When you have a medical condition caused or worsened by your military service, you may qualify for disability benefits from the VA. These benefits include monthly financial payments and, for some veterans, access to healthcare and other services from the VA. The amount of monthly payments and types of benefits a veteran may receive will depend on the disability rating assigned to their condition by the VA. Various factors can affect your VA disability rating, including:
Severity of the Service-Connected Condition
Arguably, the most significant factor that affects a VA disability rating is the VA’s assessment of the severity of the veteran’s service-connected condition(s). The VA’s Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD) assigns specific disability ratings to various health conditions based on the symptoms or impairment caused by a veteran’s condition. The more severe the symptoms or impairments from a service-connected condition, the higher the disability rating the veteran will receive from the VA for their condition.
Medical Evidence
The VA’s assessment of the severity of a service-connected condition can begin with a review of the medical evidence submitted as part of a veteran’s claim. The VA will review the veteran’s medical records to determine the objective findings made by the veteran’s medical providers regarding the veteran’s condition based on physical examinations, diagnostic tests, and evaluations of the veteran’s subjective complaints. Veterans can improve their chances of an accurate disability rating by ensuring the VA has comprehensive and up-to-date medical records. In many cases, the VA may ask a veteran to attend a compensation & pension exam, where a medical professional will assess the veteran’s current medical condition.
Effect on Daily Living
The VA will also consider the veteran’s evidence regarding the effect of their condition(s) on their daily activities. This evidence may include the veteran’s testimony and written reports of subjective complaints arising from their condition. Veterans can also bolster their disability benefits claims by submitting “buddy statements” from family members, friends, and co-workers who can corroborate the veteran’s descriptions of how their condition affects their daily living.
Secondary Conditions
A veteran who has one or more secondary conditions could see an increase in their disability rating. A “secondary condition” refers to a health condition caused or aggravated by a “primary” service-connected condition. For example, a veteran may develop depression or anxiety due to the loss of a limb from a service injury. When a veteran develops or suffers an aggravation of a medical condition due to their primary service-connected condition, the VA may assign a disability rating to that secondary condition and incorporate it into the veteran’s
Combined Disability Rating
Finally, veterans with two or more qualifying disabilities can receive a combined disability rating. The VASRD includes a chart that provides a combined disability rating for two conditions. However, when a veteran has three or more conditions, the VA will determine a combined disability rating for the two highest-rated conditions, then put that combined rating in the chart with the veteran’s next highest-rated disability, and so on until the VA has incorporated all the veteran’s conditions into their combined disability rating.
Changes in VA Regulations for 2025
The VA has introduced various changes to regulations governing disability ratings, including revisions to mental health evaluation standards that require a minimum 10 percent rating for all diagnosed service-connected mental health conditions and that potentially make it easier for veterans to qualify for higher disability ratings. The VA has also revised the rating criteria for sleep apnea to focus on the effectiveness of treatment and the impairments experienced by veterans.
Contact a VA Disability Attorney Today
When you have a disabling condition caused or aggravated by your military service, you may qualify for VA disability benefits. Your monthly compensation and access to services may depend on your disability rating. Contact Veteran’s Legal Center today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a VA disability benefits lawyer to learn more about the factors that affect your disability rating.