Your VA disability rating is one of the most important numbers in your life as a veteran — it determines your monthly compensation, your healthcare priority, your access to other benefits, and much more. Yet most veterans don't fully understand how their rating is calculated or what they can do to ensure it accurately reflects their condition.
A VA disability rating is a percentage assigned to each service-connected condition, reflecting how much that condition reduces your overall physical and/or mental health. Ratings are assigned in increments of 10% (0%, 10%, 20%, ... 100%) and are based on the VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD).
A 0% rating means the VA acknowledges the condition is service-connected but currently causes no functional impairment. It still entitles you to VA healthcare at an elevated priority level and can serve as a foundation for future increases.
Each condition is rated individually based on diagnostic criteria in the VASRD. For example:
The VA evaluates your condition based on your C&P exam findings, VA treatment records, private medical records, and any DBQ (Disability Benefits Questionnaire) submitted by a private doctor.
| Condition | Common Rating Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tinnitus | 10% | Flat rate — most common rated condition |
| Hearing Loss | 0% – 100% | Based on audiogram results |
| PTSD / Mental Health | 10% – 100% | Based on symptom frequency/severity |
| Lumbar Strain (Low Back) | 10% – 40% | Based on range of motion |
| Knee Conditions | 10% – 30% | Based on instability, ROM, surgeries |
| Sleep Apnea (with CPAP) | 50% | Auto-50% if CPAP is required |
| Hypertension | 10% – 60% | Based on diastolic BP readings |
| Migraines | 10% – 50% | Based on frequency of prostrating attacks |
| TBI | 0% – 100% | Rated on cognitive and functional impairment |
| Diabetes (Type II) | 10% – 100% | Based on treatment required |
Here's where most veterans get confused: when you have multiple service-connected conditions, the VA does not simply add the ratings together. Instead, it uses a method called the "whole person" formula.
Imagine you start with a body that is 100% healthy (100%). If you have a 30% rating, the VA applies that to your whole self — leaving 70% remaining. If you then have a 20% rating, it applies to that remaining 70%: 20% × 70 = 14 additional points. Now you're at 44%, which rounds to 40%.
The formula continues in this way for each additional condition, and the final result is rounded to the nearest 10% (rounding 5% up, and below 5% down).
Veterans with ratings of 70% + 50% + 30% might expect 150% — but the combined rating works out to approximately 86%, which rounds to 90%. This is by design — the VA assumes conditions overlap in their overall impact on your functioning.
Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) is one of the most valuable and underutilized VA benefits. TDIU allows veterans to receive compensation at the 100% rate even when their combined schedular rating is less than 100%, if their service-connected disabilities prevent them from holding substantially gainful employment.
To apply for TDIU, file VA Form 21-8940 (Veteran's Application for Increased Compensation Based on Unemployability) along with your regular disability claim or as a supplemental claim.
claim.vet can help you understand your combined rating, identify conditions you may be missing, and prepare a stronger claim. Free for veterans, always.
Review My Rating — FreeIf your rating doesn't accurately reflect the severity of your condition, or if your condition has worsened, you have options:
Submit new and relevant evidence that wasn't previously considered — such as a private nexus letter, new medical records, or a completed Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) from your doctor documenting increased severity.
Secondary conditions are disabilities caused or aggravated by an already service-connected condition. For example, if your service-connected knee condition caused you to walk differently, leading to a hip or back problem, that secondary condition can be claimed. Secondary conditions are very common and often go unclaimed.
If your condition has worsened since your last C&P exam, you can request a new exam by submitting evidence of increased severity. The VA may also schedule re-examinations on their own for conditions that are expected to improve.
If your disabilities prevent you from working, TDIU provides 100% compensation rates without needing a 100% schedular rating. This is often the most impactful option for veterans with combined ratings in the 60-90% range.
Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) is additional compensation for veterans who have specific types of severe disabilities — such as the loss of use of a limb, blindness, or the need for regular aid and attendance. SMC rates are significantly higher than standard 100% compensation.
The VA is required by law to apply the benefit of the doubt to veterans when evidence is in approximate balance. If the evidence for and against service connection is roughly equal, the VA must rule in your favor. A strong, well-documented claim puts that rule to work for you.
The VA uses the "whole person" method to calculate combined ratings, not simple addition. Each subsequent rating is applied to the remaining percentage of your health after previous ratings are subtracted. This is why veterans with multiple conditions often have a combined rating lower than expected. The final number is rounded to the nearest 10%.
A schedular 100% rating means the VA has assigned 100% based on the rating schedule for your specific conditions. TDIU (Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability) lets you receive 100% compensation rates even if your combined rating is less than 100%, provided your service-connected disabilities prevent substantially gainful employment. Financially, both pay the same monthly rate.
To increase your VA disability rating: file a Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence showing your condition has worsened; get a private nexus letter or DBQ from a treating physician documenting increased severity; claim secondary conditions caused by your service-connected disability; or request a new C&P exam. You can also apply for TDIU if your disabilities prevent you from working.