression
Secondary to Back Pain
Chronic back pain and depression often occur together. Medical evidence should address whether your service-connected back condition caused or aggravated your diagnosed depression.
Sleep Apnea
Secondary to Back Pain
Weight gain and reduced mobility from back conditions can contribute to the development of obstructive sleep apnea.
Hip Pain
Secondary to Back Pain
Spine and hip problems often overlap. Hip pain referred from the spine is rated with the back; a separate hip diagnosis can be secondary.
Sciatica
Secondary to Back Pain
Lumbar disc herniation and spinal stenosis from a service-connected back condition commonly cause sciatic nerve compression.
Ankle Pain
Secondary to Back Pain
Gait changes or nerve involvement from a lumbar spine disability can contribute to ankle problems, if evidence supports the link.
Erectile Dysfunction
Secondary to Back Pain
Lumbar nerve damage and pain medications used for back conditions can both contribute to erectile dysfunction.
Secondary to Hearing Loss
Secondary to Sleep Apnea
GERD
Secondary to Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea and GERD often occur together. GERD is rated under DC 7206, and evidence must support the secondary link.
Hypertension
Secondary to Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is an established risk factor for hypertension. Evidence must link your high blood pressure to your service-connected sleep apnea.
Depression
Secondary to Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is associated with depressive symptoms. A secondary claim needs a depression diagnosis and evidence explaining the individual causal or aggravating link.
Erectile Dysfunction
Secondary to Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction are associated in research. Medical evidence should explain the pathway and address other possible causes in your case.
Heart Disease
Secondary to Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is associated with higher heart failure risk in research. Heart disease is rated on METs under the current cardiac criteria.
Secondary to Diabetes
Peripheral Neuropathy
Secondary to Diabetes
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a well-recognized complication of diabetes mellitus.
Retinopathy
Secondary to Diabetes
Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication caused by damage to blood vessels in the retina from prolonged high blood sugar.
Hypertension
Secondary to Diabetes
Diabetes and hypertension share risk factors. Diabetic kidney damage can cause or worsen high blood pressure; evidence must establish the secondary link.
Erectile Dysfunction
Secondary to Diabetes
Diabetes is associated with erectile dysfunction and may affect blood vessels and nerves. Medical evidence must address your diagnosis, other causes, and the individual connection.
Kidney Disease
Secondary to Diabetes
Diabetic nephropathy is a progressive kidney disease caused by long-term damage from elevated blood glucose levels.
Depression
Secondary to Diabetes
Diabetes and depression often occur together. Medical evidence should address whether diabetes or its treatment caused or aggravated your diagnosed depression.
Secondary to Tinnitus
Anxiety
Secondary to Tinnitus
Tinnitus is associated with anxiety in research. Evidence must link your diagnosed anxiety disorder to your service-connected tinnitus.
Depression
Secondary to Tinnitus
Tinnitus is associated with depression and may affect sleep and daily functioning. Evidence must support the connection in your case.
Sleep Disorders
Secondary to Tinnitus
Tinnitus can interfere with sleep. A diagnosed insomnia disorder may be secondary when medical evidence shows tinnitus caused or aggravated it.
Secondary to Knee Pain
Plantar Fasciitis
Secondary to Knee Pain
Altered gait patterns from a service-connected knee disability can cause or worsen plantar fasciitis.
Hip Pain
Secondary to Knee Pain
A knee disability can change how load reaches the hips. Evidence must link a diagnosed hip condition to the knee.
Back Pain
Secondary to Knee Pain
Research links knee arthritis and low back pain. Evidence must connect your back condition to your service-connected knee.
Ankle Instability
Secondary to Knee Pain
A knee condition can change how you walk. If evidence links ankle instability to it, VA can grant it as secondary.
Depression
Secondary to Knee Pain
Chronic pain is associated with depression. Evidence must link your diagnosed depression to your service-connected knee condition.
Secondary to Migraines
Depression
Secondary to Migraines
Migraine and depression have a bidirectional association. A secondary claim needs medical evidence connecting your diagnosed depression to migraines in your case.
Anxiety
Secondary to Migraines
Migraine and anxiety disorders often occur together. Medical evidence should address whether migraines caused or aggravated your diagnosed anxiety disorder.
Neck Pain
Secondary to Migraines
Neck pain commonly coexists with migraines. A secondary claim needs medical evidence distinguishing associated symptoms from a neck disability caused or aggravated by migraines.
Secondary to TBI
Migraines
Secondary to TBI
Headaches are common after TBI and may have migraine features. Diagnosis, an individual medical link, and the rule against duplicate TBI symptom ratings matter.
Depression
Secondary to TBI
TBI can disrupt the brain pathways that regulate mood. VA presumes depression is caused by a service-connected TBI if it begins within set time limits after the injury (38 CFR § 3.310(d)).
Sleep Disorders
Secondary to TBI
Sleep disorders are common after TBI. A clinical assessment should identify the diagnosis and assess direct injury, treatment effects and other possible causes.
Secondary to Neck Pain
Radiculopathy
Secondary to Neck Pain
Cervical disc herniation and spinal stenosis from a neck condition commonly compress nerve roots, causing upper extremity radiculopathy.
Migraines
Secondary to Neck Pain
Neck disorders can cause cervicogenic headache, a diagnosis distinct from migraine. Medical evidence should identify the headache type and explain any causal or aggravating link.