VA Made Easy

Is Filing for Sleep Apnea Still Worth It if You Use a CPAP Machine? In this episode, Ed explains the changes to sleep apnea disability ratings and what they mean for veterans. The automatic 50% rating for CPAP use is being phased out under the new criteria, but filing for service connection remains essential—especially if sleep apnea is affecting other health conditions. Ed discu

Did the VA deny your PTSD claim because you didn't have the "right" diagnosis? In this video, Ed Farmer, a VA-accredited attorney and U.S. Army combat veteran, breaks down the key ruling in Clemons v. Shinseki (2009). The Court ruled that the VA must consider all mental health conditions that relate to a veteran's symptoms—not just the specific diagnosis listed. Ed explains how t

Do you qualify for VA presumptive benefits? Join Ed Farmer as he delves into the complexities of the Persian Gulf War presumption and how it helps veterans obtain service connections for difficult-to-diagnose illnesses. In this episode, Ed explains the concept of a presumption and outlines the qualifications needed, focusing on the correct service time and place. He unpacks the two

Join Ed Farmer, VA-accredited attorney and US Army combat veteran, as he delves into the difference between causation and correlation in veterans' conditions, offering insights into linking conditions for VA claims. Through practical examples, Ed explains why having two conditions like PTSD and sleep apnea doesn't automatically mean one causes the other. He outlines how medical evi

Join Ed Farmer, VA-accredited attorney and US Army combat veteran, as he explores the challenges of winning VA service connections for personal and military sexual trauma cases, focusing on the type of evidence needed to support these claims. Unpacking the intricacies, Ed explains the significance of behavioral markers, like sudden work performance decline or social withdrawal, as

Welcome to VA Made Easy. Today, Ed discusses the seven common reasons why your VA compensation and pension (C&P) exam might be found inadequate. It will not come as a surprise to you that most of these have to deal with the competency of your C&P Examiner. Whatever the reason, Ed offers guidance on steps that you can take to ensure that if your exam is found inadequate, yo

Welcome back to VA Made Easy with Ed Farmer, VA-accredited attorney and US Army combat veteran. In this episode, he dives into a compelling case study on linking sleep apnea to service through depression. Ed walks through the veteran’s journey from multiple denials to a triumphant win, securing a 100% rating. Learn the strategic approach used to connect sleep apnea with depressio

Have you had your benefits severed? Welcome to VA Made Easy, where Ed Farmer dives into the unsettling reality of service connection severance caused by clear and unmistakable VA errors. Using real-life cases, like Vietnam veterans with hypothyroidism, Ed breaks down how the VA’s decisions can jeopardize benefits—and what you can do about it. Learn two powerful strategies used

Join Ed Farmer as he answers the most common questions about TDIU (Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability) in this week's episode of VA Made Easy. Ed explains how TDIU allows veterans to receive benefits at the 100% rate even when their disability rating is less than 100%, emphasizing the criteria for substantial gainful employment and income limits. He clarifies that

Join Ed Farmer as he dives into the pros and cons of skipping a VA C&P exam when you already have private medical evidence in your file. Exploring the reasons companies advise you to bypass VA exams, Ed highlights potential pitfalls, such as inadequate private opinions and untrained adjudicators. Delving into the upside, scenarios where skipping could be beneficial are examined