Veterans Disability Ratings and What They Mean
Disability ratings are the VA's way of measuring the potential that any given impairment has to decrease your ability to earn a living. The criteria that the VA uses to establish disability ratings are complicated in even the most straightforward-seeming cases and much more so if more than one service-connected disability is involved.
The VA rating system is based on a system of Diagnostic Codes. These are a set of numbered codes assigned for various physical and mental conditions that contain information in each of them on how to rate a particular disability. The VA never makes these codes available to veterans creating a mystery as to how the VA arrives at a particular condition. Additionally, the VA frequently makes mistakes in its interpretation of these diagnostic codes. Not surprisingly, these mistakes usually result in the veteran being underrated. We believe you veterans have a right to see these diagnostic codes so we have provided a complete list of the VA Diagnostic Codes along with an alphabetical list of many disabling conditions for reference. Please bookmark this page and check back regularly as the Diagnostic Codes because the VA is in the process of rewriting them.
If you have received a disability rating that you feel is too low or have an existing disability that has grown more severe over time — we can help. In fact, we may even be able to help you if your initial disability rating was 0 percent and you did not qualify for benefits.
At Bosley & Bratch, decades of combined experience with veterans disability claims and with the VA itself enable our attorneys to help disabled veterans from across the United States obtain the benefits they deserve. To put that experience and the other resources we have to offer on your side — call or contact us and ask to speak with an attorney. The consultation is free. We only receive payment for our services if we are successful on your behalf.
Basic Disability Ratings
The following table shows the disability compensation rates for veterans with no dependents.
| Disability Rating | Monthly Compensation |
| 10 percent | $123 |
| 20 percent | $243 |
| 30 percent | $376 |
| 40 percent | $541 |
| 50 percent | $770 |
| 60 percent | $974 |
| 70 percent | $1,228 |
| 80 percent | $1,427 |
| 90 percent | $1,604 |
| 100 percent | $2,673 |
Combined Rating Table
When a veteran has multiple disability ratings the VA uses a table that combines the various ratings into a Combined Rating. For example, under this system, 20%+20%+20%=50. Of course, the Combined Rating Table does not make sense to the average person and it was does not equal 60, it actually equals a 60 percent combined rating but, unfortunately it is the law. Also unfortunate is that the VA never provides this table to veterans in the Rating Decisions so veterans are left to solve this mystery on their own. At Bosley McKown & Bratch we have provided the Combined Ratings Table along with explanation on how to use the Table so that veterans can see how a Combined Rating is calculated.
Beyond these basic levels of compensation, veterans who are rated at 30 percent or more can receive payment increases for their dependents. There are additional factors that can affect the level of compensation and different strategies our lawyers can use to increase your payments. For instance, if you have a single service-connected disability that has been rated at 60 percent or more, we may be able to secure a finding of individual "unemployability" that would allow you to receive benefits at the 100 percent level.
For answers to specific questions regarding your veterans disability claim — do not hesitate to call or contact our lawyers for a free consultation. To reach our offices by phone — dial 1-866-974-0705 (toll free in the United States).
