{"id":130,"date":"2026-01-17T13:31:19","date_gmt":"2026-01-17T13:31:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trackmysymptoms.org\/blog\/?p=130"},"modified":"2026-01-19T18:56:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T18:56:43","slug":"why-100-shouldnt-be-your-goal-from-someone-who-has-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trackmysymptoms.org\/blog\/2026\/01\/17\/why-100-shouldnt-be-your-goal-from-someone-who-has-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Why 100% Shouldn&#8217;t Be Your Goal (From Someone Who Has It)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Rating Measures Loss, Not Victory<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m rated 100% Permanent &amp; Total by the VA. That&#8217;s not a badge of honor. That&#8217;s documentation that my body is fundamentally incompatible with competitive employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s what the &#8220;claim sharks&#8221; don&#8217;t tell you: the goal shouldn&#8217;t be to &#8220;hit 100%&#8221;. To join the &#8220;hundo club&#8221;. The goal should be to get accurately compensated for your actual functional limitations. To get the compensation &#8211; and medical care &#8211; that you deserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What The Rating Actually Means<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-iconlist.kt-svg-icon-list-items130_3c9fb0-15:not(.this-stops-third-party-issues){margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-iconlist.kt-svg-icon-list-items130_3c9fb0-15 ul.kt-svg-icon-list:not(.this-prevents-issues):not(.this-stops-third-party-issues):not(.tijsloc){margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);margin-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-iconlist.kt-svg-icon-list-items130_3c9fb0-15 ul.kt-svg-icon-list{grid-row-gap:5px;}.wp-block-kadence-iconlist.kt-svg-icon-list-items130_3c9fb0-15 ul.kt-svg-icon-list .kt-svg-icon-list-item-wrap .kt-svg-icon-list-single{margin-right:10px;}.kt-svg-icon-list-items130_3c9fb0-15 ul.kt-svg-icon-list .kt-svg-icon-list-level-0 .kt-svg-icon-list-single svg{font-size:20px;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-iconlist kt-svg-icon-list-items kt-svg-icon-list-items130_3c9fb0-15 kt-svg-icon-list-columns-1 alignnone\"><ul class=\"kt-svg-icon-list\"><style>.kt-svg-icon-list-item-130_e95b23-01 .kt-svg-icon-list-text mark.kt-highlight{background-color:unset;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<li class=\"wp-block-kadence-listitem kt-svg-icon-list-item-wrap kt-svg-icon-list-item-130_e95b23-01 kt-svg-icon-list-level-1\"><span class=\"kb-svg-icon-wrap kb-svg-icon-fe_checkCircle kt-svg-icon-list-single\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"  fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"  aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M22 11.08V12a10 10 0 1 1-5.93-9.14\"\/><polyline points=\"22 4 12 14.01 9 11.01\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"kt-svg-icon-list-text\">30% \u2192 You can work, but with significant accommodation needs<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n<style>.kt-svg-icon-list-item-130_e4b04c-f0 .kt-svg-icon-list-text mark.kt-highlight{background-color:unset;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<li class=\"wp-block-kadence-listitem kt-svg-icon-list-item-wrap kt-svg-icon-list-item-130_e4b04c-f0 kt-svg-icon-list-level-1\"><span class=\"kb-svg-icon-wrap kb-svg-icon-fe_checkCircle kt-svg-icon-list-single\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"  fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"  aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M22 11.08V12a10 10 0 1 1-5.93-9.14\"\/><polyline points=\"22 4 12 14.01 9 11.01\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"kt-svg-icon-list-text\">50% \u2192 Employment is difficult and unreliable<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n<style>.kt-svg-icon-list-item-130_baaacb-61 .kt-svg-icon-list-text mark.kt-highlight{background-color:unset;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<li class=\"wp-block-kadence-listitem kt-svg-icon-list-item-wrap kt-svg-icon-list-item-130_baaacb-61 kt-svg-icon-list-level-1\"><span class=\"kb-svg-icon-wrap kb-svg-icon-fe_checkCircle kt-svg-icon-list-single\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"  fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"  aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M22 11.08V12a10 10 0 1 1-5.93-9.14\"\/><polyline points=\"22 4 12 14.01 9 11.01\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"kt-svg-icon-list-text\">70% \u2192 Employment requires exceptional circumstances<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n<style>.kt-svg-icon-list-item-130_14a9d5-56 .kt-svg-icon-list-text mark.kt-highlight{background-color:unset;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}<\/style>\n<li class=\"wp-block-kadence-listitem kt-svg-icon-list-item-wrap kt-svg-icon-list-item-130_14a9d5-56 kt-svg-icon-list-level-1\"><span class=\"kb-svg-icon-wrap kb-svg-icon-fe_checkCircle kt-svg-icon-list-single\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"  fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"  aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M22 11.08V12a10 10 0 1 1-5.93-9.14\"\/><polyline points=\"22 4 12 14.01 9 11.01\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"kt-svg-icon-list-text\">100% \u2192 You cannot sustain competitive employment<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re genuinely 70%, don&#8217;t chase 100%. The extra money isn&#8217;t worth building your case on exaggerated