What is the Schedule for Rating Disabilities

After you have applied for disability benefits and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has determined that your disability is service-connected, the next step is for the VA to assign a rating to your disability. The rating reflects the severity of your disability and is intended to reflect how much the impairment impacts your ability to work. Your rating is used to set the amount of your disability compensation. Generally, less severe disabilities receive lower ratings and more severe disabilities receive higher ratings.

The VA has developed a Schedule of Rating Disabilities (VARSD). The ratings in the schedule are based on the average impact on earning capacity that each disability has in civilian occupations. Ratings range from 0% to 100% in 10% increments.

The VA Schedule of Rating Disabilities breaks down disabilities into different categories based on the part of the body impacted. Each category contains groups of medical issues. Each group of issues then contains a list of diagnoses, and each diagnosis has its own diagnostic code. Each diagnostic code specifies symptoms that are required for various ratings of disability.

To rate your disability, the VA will start at the body system category, locate your diagnosis, and then find the diagnostic code which best matches with your symptoms. This is why it’s important to have quality, strong medical evidence to help substantiate the severity of your disability to secure the highest rating possible. Contact Vet Defender to learn more on how you can get a higher rating. To schedule your appointment with Vet Defender click here: Schedule an Appointment.