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VA Disability Ratings by Condition

By Truth Veteran Benefits Desk · Reviewed by Truth Veteran Benefits Desk on

The Department of Veterans Affairs assigns disability ratings from 0% to 100% in 10% increments to compensate veterans for service-connected medical conditions. Each evaluation follows the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities under 38 CFR Part 4. When a veteran has multiple conditions, the VA uses non-additive math under 38 CFR 4.25 to calculate a single combined rating that determines monthly disability compensation.

Veteran reviewing official disability rating documents at a desk in soft daylight
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Understanding how the VA rates service-connected disabilities

The Department of Veterans Affairs assigns disability ratings to measure the average impairment in earning capacity caused by service-connected injuries and diseases. Codified under Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 4, known as the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD), the system provides objective medical benchmarks for hundreds of distinct physical and mental conditions. Ratings are expressed as percentages, starting at 0% and ascending to 100% in increments of 10%.

To receive a rating for any condition, you must establish service connection under 38 CFR 3.303. This requires satisfying three legal requirements:

  1. A current medical diagnosis of a recognized physical or mental condition.
  2. An in-service event, injury, disease, or toxic exposure documented in your service personnel or medical records.
  3. A medical nexus letter or formal medical opinion stating that it is at least as likely as not (a 50% or higher probability) that the current disability was caused or aggravated by military service.

The VA applies distinct frameworks depending on the nature of the claim. Direct service connection covers injuries or illnesses incurred during active duty. Secondary service connection under 38 CFR 3.310 applies when a service-connected condition causes or aggravates a separate medical problem. Presumptive service connection removes the requirement for direct event proof when conditions appear following qualifying exposures, such as those covered under the PACT Act or Agent Orange statutes.

The 0% to 100% rating scale and monthly compensation

Disability evaluations do not represent total bodily breakdown, but rather statutory tiers of functional limitation. Understanding each tier helps clarify what benefits attach to an adjudication.

A 0% non-compensable rating means the VA confirms your medical condition is directly connected to military service, but the current clinical severity does not reach the minimum threshold for cash payments under the diagnostic schedule. A 0% evaluation is valuable because it guarantees no-cost VA medical care and prescription medications for that specific condition. It also preserves your legal standing to file for an increased evaluation if your condition deteriorates over time.

Compensable ratings begin at 10% and proceed in 10% steps up to 100%. Monthly compensation amounts are paid tax-free each month. For a veteran with no qualifying dependents, the monthly benefit amounts are:

  • 10% disability rating: $180.42 per month
  • 20% disability rating: $356.66 per month
  • 30% disability rating: $552.47 per month
  • 40% disability rating: $795.84 per month
  • 50% disability rating: $1,132.90 per month
  • 60% disability rating: $1,435.02 per month
  • 70% disability rating: $1,808.45 per month
  • 80% disability rating: $2,102.15 per month
  • 90% disability rating: $2,362.30 per month
  • 100% disability rating: $3,938.58 per month

These rates take effect on 2025-12-01 following statutory cost-of-living adjustments. Additional allowances are paid at ratings of 30% and higher for qualifying dependents, including spouses, minor children, and dependent parents. For a full breakdown of dependent rates across all family tiers, consult our comprehensive VA disability pay chart.

The structure of the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities

The rating schedule is divided into fifteen distinct subject groups and physiological body systems under 38 CFR Part 4, Subpart B. Each system contains diagnostic codes (DCs) that set out the exact symptoms, functional losses, or diagnostic testing thresholds required for each percentage tier:

  • Musculoskeletal System (38 CFR 4.71a): Evaluates bones, joints, spine, and muscle groups primarily by measuring limitation of range of motion in degrees using a goniometer, stability, and painful motion.
  • Impairment of Auditory Acuity (38 CFR 4.85–4.87): Evaluates hearing impairment under Diagnostic Code 6100, peripheral vestibular disorders, and conditions of the ear, including tinnitus under Diagnostic Code 6260.
  • Respiratory System (38 CFR 4.97): Covers pulmonary function testing, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, rhinitis, sinusitis, and sleep apnea under Diagnostic Code 6847.
  • Cardiovascular System (38 CFR 4.104): Measures functional capacity through METs (metabolic equivalents), ejection fraction, and sustained blood pressure readings for hypertension.
  • Digestive System (38 CFR 4.114): Assesses conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, hiatal hernia, irritable bowel syndrome, and liver disorders.
  • Genitourinary System (38 CFR 4.115b): Focuses on renal function, frequency of voiding, and urinary leakage requiring absorbent materials.
  • Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders (38 CFR 4.124a): Rates cranial nerve paralysis, peripheral neuropathy, radiculopathy, and migraines under Diagnostic Code 8100 based on prostrating attack frequency.
  • Mental Disorders (38 CFR 4.130): Evaluates all psychological diagnoses, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, and generalized anxiety, under a unified General Rating Formula based on occupational and social impairment.

