VA Disability Rating Criteria
VA Disability Rating Chart and Criteria Explained
VA assigns a percentage to each service-connected condition based on the Schedule for Rating Disabilities in 38 CFR Part 4. This page explains what those percentages mean, how criteria are written, and how separate ratings combine into one overall evaluation.
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How VA rating percentages work
Every service-connected condition is evaluated against written criteria in the rating schedule. Percentages generally run in 10 percent steps from 0 to 100, and each level describes a specific level of impairment — not a general sense of how bad the condition feels.
A 0 percent (noncompensable) evaluation still matters. It establishes service connection, which means an increase can be requested later if the condition worsens, and it can support a secondary claim.
- Criteria are condition-specific and written into 38 CFR Part 4
- VA rates the level of impairment shown in the evidence of record
- The same condition may be rated under different Diagnostic Codes depending on symptoms
- Ratings can be increased or reduced when the evidence changes
Why 30% plus 20% does not equal 50%
VA does not add ratings together. It applies them successively to the remaining non-disabled portion of the body, then rounds the result to the nearest 10 percent. A 30 percent rating followed by a 20 percent rating produces 44 percent, which rounds to 40 percent.
Paired extremities can also trigger the bilateral factor, which adds 10 percent of the combined value for those ratings before the remaining ratings are applied.
Reading the criteria for your condition
Rating criteria use specific medical and functional terms — prostrating attacks, METs, range of motion in degrees, occupational and social impairment. Matching your documented symptoms to those exact terms is what moves an evaluation.
Look for the threshold language
Each criterion contains a threshold, such as a frequency, measurement, or functional effect. Identify which threshold your records support and where the documentation stops short.
Check for separate ratings
Neurological, scar, and functional manifestations of a condition are often rated separately from the primary evaluation when they are distinct.
Frequently asked questions
Where do VA rating criteria come from?
They come from the Schedule for Rating Disabilities in 38 CFR Part 4, published by the federal government and updated periodically.
How does VA combine multiple disability ratings?
VA uses the combined ratings table rather than simple addition, applying each rating to the remaining non-disabled portion and then rounding to the nearest 10 percent.
Does a higher rating always mean more compensation?
Compensation is based on the combined rating and dependent status. Because of rounding and VA math, an additional low rating does not always change the combined percentage.
Related StratForge tools
Combine your ratings with VA math, including the bilateral factor.
Find the Diagnostic Code VA uses to rate a condition.
How one service-connected condition can support another claim.
Free guide: what examiners ask and how to describe your worst days accurately.
Get AI-powered claims assistance
Create a free StratForge account, upload your VA records, and start organizing the evidence behind your claim. StratForge provides educational, organizational, and claims-preparation assistance — it does not guarantee any VA rating, decision, or benefit.