Most veterans read the first page of a rating decision, see the percentage, and put it in a drawer. The real information is buried deeper — in the “evidence” list and the “reasons and bases.”
The evidence list
This tells you what the rater actually reviewed. If a record you sent is not on the list, the VA may have overlooked it — a potential duty-to-assist error.
The reasons and bases
This is the rater explaining, in their own words, why they decided the way they did. It names the missing element — nexus, current severity, or in-service event. That sentence is your appeal roadmap. Everything you submit next should target it.
The effective date
Check it against the date you filed. A wrong effective date quietly costs veterans thousands in back pay, and it is often correctable.