Reviewing the exact diagnostic code for your claimed condition before attending an examination ensures you understand the clinical criteria the rating specialist must apply.

How combined ratings work under 38 CFR 4.25

One of the most frequent sources of confusion for claimants is why individual disability ratings cannot be summed together. If a veteran receives a 50% rating for sleep apnea, a 30% rating for PTSD, and a 10% rating for tinnitus, simple arithmetic would yield 90%. However, the VA does not add ratings directly. Under 38 CFR 4.25, the VA applies a whole-person concept colloquially termed VA math.

Under this legal framework, a healthy individual begins with 100% bodily efficiency. When a disability is granted, it subtracts a percentage of that efficiency. Successive ratings subtract their percentage only from the remaining efficiency, not the initial whole.

The step-by-step procedure operates as follows:

  1. Arrange all service-connected disability evaluations in descending order of severity.
  2. Apply the highest rating to the starting 100% whole-person efficiency. A 50% evaluation leaves 50% remaining efficiency (100 - 50 = 50).
  3. Apply the next highest rating (30%) to the remaining 50% efficiency. Thirty percent of 50 is 15%. Subtracting 15% from 50% leaves 35% remaining efficiency. The combined disability level is now 65% (50 + 15 = 65).
  4. Apply the next rating (10%) to the remaining 35% efficiency. Ten percent of 35 is 3.5%. Subtracting 3.5% from 35% leaves 31.5% efficiency. The combined disability level reaches 68.5% (65 + 3.5 = 68.5).
  5. Round the final combined total to the nearest 10%. Values ending in 1 through 4 round down, while values ending in 5 through 9 round up. Therefore, 68.5% rounds up to 70%.

To determine your exact combined percentage without manual calculations, use our interactive VA combined rating calculator.

The bilateral factor calculation under 38 CFR 4.26

When a veteran suffers service-connected disabilities affecting paired extremities, 38 CFR 4.26 requires the application of the bilateral factor. The bilateral rule applies to both arms, both legs, or paired skeletal muscles, including any compensable disabilities affecting the use of paired extremities such as veins, arteries, or peripheral nerves of the extremities.

Rather than processing all disabilities in a single sequence, the VA isolates the conditions affecting paired limbs and combines them first using the standard whole-person table. Once the bilateral subtotal is calculated, an additional 10% of that subtotal value is added to the figure. That boosted number is then combined with all remaining non-bilateral conditions, such as mental health disorders or internal medical conditions.

For instance, if a veteran has a 20% rating for the right knee and a 10% rating for the left knee:

  1. The ratings are combined: 20% of 100 leaves 80; 10% of 80 is 8%, producing a combined bilateral base of 28%.
  2. Ten percent of 28% is 2.8%.
  3. Adding 2.8% to 28% equals 30.8%.
  4. This 30.8% figure is rounded to 31% and then merged into the broader rating calculation alongside the veteran’s other disabilities.

The bilateral factor can often provide the additional percentage points needed to elevate a claim into the next 10% pay tier.

