If the VA already service-connected your parkinson's disease (also called parkinson's, parkinsons, parkinson, parkinson disease), it can cause or worsen other conditions that are ratable on their own. These "secondary" claims are where many veterans leave money on the table. Below is what a service-connected parkinson's disease commonly leads to, why, and what evidence each one takes.
A secondary claim only works if the primary condition (parkinson's disease) is already service-connected, and you have a nexus — a doctor's opinion that it is "at least as likely as not" the cause. More on nexus letters →
Depression and anxiety are among the most common non-motor features of Parkinson's, and VA service-connects mental health conditions caused by a service-connected disease. Parkinson's itself is rated under DC 8004 with a 30 percent minimum (38 CFR 4.124a), and it is presumptive for Agent Orange and Camp Lejeune exposure (38 CFR 3.309).
What you'd need: A mental-health diagnosis and a nexus opinion linking it to the Parkinson's.
Parkinson's affects the autonomic nervous system and commonly causes erectile dysfunction, as do some of the medications used to treat it.
What you'd need: A diagnosis of erectile dysfunction and a nexus opinion tying it to the Parkinson's or its medication.
Parkinson's often disrupts bladder control, causing urgency, frequent night-time urination, or leakage.
What you'd need: Urology records documenting the voiding problem and a nexus opinion linking it to the Parkinson's.
Many people with Parkinson's develop memory and thinking problems over time, which is ratable as a neurocognitive disorder due to another medical condition.
What you'd need: Neuropsychological testing or a neurology diagnosis of a neurocognitive disorder, with a nexus opinion linking it to the Parkinson's.