Understanding the VA Disability Ratings System

Veterans who have physical, cognitive, or mental health conditions caused by their service may have the right to VA disability benefits. The benefits a veteran may receive will depend on their disability rating. Understanding the VA disability rating system can help veterans ensure they receive maximum benefits for their service-connected disability. 

How the VA Disability Ratings System Works

The VA disability rating system seeks to assign a numerical rating to a veteran’s service-connected disability based on the severity of that disability. VA disability ratings reflect the severity of a disability as a percentage, based on how much a disability affects a veteran’s functional capacity and overall health. Disability ratings determine the amount of a veteran’s monthly disability compensation and may qualify veterans for other VA or government benefits. 

The VA bases disability ratings on factors such as:

• The medical evidence, including a veteran’s medical records, doctor’s reports, and test result
• The results of the veteran’s claim exam
• Other documentation, such as records from the DOD or other government agencies

Combined Ratings for Multiple Disabilities

Although some veterans may have a single disabling condition, many others have multiple conditions that lead to a combined disability rating. The VA uses a “whole person” method to calculate combined disability ratings, which ensures that veterans cannot receive a combined rating greater than 100 percent. The VA does not add up the ratings of a veteran’s disabling condition. Instead, the agency uses a table that provides a combined disability rating based on a veteran’s highest-rated and second-highest-rated disability. When a veteran has more than two disabling conditions, the VA will first obtain the combined disability rating for the veteran’s highest and second-highest rated disabilities, then use that combined disability rating with the veteran’s next highest-rated disability, and so on for all the veteran’s disabilities. 

How Disability Ratings Affect Benefits

The VA rounds veterans’ disability ratings to the nearest 10 percent. Each rating entitles a veteran to a specific monthly payment. However, for ratings of 30 percent or more, veterans can receive higher monthly payments if they have a dependent spouse or parent and the number of dependent children they have. 

Some disability ratings may also qualify veterans for other government benefits, such as:

• Healthcare/health insurance coverage provided by the VA
• Financial assistance with housing costs
• Benefits to help pay for long-term disability care, such as home health services

Furthermore, specific disabilities may entitle veterans to receive special monthly compensation rates, which provide larger benefit payments. 

Appealing a VA Disability Rating Decision

Veterans who disagree with their disability rating and believe the VA overlooked relevant evidence may pursue the administrative appeals process. The appeals process provides three levels of review:

• Supplemental claim: A veteran can file a supplemental claim to submit new or additional evidence of their disability.
• Higher-level review: During a higher-level review, another VA claims examiner will review a veteran’s disability claim; the veteran may not submit additional evidence. 
• Appeals to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals: Veterans can file an appeal with the Board of Veterans’  Appeals, which may involve a direct review (without new or additional evidence), evidence submission (where the veteran provides new evidence), or a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

Tips for Obtaining an Accurate Rating

Veterans applying for VA disability benefits can follow tips that may help ensure they receive an accurate disability rating, including:

• Gather all your medical records of your disability. You can also ask your treating physicians to write letters summarizing your medical history and explaining the nature of your disability and how it affects your capacity or overall health.
• Follow your treatment plan, including attending rehab appointments, taking medications, and undergoing medical treatments/procedures.
• Attend all scheduled VA medical exams.

Contact a VA Disability Lawyer Today

When you develop a disability due to physical or mental conditions caused by military service, you may qualify for financial benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The amount of your benefits will depend on the disability rating assigned by the VA. Contact Veteran Benefits Law Group today for an initial consultation with a VA disability lawyer to learn more about the VA disability ratings system and how it affects your benefits claim.