What is Secondary Service Connection?

If you are eligible for service connected disability compensation for an illness or injury, and that illness or injury has caused another medical condition, you may be eligible for additional compensation based on the theory of “secondary service connection.” To be eligible you must show that you have a current diagnosed disability. That disability must be caused by an event or injury in service and must be serious enough to warrant compensation. In addition, there are also secondary service connected disabilities that aggravate a pre-existing disability. For any secondary service connection disability, you must have medical evidence and opinion supporting the medical connection on a secondary basis. Secondary service connection requires strong medical evidence. If you need help in developing your evidence for secondary service connection contact our VA disability experts at Vet Defender. Schedule an Appointment.