If you are a veteran living with the challenges of service-connected conditions, understanding your VA disability rating is essential. This rating determines your monthly compensation and your eligibility for other benefits like VA healthcare and vocational rehabilitation. But how does the VA calculate that number, and what does it really mean?
At VetLaw, we’ve dedicated our careers to one mission: fighting for the veterans who fought for us. Unlike general law firms that handle a wide range of cases, VA disability law is all we do. Our attorneys are VA-accredited and experienced in the unique challenges veterans face when pursuing the benefits they deserve.
Understanding Your VA Disability Rating
A VA disability rating is a percentage assigned by the Department of Veterans Affairs that represents the severity of a service-connected condition. These ratings are meant to reflect how much your medical condition impacts your ability to function. Ratings are assigned in 10% increments, ranging from 0% to 100%. Higher ratings result in higher monthly compensation.
Disability ratings are not based only on a diagnosis. Instead, the VA evaluates how that condition affects your day-to-day life. If your condition prevents you from working, maintaining relationships, or caring for yourself, your VA disability rating should reflect that level of impairment.
How Does the VA Decide My Disability Rating?
When the VA evaluates your claim, it reviews a range of evidence to determine your rating. This includes medical documentation, statements from people who know you, and the results of your Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam.
The most important elements the VA considers include:
- C&P Exam Results: This is a medical evaluation performed by a VA healthcare provider or contracted physician. It documents the severity of your condition.
- Medical Evidence: Doctor’s notes, test results, treatment records, and specialist reports all help establish the severity of your condition.
- Lay Statements: You, your family, or others who know you can submit written statements about how your disability affects your daily activities and functioning.
- Federal Agency and Other Reliable Information: In some cases, additional data from credible sources may be considered.
The VA uses this information to compare your condition to the standards listed in the Veterans Affairs Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD). Each condition has specific symptoms or limitations tied to certain percentage ratings.
How Are Multiple Disabilities Combined?
If you have more than one service-connected condition, the VA does not simply add your disability percentages together. Instead, it uses the “whole person” approach, also known as “VA math.”
Let’s say you’re rated 50% for one condition. The VA sees you as 50% disabled and 50% still able-bodied. If you then receive a 30% rating for a second condition, that 30% is applied to your remaining 50% of function, not to the original 100%. In this case, the second condition would reduce your remaining function by 15%, leaving you with a total disability rating of 65%, which the VA would round up to 70%.
The more ratings you add, the harder it becomes to reach 100%. The VA rounds the final combined rating to the nearest 10%. This is why two 50% ratings don’t equal 100%.
What Is the Bilateral Factor?
If you have disabilities affecting both arms, both legs, or paired organs, the VA adds something called a bilateral factor before calculating your combined rating. It recognizes that paired disabilities can cause more functional loss than two unrelated issues. This can slightly increase your combined rating.
What Are Common VA Disability Ratings?
The VA assigns ratings based on how much each condition affects your life, as documented in your C&P exam and medical evidence. For example:
- Tinnitus: Always rated at 10%, regardless of whether it affects one or both ears.
- PTSD: Can be rated at 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, or 100% depending on the severity.
- Back or Neck Conditions: Ratings vary from 10% to 100% based on range of motion, pain, and whether the condition causes secondary issues like nerve damage.
- Migraines: Rated at 0%, 10%, 30%, or 50% depending on frequency and severity.
- Scars: Rated from 10% to 80% depending on location, size, pain, and appearance.
Can My VA Disability Rating Be Increased?
Yes, you can request a higher rating if your condition worsens or if you believe the VA assigned the wrong percentage.
You have a few options:
- File an Appeal: If your decision is less than a year old, you can request a Higher Level Review, submit a Supplemental Claim, or appeal directly to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.
- File for an Increased Rating: If it has been more than a year since your rating decision or your condition has worsened, you can file a claim for an increased rating. Keep in mind, the VA may schedule another C&P exam, which could result in your benefits being reduced if the new evidence shows improvement.
- Apply for TDIU: If you’re unable to work due to your service-connected disabilities, you may qualify for Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU). Even if your combined rating is below 100%, TDIU provides the same level of monthly compensation as a 100% rating.
- File a Secondary Claim: If one condition causes or aggravates another (for example, a back injury leading to leg pain), you can file for a secondary service condition. This won’t change your original rating, but it can increase your overall combined rating.
Are VA Ratings Permanent?
Most ratings are not permanent. The VA can, and often does, schedule future exams to check whether your condition has improved. However, once a condition has been stable for several years, your rating may become “static” or permanent. Ratings are generally protected from being reduced under certain rules after five, ten, or twenty years, unless the VA can show clear evidence of sustained improvement.
How Do I Know What My Current Rating Is?
You can check your current rating by logging into your VA.gov account or reviewing your decision letter. To estimate your combined rating if you have multiple disabilities, you can use the VA Combined Ratings Table or our disability calculator tool.
How Much Will I Receive in Monthly Compensation?
Your monthly compensation depends on your rating, how many dependents you have, and whether your spouse receives Aid and Attendance. The VA updates payment amounts every year to adjust for cost of living. Veterans with a 10% rating receive a modest monthly payment, while veterans rated at 100% receive thousands per month, with additional amounts for spouses, children, and dependent parents.
An Attorney Can Navigate You Through the Process
The VA rating system is unlike any other disability compensation system. It is based on how your conditions affect your ability to work, not necessarily how much pain or suffering they cause. The combined rating process is technical, the rules for appeals are strict, and it’s easy to make mistakes that can cost you benefits.
At VetLaw, we help veterans navigate these challenges every day. Our attorneys are VA-accredited and experienced in disability ratings, appeals, TDIU, and secondary claims. If you believe your rating is wrong or too low, we’re here to help you fight for the benefits you earned.
Talk to a VA Disability Lawyer for FREE
You served your country, and now you deserve fair compensation for your service-connected conditions. Whether you’re applying for the first time, appealing a low rating, or seeking an increase, VetLaw can guide you through the process.
Call us at (336) 355-8387 or fill out our FREE case review form to get started. Even if we can’t take your case, we’ll try to point you in the right direction. Your recovery is our mission.