symptoms that won&#8217;t hold up under scrutiny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Claim Shark Problem<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The disability claim industry is full of operators who:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Promise to &#8220;maximize your rating&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Encourage you to emphasize worst-case scenarios<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Treat VA disability like a lottery you&#8217;re trying to win<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Charge predatory fees (sometimes 30%+ of back pay)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s not advocacy. That&#8217;s exploitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Honest Documentation Looks Like<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When I documented my Multiple Sclerosis for my rating increase, I didn&#8217;t exaggerate. I didn&#8217;t cherry-pick my worst days. I began to document patterns:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>118 episodes over 57 days<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>29 days classified as &#8220;manageable&#8221; by SSA standards<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>28 days where functional capacity dropped below 50%<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Specific symptom clusters: vertigo + vision + cognitive fog<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The data spoke for itself. I didn&#8217;t need to lie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why This Matters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Every person who games the system:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Makes it harder for legitimately disabled veterans to be believed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Feeds the narrative that VA disability is full of fraudsters<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Damages the credibility of the entire program<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Makes examiners more skeptical of everyone<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you can work, work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Get the rating that matches your actual limitations and use VA healthcare to manage your condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you can&#8217;t work, document why &#8211; honestly. That&#8217;s what TrackMySymptoms is for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">My Responsibility as 100% P&amp;T Disabled Veteran<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I didn&#8217;t chase this rating. Candidly, I&#8217;d prefer that I wouldn&#8217;t have needed it. But my body forced it on me. And now that I have it, I have a responsibility to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Not abuse it by pretending I&#8217;m more disabled than I am<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Document honestly so my rating reflects reality<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Advocate for others to get fair compensation without exploitation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Build tools that help people navigate the system without claim sharks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s why TrackMySymptoms doesn&#8217;t promise to &#8220;maximize your rating.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It promises to document your reality accurately &#8211; to help you get what you actually deserve. No more, no less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here&#8217;s what the &#8220;claim sharks&#8221; don&#8217;t tell you: the goal shouldn&#8217;t be to &#8220;hit 100%&#8221;. To join the &#8220;hundo club&#8221;. The goal should be to get accurately compensated for your actual functional limitations. To get the compensation &#8211; and medical care &#8211; that you deserve.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_kad_post_transparent":"disable","_kad_post_title":"show","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-va-benefits"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"mailpoet_newsletter_max":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"TmS-murpho","author_link":"https:\/\/trackmysymptoms.org\/blog\/author\/tms-murpho\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Here's what the \"claim sharks\" don't tell you: the goal shouldn't be to \"hit 100%\". To join the \"hundo club\". The goal should be to get accurately compensated for your actual functional limitations. To get the compensation - and medical care - that you deserve.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/trackmysymptoms.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/trackmysymptoms.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/trackmysymptoms.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trackmysymptoms.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trackmysymptoms.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=130"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/trackmysymptoms.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":139,"href":"https:\/\/trackmysymptoms.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130\/revisions\/139"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/trackmysymptoms.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=130"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trackmysymptoms.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=130"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/trackmysymptoms.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}