01 / VA Disability Topic
VA Rating Criteria.
VA rating criteria are the regulatory standards VA uses to assign disability ratings. They describe what each level of severity looks like for a given condition.
02 / Why It Matters
Why this topic matters.
Ratings determine compensation, and they are assigned by applying written criteria to the evidence. Veterans who read the criteria for their condition understand what VA is looking for, which changes how they think about their evidence.
- Medical Evidence
- The criteria are applied to medical facts: symptoms, severity, and impact.
- Legal Framework
- The criteria are regulations, and their application is a legal question.
- Strategic Execution
- Understanding the criteria shapes what evidence a veteran develops.
03 / What to Understand
What a veteran should understand.
- 01
The criteria are published in the rating schedule, part of the Code of Federal Regulations.
- 02
Each condition has its own diagnostic code and criteria at different rating levels.
- 03
Criteria describe symptoms and functional impact, not just a diagnosis.
- 04
The criteria are law: VA must apply them to the evidence in the record.
04 / Common Confusion
What commonly causes confusion.
- 01
That ratings are discretionary. They are assigned by applying published criteria to evidence.
- 02
That two veterans with the same diagnosis will have the same rating. Severity and impact differ.
- 03
That the criteria are secret. They are public law and can be read by anyone.
05 / The Dimensions
Which dimensions are involved?
No dimension operates alone. This topic is taught through all three, because the questions interact.
Medical Evidence
The criteria are applied to medical facts: symptoms, severity, and impact.
Legal Framework
The criteria are regulations, and their application is a legal question.
Strategic Execution
Understanding the criteria shapes what evidence a veteran develops.
06 / Learn More
Where to go next.
Related topics
Go deeper
Understand the case behind the claim.
This guide explains the concept. The Bearing Guide and the 3 Dimensions worksheet help you organize what it means for your situation.
07 / Sources
References.
This guide draws on the public authorities listed here. The regulatory and statutory text is the authoritative source; this page is educational interpretation, not a substitute for it.
Next step
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