Upon completion of a disability application and a determination by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that the disability was service-connected, the VA will assign a disability rating, which reflects the severity and life impairment of the disability. This rating will reflect the amount of compensation that the individual is entitled to receive from the VA.
The VA uses a Schedule of Rating Disabilities that provides lower scores for less severe disabilities and higher scores for more severe disabilities. The ratings range from 0% to 100%. The schedule categorizes the disabilities into body part and impact. Each category contains a group of medical issues. For instance, if an individual has a chronic skin condition, the schedule will list the type of skin condition and the severity rating for the condition. Here, a small scar on the nostril has a ten percent rating assigned, whereas Chloracne will have a forty percent severity rating if it caused deep acne all over the face and neck.
The severity levels also have a list of qualifying symptoms associated with the rating. Here, in terms of Chloracne, deep acne including dry and flaking skin would be associated with a forty percent severity rating. The following is a list of the current monthly compensation scale:
$0 for a 0% rating (However, you may still be entitled to other benefits)
Compensation will vary based upon dependents for a 10% to 20% rating
No dependents:
- $136.24 for a 10% rating
- $269.39 for a 20% rating
Single veterans with no dependents:
- $417.15 for a 30% rating
- $855.41 for a 50% rating
- $2,973.86 for a 100% rating
Married with one dependent child:
- $503.15 for a 30% rating
- $998.41 for a 50% rating, or
- $3,261.10 for a 100% rating
It is worth noting that a person will receive additional compensation for additional dependent children or a dependent or disabled spouse or parent.
If you or a loved one is a Veteran seeking to apply for disability compensation for a service-connected disability, it is important to contact an experienced VA lawyer who may assist you or a loved one through the application process. Filing an application for Veteran’s benefits or appealing an application that has been denied, is often a complex process that requires the attention of a skilled Veteran’s Affairs attorney.
The attorneys of Sullivan & Kehoe, LLP concentrate their practice in Veterans Disability Law. With over 50 years of combined experience between its lawyers, our attorneys may assist you or a loved one in obtaining disability benefits. Call our office at (800) 395 -7830 to schedule a consultation in our New York City, Garden City, Kings Park, Riverhead, or White Plains office.
It really helped when you talked about how a veteran gets assigned a rating. Recently, my wife’s uncle mentioned he’s dealing with a VA issue. I’m not very familiar with how a veteran’s claim works, and after reading your piece, I think it’d be better for them to call a lawyer, so I’ll be sure to tell my wife about it. Thanks for helping me learn about VA ratings and how they work.