Guides for commonly claimed VA disability conditions

Our detailed condition guides examine the diagnostic criteria, Compensation and Pension examination expectations, and evidence requirements for the most frequently claimed disabilities:

  • Sleep Apnea VA Rating Guide: Explains Diagnostic Code 6847 ratings from 0% to 100%, the continuous positive airway pressure machine criteria, secondary connection rules involving obesity, and proposed regulation updates.
  • Tinnitus VA Rating Guide: Details Diagnostic Code 6260, the statutory 10% maximum rating, why bilateral ringing counts only once, noise exposure thresholds, and secondary claim strategies.
  • PTSD VA Rating Guide: Covers the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders under 38 CFR 4.130, combat and personal trauma stressor verification under 38 CFR 3.304(f), and Total Disability Individual Unemployability.
  • Migraine VA Rating Guide: Reviews Diagnostic Code 8100 criteria from 0% to 50% based on prostrating attack frequency and economic inadaptability.
  • Hearing Loss VA Rating Guide: Details the complex mechanical audiometric formula under 38 CFR 4.85 using pure-tone thresholds and Maryland CNC speech discrimination scores.
  • Back Pain VA Rating Guide: Explains cervical and thoracolumbar spine ratings under 38 CFR 4.71a based on range of motion limitations, muscle spasms, and ankylosis.
  • Degenerative Disc Disease VA Rating Guide: Explains Diagnostic Code 5243, rating by spine range of motion or by incapacitating episodes, whichever is higher, and separate ratings for radiculopathy.
  • Knee Pain VA Rating Guide: Covers flexion, extension, joint instability, meniscus tears, and arthritis evaluations affecting the lower extremities.
  • Knee Replacement VA Rating Guide: Explains Diagnostic Code 5055, the 100% rating for 4 months after surgery, the 60% and 30% minimum ratings that follow, and resurfacing.
  • Arthritis VA Rating Guide: Explains Diagnostic Code 5003 for degenerative arthritis, the 10% and 20% X-ray ratings, post-traumatic arthritis under DC 5010, and rheumatoid arthritis under DC 5002.
  • Sciatica VA Rating Guide: Analyzes radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve under Diagnostic Codes 8520, 8620, and 8720, differentiating mild, moderate, and severe paralysis.
  • GERD VA Rating Guide: Explains Diagnostic Code 7206 under the 2024 digestive system rules, where ratings from 0% to 80% depend on documented esophageal stricture and the treatment it needs.
  • Hypertension VA Rating Guide: Covers Diagnostic Code 7101 ratings from 10% to 60% based on diastolic and systolic readings, and the rule that readings be confirmed on at least three different days.
  • Heart Disease VA Rating Guide: Explains how coronary artery disease is rated under the General Rating Formula for Diseases of the Heart by METs workload, and the Agent Orange presumption.
  • Flat Feet VA Rating Guide: Explains Diagnostic Code 5276 ratings from 0% to 50%, how one foot and both feet are rated differently, and how aggravation of pre-service flat feet is handled.
  • Plantar Fasciitis VA Rating Guide: Covers Diagnostic Code 5269 ratings of 10%, 20%, 30% and 40%, including the rule for veterans recommended for surgery who aren’t surgical candidates.
  • Shoulder VA Rating Guide: Reviews Diagnostic Codes 5200 to 5203 and 5051, range of motion limits, and the different ratings for the dominant and minor arm.
  • Radiculopathy VA Rating Guide: Explains how nerve root damage in the arms and legs is rated under 38 CFR 4.124a, from mild incomplete paralysis to complete paralysis.
  • Asthma VA Rating Guide: Covers Diagnostic Code 6602 ratings from 10% to 100% based on FEV-1 and FEV-1/FVC results and how often you need inhalers or steroids.
  • Sinusitis VA Rating Guide: Explains the General Rating Formula for Sinusitis (DCs 6510 to 6514) and allergic rhinitis under DC 6522.
  • IBS VA Rating Guide: Reviews Diagnostic Code 7319 under the 2024 digestive rules, where ratings depend on how often abdominal pain related to bowel movements occurs.
  • Depression VA Rating Guide: Explains how major depressive disorder is rated from 0% to 100% under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.
  • Hip VA Rating Guide: Covers Diagnostic Codes 5250 to 5255 for hip motion and ankylosis, and DC 5054 for hip replacement.
  • Ankle VA Rating Guide: Reviews Diagnostic Codes 5270 to 5274 for limited motion and ankylosis, and DC 5056 for ankle replacement.
  • Carpal Tunnel VA Rating Guide: Explains median nerve ratings under Diagnostic Code 8515 for the dominant and minor hand.
