About BilateralFactor
Who We Are
BilateralFactor is an independent research and publishing project focused on VA disability ratings math. We are privately owned and operated. We have no affiliation with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, any federal agency, or any veterans service organization. Nothing on this site is an official VA communication or decision.
The site is built and edited by Mario Bailey (LinkedIn), a U.S. Air Force veteran and current Air National Guard member. The ratings system this site explains is the one that applies to his own service and to the people he serves with. The formulas in 38 CFR Part 4 are public law, but they are written in regulatory language that can be difficult to follow without a worked example. Our goal is to present that math clearly, completely, and with every step visible.
Mario reviews and approves every article before it is published, following the process described in our editorial policy. He is not an attorney, an accredited claims agent, or a VA employee, and this site does not give legal advice. What we publish is the regulation itself, explained in plain English and checked against the primary sources cited on each page.
BilateralFactor is a personal project. It does not represent the views of the U.S. Air Force, the Air National Guard, the Department of Defense, or any government agency.
Our Mission
We exist to make VA ratings math transparent and verifiable. Every number our calculator produces can be traced back to a specific clause in 38 CFR. Every figure in our articles is cited to a primary source: the regulation text, VA.gov, the M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual, or VBA annual reports. Veterans deserve to understand how their ratings are calculated before a decision is made, not just after.
We do not take positions on VA policy. We do not advocate for higher ratings on behalf of any individual. Our role is to explain the rules accurately and let veterans and their representatives apply that knowledge to their own situations.
What We Publish
Our content falls into three categories. First, the combined rating calculator, which implements 38 CFR §4.25 (combined ratings) and §4.26 (bilateral factor) directly in the browser. Second, condition guides that explain the diagnostic codes and rating criteria for specific disabilities cited to the Schedule for Rating Disabilities. Third, data and statistics drawn from publicly available VBA reports and datasets, presented with source links and retrieval dates.
Independence and Funding
BilateralFactor is funded by display advertising served through Google AdSense, which offsets the cost of operating the site. Advertisers do not choose, see, or influence our content, and ad placement never affects what we write or how we rate the accuracy of a claim. Details of the data practices involved are in our privacy policy.
We do not accept sponsored content, affiliate fees, or payment from any company, law firm, or claims agent. Our editorial decisions are not influenced by any commercial relationship.
Contact
For corrections, feedback, or source questions, reach us at contact@bilateralfactor.com. For questions about individual claims, we are not able to help. See our disclaimer and consult an accredited VSO, claims agent, or attorney through the VA OGC accreditation search.