VA Disability Conditions
Reference pages for each condition we track in the Board of Veterans' Appeals data. Each page shows real primary-issue grant rates, the rating framework under 38 CFR, the evidence patterns that win at the Board, and what the data says about the path to a favorable decision.
501,000+
BVA decisions in our corpus
101,518
condition records deeply analyzed in one subset of our 501,000+ BVA decision library
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Mental Health
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Anxiety
50 percent granted at the Board across 1,194 decided appeals VA rates anxiety under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders in 38 CFR 4.130, based on occupational and social impairment. -
PTSD
45 percent granted at the Board across 1,609 decided appeals About 1.76 million veterans are service-connected for PTSD, and many are rated at 70 percent because the 100 percent tier requires total occupational and… -
Bipolar Disorder
44 percent granted at the Board across 612 decided appeals Bipolar disorder shares the same six-tier 38 CFR § 4.130 rating framework as PTSD, depression, and every other psychiatric condition except eating disorders. -
Adjustment Disorder
43 percent granted at the Board across 1,621 decided appeals Adjustment disorder rates under 38 CFR § 4.130 (the same six-tier General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders that PTSD uses). -
Schizophrenia
41 percent granted at the Board across 748 decided appeals Schizophrenia is the highest-rating psychiatric condition in Claim Raven's BVA dataset. -
Depression
33 percent granted at the Board across 709 decided appeals Depression is rated under the same six-tier 38 CFR § 4.130 General Rating Formula as PTSD. -
Insomnia
21 percent granted at the Board across 293 decided appeals Insomnia has no diagnostic code of its own. -
Eating Disorders (Anorexia and Bulimia)
10 percent granted at the Board across 104 decided appeals VA rates anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa from 0 to 100 percent under a special formula based on diagnosis, self-induced weight loss, incapacitating… -
Military Sexual Trauma (MST)
0 percent granted at the Board across 4 decided appeals Military sexual trauma is an in-service experience, not a standalone diagnostic code; VA compensates diagnosed mental or physical conditions caused or… -
ADHD
Not yet analyzed ADHD is not named in the VA rating schedule, and DC 9440 is chronic adjustment disorder, not ADHD. -
Somatic Symptom Disorder
Not yet analyzed Somatic symptom disorder is listed at DC 9421 and rated by overall occupational and social impairment.
Musculoskeletal
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Flat Feet (Pes Planus)
37 percent granted at the Board across 903 decided appeals Pes planus is the highest-volume aggravation claim at the BVA. -
Back (Lumbar Spine)
36 percent granted at the Board across 1,037 decided appeals Roughly 1.6 million veterans are service-connected for a back condition, and most ratings turn on one number: forward flexion at the goniometer. -
Ankle
36 percent granted at the Board across 586 decided appeals Most ankle ratings turn on whether limited motion is 'moderate' or 'marked' under DC 5271, and since 2021 the code defines both terms in degrees. -
Degenerative Disc Disease
35 percent granted at the Board across 483 decided appeals Degenerative disc disease is rated under the General Rating Formula for the Spine with or without pain, and the biggest swings come from forward flexion… -
Knee
31 percent granted at the Board across 1,059 decided appeals VA's fiscal year 2025 Annual Benefits Report counts about 2.3 million service-connected disabilities for limited knee flexion (DC 5260), and many claims… -
Spinal Stenosis
30 percent granted at the Board across 909 decided appeals Spinal stenosis grants at 30.3% across 909 BVA cases. -
Arthritis
28 percent granted at the Board across 753 decided appeals Arthritis is rated on the motion of the joint it sits in, not on the arthritis itself, and the 10% X-ray floor only applies when that motion isn't… -
Thoracic Spine
27 percent granted at the Board across 495 decided appeals The VA does not rate the thoracic spine on its own. -
Herniated Disc
26 percent granted at the Board across 460 decided appeals A herniated disc is rated under DC 5243, but the incapacitating-episode method that pays the most is also where most of these claims quietly fail. -
Wrist
26 percent granted at the Board across 872 decided appeals A wrist claim is the kind of case the VA rating schedule was not built for. -
Cervical Spine (Neck)