  • Scars VA Rating Guide: Covers Diagnostic Codes 7800 to 7805, from facial disfigurement to painful or unstable scars.
  • Anxiety VA Rating Guide: Explains how generalized anxiety disorder is rated from 0% to 100% under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.
  • Bipolar Disorder VA Rating Guide: Covers Diagnostic Code 9432 under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders, from 0% to 100%, and how VA rates more than one mental condition.
  • Neck VA Rating Guide: Covers cervical spine ratings under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine, based on forward flexion, combined range of motion and ankylosis.
  • COPD VA Rating Guide: Reviews Diagnostic Code 6604 ratings from 10% to 100% based on pulmonary function test results such as FEV-1 and DLCO.
  • Diabetes VA Rating Guide: Explains Diagnostic Code 7913 ratings from 10% to 100%, from diet control to insulin, restricted activities and hospital visits.
  • Eczema VA Rating Guide: Covers Diagnostic Code 7806 under the General Rating Formula for the Skin, based on body area affected and systemic therapy.
  • Fibromyalgia VA Rating Guide: Reviews Diagnostic Code 5025 ratings of 10%, 20% and 40% based on whether widespread pain needs continuous medication, is episodic or is constant.
  • Hemorrhoids VA Rating Guide: Explains Diagnostic Code 7336 under the 2024 digestive rules, where ratings depend on bleeding, anemia, prolapse and thrombosis.
  • Peripheral Neuropathy VA Rating Guide: Covers lower-extremity nerve ratings under 38 CFR 4.124a, from mild incomplete paralysis to complete paralysis, and the wholly sensory rule.
  • Rhinitis VA Rating Guide: Reviews Diagnostic Code 6522 ratings of 10% and 30% based on nasal obstruction and polyps, plus bacterial and granulomatous rhinitis.
  • TBI VA Rating Guide: Explains Diagnostic Code 8045 and the ten facets of cognitive impairment that set traumatic brain injury ratings.
  • TMJ VA Rating Guide: Covers Diagnostic Code 9905 ratings from 10% to 50% based on jaw opening in millimeters and dietary restrictions.
  • Elbow VA Rating Guide: Reviews Diagnostic Codes 5205 to 5213 for elbow and forearm motion, and DC 5052 for elbow replacement.
  • Wrist VA Rating Guide: Explains Diagnostic Codes 5214 and 5215 for wrist ankylosis and limited motion, for the dominant and minor hand.
  • Hand and Fingers VA Rating Guide: Covers Diagnostic Codes 5216 to 5230 for ankylosis and limited motion of the thumb and fingers, and when amputation ratings apply.
  • Hernia VA Rating Guide: Explains Diagnostic Code 7338 under the 2024 digestive rules, where ratings depend on hernia size, how long it has been irreparable, and pain during daily activities.
  • Erectile Dysfunction VA Rating Guide: Covers Diagnostic Code 7522 and special monthly compensation for loss of use of a creative organ.
  • Varicose Veins VA Rating Guide: Explains how varicose veins are rated under Diagnostic Code 7121 from 0% to 100%, with each leg rated separately.
  • Hypothyroidism VA Rating Guide: Explains Diagnostic Code 7903, the six-month 30% and 100% ratings, how residuals are rated afterward, and the Agent Orange presumption.
  • Gulf War Illness VA Rating Guide: Covers undiagnosed illnesses and chronic multisymptom illnesses under 38 CFR 3.317, and how chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and IBS are rated.
  • Kidney Stones VA Rating Guide: Explains Diagnostic Code 7508, the 30% rating for recurrent stones needing procedures more than twice a year, and rating as hydronephrosis or renal dysfunction.
  • Prostate Cancer VA Rating Guide: Explains the 100% rating under Diagnostic Code 7528 during treatment, the exam six months after treatment ends, rating residuals as voiding or renal dysfunction, and the Agent Orange presumption.
  • Voiding Dysfunction VA Rating Guide: Covers 38 CFR 4.115a ratings for urine leakage, urinary frequency and obstructed voiding, from 0% to 60%.
  • Lupus VA Rating Guide: Covers Diagnostic Code 6350 ratings of 10%, 60% and 100% based on exacerbations, and the option to rate residuals by body system instead.
  • Meniere’s Disease VA Rating Guide: Reviews Diagnostic Code 6205 ratings of 30%, 60% and 100%, and the alternative of rating vertigo, hearing loss and tinnitus separately.
  • Shin Splints VA Rating Guide: Explains Diagnostic Code 5262 ratings of 0%, 10%, 20% and 30% for medial tibial stress syndrome, based on treatment length and response to treatment.
  • Skin Cancer VA Rating Guide: Covers DC 7818 and DC 7833, the 100% rating while treatment goes beyond the skin, and rating residual scars afterward.

