VA Made Easy

VA Made Easy

Ed Farmer, a disabled combat veteran and VA disability appeals attorney breaks down the VA system, helping you get a good result with your VA claim.

Episodes

July 4, 2025 6 mins

As a VA-accredited attorney, I'm here to assist you with your legal needs. Schedule a consultation today: https://calendly.com/vetlawoffice 

Are you confused about the VA’s rules for unemployability, also known as TDIU? VA-accredited attorney and Army combat veteran Ed Farmer tackles the five most common questions he receives about TDIU in this episode of VA Made Easy.

Ed explains why the VA cannot use your age as a factor in unemp...

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As a VA-accredited attorney, I'm here to assist you with your legal needs. Schedule a consultation today: https://calendly.com/vetlawoffice 

Veterans with IBS: Are you stuck at a 0% VA rating? Learn how the new 2024 VA disability rules could help you get a higher percentage.

VA-accredited attorney Ed Farmer breaks down the updated rating criteria for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), effective May 19, 2024—explaining what qualifies f...

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As a VA-accredited attorney, I'm here to assist you with your legal needs. Schedule a consultation today: https://calendly.com/vetlawoffice 

Do you think you don’t qualify for VA Unemployability (TDIU) because you lack a single high-percentage disability rating? VA-accredited attorney and Army combat veteran Ed Farmer breaks down the “one disability rule” and explains five key situations where multiple disabilities can be combined ...

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As a VA-accredited attorney, I'm here to assist you with your legal needs. Schedule a consultation today: https://calendly.com/vetlawoffice 

If you’ve filed for VA unemployability (TDIU), you might be surprised when the VA schedules you for a new round of exams for every service-connected condition. VA-accredited attorney Ed Farmer is here to explain why this happens and how you can best protect yourself during the process.

In this...

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As a VA-accredited attorney, I'm here to assist you with your legal needs. Schedule a consultation today: https://calendly.com/vetlawoffice 

Hit a wall with your VA claim—even after submitting an independent medical opinion or nexus letter? VA-accredited attorney Ed Farmer breaks down why the VA sometimes ignores strong medical evidence and what you can do about it. In this episode, Ed walks you through the process of fighting back...

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As a VA-accredited attorney, I'm here to assist you with your legal needs. Schedule a consultation today: https://calendly.com/vetlawoffice 

Already rated for a respiratory condition like asthma and thinking a new claim for sleep apnea might boost your VA rating? Not so fast. VA-accredited attorney Ed Farmer unpacks a little-known VA regulation that could affect your benefits.

In this episode, Ed explains why veterans can’t always ...

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Did you know the VA has a list of around 40 chronic diseases that may be presumed connected to your service—even if you never reported symptoms on active duty? 

In this episode, VA-accredited attorney Ed Farmer walks you through the “chronic disease presumption,” a powerful tool for veterans seeking VA disability benefits. Ed explains which conditions qualify under 38 CFR 3.309(a), how the presumption works if your diagnosis or sym...

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Are you a veteran dealing with fibromyalgia and unsure if the VA rated your condition correctly? VA-accredited attorney and Army combat veteran Ed Farmer explains how fibromyalgia is evaluated and shares tips to help you maximize your benefits.

This episode covers:  💥 The three VA ratings for fibromyalgia—40%, 20%, and 10%—and what each requires 💥 The VA’s specific definition of “widespread pain” 💥 How to know if your pain is se...

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Are you a veteran who doesn’t meet the VA’s standard criteria for Unemployability? VA-accredited attorney Ed Farmer explains how you may still be eligible for a 100% disability rating through a process known as “extraschedular” unemployability.

In this episode, you’ll learn what extraschedular unemployability actually means and how it differs from the typical VA process. Ed breaks down who reviews your case when you fall outside th...

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Are you aiming for a 70% rating for your mental health condition, but you're not sure which symptoms to show the VA? VA-accredited attorney and Army combat veteran Ed Farmer explains exactly what the VA looks for when rating mental health claims at the 70% level.

Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/xCR0O3TvsHM 

In this episode, you'll discover: ✅ Real-life symptom examples the VA expects to see for a 70% rating  ✅ Why your symptoms ...

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Confused about how the VA determines the effective date for your disability benefits? VA-accredited attorney Ed Farmer walks you through three essential exceptions to the VA's standard effective date rules and explains how these exceptions could put more money in your pocket.

In this episode, you'll discover: 💥 How you can get up to one additional year of back pay for increased rating claims  💥 Why filing within a year of dischar...

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Are you a veteran struggling to understand VA unemployability claims? VA-accredited attorney Ed Farmer breaks down four critical factors every veteran must know when filing an unemployability claim.

In this video, you'll learn:  ✅ Why simply being unemployed isn't enough to qualify for Unemployability ✅ Other government decisions are not binding on the VA ✅ Why VA Form 21-8940 is essential  ✅ Why delaying your claim could cost you ...

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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 discusses cases where veterans may still qualify for ratin...

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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 this decision can help you win your VA disability cla...

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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 main categories of qualifying conditions: undiagno...

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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 evidence is crucial in proving causation, highlighting...

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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 pivotal evidence in establishing these claims. 

He ...

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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, you can still take the fight to the next level. 

Find...

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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 depression-induced lifestyle changes, including weight gain as...

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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 to fight back and reestablish your service connection, ...

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