Aug 25, 2026 · 9 min · 7 segments
In today’s episode, we break down some of the most overused — and often misunderstood — buzzwords circulating in the VA disability space online. From “slam dunk claim” to “nexus,” “presumptive,”…
So I cannot tell you how many times I have seen veterans convinced there is some secret phrase that automatically guarantees approval or makes, um, makes it more, um, makes something better, right? Things like, um, at least as likely as not, but for causation, more likely than not, aggravated beyond natural progression.
Um, those phrases are important, um, or can often be important medically and legally.
But wording alone does not make an opinion persuasive, okay? The-- just having those words, um, doesn't necessarily make the outcome one way or another.
So can the provider explain that, um, connection? Do records support the timeline? Were alternative risk factors discussed? Does the medical reasoning make sense? That is what actually gives an opinion probative value, okay? I can't tell you how many times people have been like, "Well, you put at least as likely as not in my letter." Like it could be a twenty-page letter full of facts, right? "Well, you didn't write more likely than not, so this is just not gonna work." Okay, that just doesn't make any sense, okay? Um, whether it says more likely than not or at least as likely as not or whatever, you're gonna disregard the rest of this fully robust statement, and that's the thing that you're gonna focus on.
What, what is really important here? So another huge buzzword online is presumptive.
So I think a lot of veterans hear presumptive condition and assume that means automatic approval.
That's not always how it works, okay? Even if presumptive, um, in presumptive situations, veterans may still need a current diagnosis, um, appropriate service, um, you know, criteria, medical documentation, evidence of severity, or clarification regarding the residuals and chronicity.
So I cannot tell you how many times I have seen veterans convinced there is some secret phrase that automatically guarantees approval or makes, um, makes it more, um, makes something better, right? Things like, um, at least as likely as not, but for causation, more likely than not, aggravated beyond natural progression.
Um, those phrases are important, um, or can often be important medically and legally.
But wording alone does not make an opinion persuasive, okay? The-- just having those words, um, doesn't necessarily make the outcome one way or another.
So can the provider explain that, um, connection? Do records support the timeline? Were alternative risk factors discussed? Does the medical reasoning make sense? That is what actually gives an opinion probative value, okay? I can't tell you how many times people have been like, "Well, you put at least as likely as not in my letter." Like it could be a twenty-page letter full of facts, right? "Well, you didn't write more likely than not, so this is just not gonna work." Okay, that just doesn't make any sense, okay? Um, whether it says more likely than not or at least as likely as not or whatever, you're gonna disregard the rest of this fully robust statement, and that's the thing that you're gonna focus on.
What, what is really important here? So another huge buzzword online is presumptive.
So I think a lot of veterans hear presumptive condition and assume that means automatic approval.
That's not always how it works, okay? Even if presumptive, um, in presumptive situations, veterans may still need a current diagnosis, um, appropriate service, um, you know, criteria, medical documentation, evidence of severity, or clarification regarding the residuals and chronicity.
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