Effective dates and calculating retroactive back pay

The date from which your disability compensation begins accruing is known as the effective date. Under 38 CFR 3.400, the effective date is generally the date the VA received your formal claim or Intent to File form, or the date your medical condition arose, whichever is later.

Establishing an Intent to File gives you a twelve-month window to gather medical records, nexus opinions, and lay evidence while locking in the earliest possible effective date. When a favorable rating decision is granted months or years later, the VA owes retroactive back pay from that effective date to the adjudication date.

If your claim has been pending or in an appeal status, you can estimate your expected retroactive disbursement using our VA back pay calculator.

Working with accredited representatives for your claim

Navigating the VA claims process involves strict legal deadlines and complex evidentiary standards. Under federal law (38 U.S.C. § 5901), individuals assisting veterans with the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims must be formally accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans can choose between three types of accredited representatives:

  • Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs): Chartered organizations such as the VFW, DAV, and American Legion employ trained National Service Officers who provide free representation for claims and appeals.
  • Accredited Claims Agents: Private individuals certified by the VA Office of General Counsel who have passed a comprehensive examination on veterans benefits law.
  • Accredited Attorneys: Licensed lawyers in good standing who are certified by the VA to represent veterans at regional offices and before the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.

Never work with unaccredited companies or consulting firms that charge unauthorized upfront fees or demand percentages of future disability benefits. You can verify whether a representative is officially licensed by searching the VA Office of General Counsel Accreditation Directory.

VA ratings by condition

This guide explains the rules; it is not legal or medical advice. VA decisions depend on your records. Free help is available from accredited Veterans Service Organizations.

Frequently asked questions

How does the VA assign disability ratings for each condition?

The Department of Veterans Affairs evaluates each service-connected disability using the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities, codified in 38 CFR Part 4. Every medical condition is assigned a four-digit diagnostic code with specific medical criteria. Rating specialists review medical records, Compensation and Pension examination reports, and Disability Benefits Questionnaires to match your functional impairment to a schedular percentage.

Why are multiple VA disability ratings not added together directly?

The VA calculates combined disability ratings using a non-additive whole-person efficiency formula established in 38 CFR 4.25. A veteran starts with 100% working efficiency. Each disability percentage is subtracted from remaining efficiency rather than summed. For example, a 50% rating leaves 50% efficiency; an additional 30% rating takes 30% of that remaining efficiency (15%), resulting in a 65% combined rating rounded up to 70%.

What is the benefit of receiving a 0% non-compensable VA rating?

A 0% non-compensable rating formally establishes that an injury or illness occurred in or was aggravated by military service. While it does not provide monthly financial compensation, it grants access to VA healthcare services and prescription medications for that condition with no copayments. It also establishes an official foundation for filing an increased claim if symptoms worsen.

How does the bilateral factor affect combined ratings?

Under 38 CFR 4.26, the bilateral factor applies when a veteran has service-connected disabilities affecting paired extremities, such as both arms, both legs, or paired skeletal structures. The VA combines those paired extremity ratings first and adds a 10% bonus of that combined value before merging it with non-bilateral conditions, often lifting the final rounded combined rating.

Can a veteran hold a 100% rating and continue working?

Veterans with a schedular 100% permanent and total disability rating can generally work without income restrictions. However, veterans who receive 100% compensation through Total Disability Individual Unemployability under 38 CFR 4.16 are legally restricted from maintaining substantially gainful employment, though protected marginal employment earning below the federal poverty line remains permissible.

What evidence is required to prove direct service connection?

Establishing direct service connection under 38 CFR 3.303 requires three distinct elements: a current formal medical diagnosis of a chronic disability, credible evidence of an in-service injury, illness, or toxic exposure event, and a competent medical nexus linking the current condition to the documented military service event with at least as likely as not probability.

Sources

  1. 38 CFR Part 4 - Schedule for Rating Disabilities
  2. 38 CFR 4.25 - Combined ratings table
  3. 38 CFR 4.26 - Bilateral factor
  4. VA Disability Compensation Rates