A staged rating means VA assigns different disability percentages for different periods of time within the same claim. This happens when the evidence shows your condition was more severe at some points than others. For example, you might receive a 30 percent rating from the date of your initial claim and a 50 percent rating starting from the date of a medical record showing your condition worsened. Staged ratings are allowed in both initial rating decisions and increased rating claims. VA should consider whether staging is appropriate whenever the evidence shows the severity of your condition has changed during the period being evaluated. This means more compensation during periods when your condition was worse, even if it later improved. If VA assigns a single flat rating for the entire period, but your medical records show your condition was significantly worse at certain times, you can argue for a staged rating on appeal. Similarly, if VA assigns a staged rating with a reduction that you believe is not supported by the evidence, you can challenge the specific period where the reduction was applied. Review your medical records with the timeline of your claim to identify any periods where a higher staged rating might be appropriate.
Note: This article references sections of the VA's M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual. The VA periodically reorganizes the M21-1 and section numbers may have changed since this article was written. For the most current section references, visit the VA's public M21-1 Web Automated Reference Material System (WARMS).