VA Disability Ratings Explained

VA DISABILITY RATINGS EXPLAINED SECTION

Understanding how the VA assigns disability ratings is crucial to navigating the claims process successfully. This section explains the VA's rating system, how multiple disabilities are combined, and special considerations that can affect your overall rating.

Rating Basics

The VA assigns percentage ratings to service-connected disabilities based on their severity. These ratings determine your monthly compensation amount and eligibility for other VA benefits.

Percentage Ratings

VA disability ratings are assigned in 10% increments from 0% to 100%:

0% rating: The condition is service-connected but not severe enough to warrant compensation
10% to 90% ratings: Partial disability with increasing severity
100% rating: Total disability

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Rating Schedule

The VA uses the Schedule for Rating Disabilities (38 CFR Part 4) to determine percentage ratings. This schedule lists specific criteria for each body system and condition. Throughout this guide, we provide these criteria in plain language for each condition.

Compensation Rates

As of January 2025, the basic monthly compensation rates for veterans without dependents are:

Rating	Monthly Payment
10%	$165.92
20%	$327.99
30%	$508.05
40%	$731.86
50%	$1,041.82
60%	$1,319.65
70%	$1,663.06
80%	$1,933.15
90%	$2,172.39
100%	$3,621.95

Additional compensation is provided for veterans with dependents (spouse, children, dependent parents) at ratings of 30% or higher. For current rates, visit VA.gov's compensation rates page.

Combined Ratings Table

When you have multiple service-connected disabilities, the VA does not simply add the percentages together. Instead, they use the Combined Ratings Table to calculate your overall rating.

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Why Ratings Aren't Added

The VA uses a combined ratings formula because they consider that each additional disability affects only the non-disabled portion of your body. For example, if you have a 30% disability, you're considered 70% efficient. If you have another 20% disability, it only affects the remaining 70% efficiency, not your entire body.

How Combined Ratings Work

The VA uses this formula to combine ratings:

Arrange your disabilities from highest to lowest percentage
Take the highest rating and calculate the remaining efficiency (100% minus the rating)
Apply the next highest rating to the remaining efficiency
Continue this process for all disabilities
Round the final combined value to the nearest 10%

Combined Ratings Example

Let's say you have three service-connected disabilities rated at 50%, 30%, and 20%:

Step 1: Arrange from highest to lowest: 50%, 30%, 20%

Step 2: Start with 50% disability, which means you're 50% disabled and 50% efficient

Step 3: Apply the 30% rating to your remaining 50% efficiency:
30% of 50% = 15% additional disability

Step 4: Add this to your existing disability:
50% + 15% = 65% disabled, 35% efficient

Step 5: Apply the 20% rating to your remaining 35% efficiency:
20% of 35% = 7% additional disability

Step 6: Add this to your existing disability:
65% + 7% = 72% disabled

Step 7: Round to the nearest 10%:
72% rounds to 70% combined rating

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Combined Ratings Calculator

The VA provides an online calculator to determine your combined rating. You can also use the VAMAX4U calculator at www.vamax4u.com/calculator to estimate your combined rating based on your specific conditions.

Rating Principles

Several important principles govern how the VA assigns and combines ratings:

Pyramiding

The VA prohibits "pyramiding," which means rating the same disability or manifestation under different diagnostic codes. In other words, you can't receive multiple ratings for the same symptom.

Pyramiding Example

If you have a knee condition that causes both pain and limited motion, you can't receive separate ratings for pain and limited motion if the limited motion rating already accounts for pain.

Exceptions to Pyramiding

There are important exceptions where you can receive multiple ratings for the same body part:

Different manifestations: When a condition causes distinct symptoms that are rated under different criteria
Separate diagnostic codes: When specific regulations allow for multiple ratings

Multiple Ratings Example

For knee conditions, you can receive separate ratings for limitation of flexion (bending), limitation of extension (straightening), and instability (looseness) of the same knee because these are distinct manifestations rated under different diagnostic codes.

Bilateral Factor

When you have disabilities affecting both arms, both legs, or paired skeletal muscles, the VA applies the bilateral factor, which increases your combined rating. This is covered in detail in the Understanding the Bilateral Factor section.

Rating Changes

VA disability ratings are not necessarily permanent and can change over time:

Increased Ratings

If your service-connected condition worsens, you can file a claim for an increased rating. You'll need medical evidence showing that your condition has deteriorated since your last rating decision.

Decreased Ratings

The VA can propose to reduce your rating if they believe your condition has improved. However, they must follow specific procedures:

Send you a notice of proposed reduction
Give you 60 days to submit evidence showing why the reduction shouldn't occur
Allow you to request a hearing
Issue a final decision

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Protection from Reductions

Certain ratings have special protections:

Ratings in effect for 5+ years require evidence of sustained improvement
Ratings in effect for 10+ years can only be reduced if evidence shows the original rating was fraudulent
Ratings in effect for 20+ years are considered permanent and cannot be reduced except in cases of fraud
100% ratings require evidence of "material improvement" under ordinary life conditions

Permanent and Total (P&T) Status

When the VA determines that your service-connected disabilities are both total (100%) and permanent (not expected to improve), they may assign Permanent and Total (P&T) status. This provides additional benefits and protections:

No future re-examinations
Eligibility for Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA)
Certain state benefits
Commissary and exchange privileges for dependents

Special Monthly Compensation

Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) provides additional compensation beyond the standard disability rating schedule for veterans with certain severe disabilities or combinations of disabilities.

Types of SMC

SMC is designated by letters (K through T) for different levels and types of disabilities:

SMC-K: Loss or loss of use of certain body parts, or anatomical loss
SMC-L through SMC-O: Progressively higher levels of compensation for combinations of severe disabilities
SMC-R: Need for regular aid and attendance with additional severe disabilities
SMC-S: "Housebound" rate for veterans with a single 100% disability and additional disabilities totaling 60% or more
SMC-T: Need for regular aid and attendance for residuals of traumatic brain injury

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SMC Eligibility

The VA should automatically consider SMC when the evidence in your file supports it. However, it's often overlooked. If you have severe disabilities like loss of use of limbs, need for aid and attendance, or being housebound, specifically mention SMC in your claim or work with a VSO to ensure it's properly evaluated.

Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU)

If your service-connected disabilities prevent you from maintaining substantially gainful employment, you may qualify for TDIU, which pays at the 100% rate even if your combined rating is less than 100%.

To qualify for TDIU, you generally need:

One service-connected disability rated at least 60%, OR
Multiple service-connected disabilities with a combined rating of at least 70% and at least one disability rated at 40% or more, AND
Evidence that your service-connected disabilities prevent you from maintaining substantially gainful employment

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Substantially Gainful Employment

The VA defines "substantially gainful employment" as employment that provides an annual income exceeding the poverty threshold for one person. In 2025, this threshold is approximately $14,580. Employment in a protected environment (such as a family business or sheltered workshop) is not considered substantially gainful employment.

Understanding these rating principles is essential for navigating the VA disability system effectively. In the next section, we'll explore the bilateral factor, which can significantly increase your combined rating when you have disabilities affecting both sides of your body.