Editorial Policy

Content Workflow

Articles on BilateralFactor are produced through a two-stage process. In the first stage, a draft is prepared with AI writing assistance. The AI is given the relevant regulation text, source documents, and a factual brief, and it produces a structured draft. In the second stage, the site's editor, Mario Bailey, reviews every sentence, checks every factual claim against the cited primary source, and edits for accuracy, clarity, and completeness before the article is published. No article goes live directly from an AI output.

This workflow exists because AI language models are efficient at organizing and explaining structured information, but they can misread regulatory text or introduce plausible-sounding errors. Human review against the actual source document is the check that catches those mistakes. The result is articles that are written efficiently and verified carefully.

Primary-Source Citation Requirement

Every factual claim in our articles must be traceable to a primary source. We accept the following as primary sources: the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR) for 38 CFR text, VA.gov official publications, the M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual via KnowVA, and VBA annual benefit reports. Secondary sources (news articles, other websites, or forum discussions) are not acceptable as standalone citations.

Each article carries a sources list at the bottom with direct URLs and retrieval dates. If a source URL later changes or the document is updated, we treat that as a trigger for review.

Dates on Articles

Every article displays both a published date and an updated date. The published date is the date the article first appeared on the site. The updated date is the most recent date on which a substantive edit was made. Minor formatting changes do not advance this date. Readers can use these dates to judge whether the content reflects current regulations and rate tables.

Update Cadence

VA disability compensation rates are set by statute and typically change each December 1 following a cost-of-living adjustment announcement. Rating criteria in 38 CFR Part 4 change through the federal rulemaking process and can be amended at any time. We commit to reviewing rate tables and regulatory content whenever a relevant regulation or rate change is published, and no less than annually. Articles that have not been reviewed within twelve months of their last update are flagged internally for re-verification.

Corrections Policy

We take accuracy seriously and correct errors when they are identified. If you believe an article contains a factual error, please email contact@bilateralfactor.com with the article URL, the claim you believe is incorrect, and the source you think supports the correction. We will review all correction requests and, where we agree an error exists, update the article and advance its updated date. We do not silently delete corrected text; significant corrections are noted in a correction notice within the article.

Scope of Our Coverage

We cover the schedular combined rating calculation as defined in 38 CFR Part 4. We do not cover VA benefits law broadly, claims strategy, appeals tactics, or individual case analysis. Our content is informational, not legal advice. For guidance on individual situations, veterans should consult an accredited VSO, claims agent, or attorney.