VA provides monthly compensation to Veterans who have a service connected disability or disease. To be service connected, the disability must be related to an active period of military service. Service connection may be granted for a disability resulting from a disease or injury incurred in or aggravated by service. 
Generally, to establish direct service connection for a claimed disability, there must be:
- medical evidence of a current disability;
- medical, or in certain circumstances, lay evidence of in-service occurrence or aggravation of a disease or injury; and
- a medical link between the current disability and the in-service disability, injury or incident.
Additionally, secondary service connection may also be established for a disability that is proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury. Establishing service-connection on secondary basis requires evidence sufficient to show:
- medical evidence of a current disability; and
- the current disability was either caused by or aggravated by a service-connected disability.
There are several bases, according to VA law, for Veterans to establish service-connection. Contact Fochler Veterans Law to help you fight for the benefits you deserve.