Conditions Library

VA disability ratings by condition

Condition-by-condition guides with diagnostic codes and rating criteria cited directly to the 38 CFR rating schedule.

VA rating for hearing loss: how the tables work

DC 6100 uses audiometry tables, not symptoms, to assign hearing loss ratings. Most veterans rate 0–10%. Here is the exact math and what raises the number.

VA rating for back pain: spine formula and codes

How VA rates back pain under 38 CFR §4.71a: ROM thresholds, IVDS episodes, radiculopathy add-ons, and a worked combined-rating example.

Flat feet VA rating: DC 5276 tiers and the bilateral factor

VA rates pes planus under DC 5276 with built-in bilateral tiers from 0% to 50%. Learn the criteria, the §4.26 interaction, and secondary claim strategies.

VA rating for knee pain: diagnostic codes and math

How VA rates knee conditions under 38 CFR §4.71a — instability, limitation of motion, cartilage, and the bilateral factor worked examples.

PTSD VA rating criteria: the six tiers explained

PTSD VA rating uses DC 9411 and the General Rating Formula: 0, 10, 30, 50, 70, or 100%. Each tier reflects occupational and social impairment, not diagnosis.

Bilateral radiculopathy VA rating: lumbar and lower extremity

VA rates lumbar and lower-extremity radiculopathy under 38 CFR §4.124a, 10% to 80% by severity, plus the bilateral factor for both-leg cases and worked math.

Sleep apnea VA rating: the four tiers under DC 6847

VA rates sleep apnea under DC 6847 at 0, 30, 50, or 100%. The 50% tier requires a CPAP prescription. Here is how the tiers work and how ratings combine.

Tinnitus VA rating: the 10% cap and what pairs with it

Tinnitus VA rating under DC 6260 is 10% max, one or both ears. Bilateral factor does not apply. How tinnitus combines with other ratings and secondary claim paths.