25 percent granted at the Board across 460 decided appeals The cervical spine is rated under the same General Rating Formula as the lumbar spine, but with cervical-specific angle thresholds because the neck has a… -
Elbow
25 percent granted at the Board across 609 decided appeals Elbow conditions sit in one of the more granular corners of the rating schedule: nine diagnostic codes covering ankylosis, flexion, extension, flail joint,… -
Psoriatic Arthritis
24 percent granted at the Board across 95 decided appeals VA can rate active psoriatic arthritis under DC 5002 or rate its chronic joint residuals, but it must use the higher path rather than combine both. -
TMJ Dysfunction
21 percent granted at the Board across 499 decided appeals TMJ dysfunction is rated under DC 9905 on mouth-opening range combined with how restricted your diet has become, or on side-to-side jaw motion, and almost… -
Shoulder
21 percent granted at the Board across 621 decided appeals Shoulder conditions are rated under DC 5200 through DC 5203 in 38 CFR § 4.71a. -
Gout
20 percent granted at the Board across 714 decided appeals Since February 7, 2021, gout under DC 5017 is rated as degenerative arthritis on limitation of motion in each affected joint, and the old DC 5002 flare-count… -
Bunions (Hallux Valgus)
19 percent granted at the Board across 513 decided appeals A bunion claim under DC 5280 caps at 10 percent per foot, so the rating value usually lives in the secondary foot, ankle, knee, and back conditions it drives. -
Scoliosis
17 percent granted at the Board across 863 decided appeals Scoliosis is one of the harder conditions to get service-connected. -
Rheumatoid Arthritis
13 percent granted at the Board across 476 decided appeals Rheumatoid arthritis is rated under DC 5002 on two separate tracks, and the dataset shows it has the highest C&P-inadequate exam share of any condition I… -
Hip Condition
13 percent granted at the Board across 305 decided appeals Hip conditions are rated on measured motion under DCs 5250 through 5255, and a replacement moves you to DC 5054, where the temporary 100 percent runs four… -
Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome
Not yet analyzed Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome is a musculoskeletal exertion condition, not a fatigue syndrome. -
Costochondritis
Not yet analyzed Costochondritis has no dedicated VA diagnostic code. -
Morton's Neuroma / Metatarsalgia
Not yet analyzed Morton's neuroma, Morton's disease, and anterior metatarsalgia are three names for one diagnostic code with one number: a flat 10 percent. -
Pes Cavus (High Arches)
Not yet analyzed Pes cavus is rated under DC 5278 in four tiers up to 50 percent. -
Plantar Fasciitis
Not yet analyzed Since 2021, plantar fasciitis has had its own diagnostic code, and the entire rating turns on one phrase: whether the condition responds to treatment. -
Rotator Cuff Injury
Not yet analyzed There is no rotator cuff diagnostic code. -
Shin Splints (Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome)
Not yet analyzed Since 2021, shin splints have explicit rating tiers inside DC 5262, and every one of them runs on a 12-month treatment clock plus what the condition failed…
Neurological
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Migraines
41 percent granted at the Board across 869 decided appeals VA's fiscal year 2025 Annual Benefits Report counts about 1.3 million service-connected migraine disabilities. -
Parkinson's
38 percent granted at the Board across 892 decided appeals Parkinson's grants at 38% across 892 BVA cases, but strong-nexus Parkinson's cases grant at 98.3%, the highest single strong-nexus grant rate of any… -
TBI
28 percent granted at the Board across 2,196 decided appeals Traumatic brain injury rates under one diagnostic code but pays through three different chapters of the rating schedule. -
Peripheral Neuropathy
28 percent granted at the Board across 459 decided appeals Understand the affected nerve, severity findings, and service connection, then prepare an accurate symptom and record map for your VA exam. -
Sciatica
24 percent granted at the Board across 583 decided appeals Sciatica is almost always a lumbar radiculopathy that rates separately from your back, yet most claims fold it into the spine rating and lose the second… -
Epilepsy
22 percent granted at the Board across 500 decided appeals Epilepsy is rated almost entirely on seizure frequency, and the frequency evidence usually has to come from you: a witnessed seizure diary, not a clinic note. -
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Not yet analyzed Carpal tunnel is rated as median nerve paralysis, graded mild to complete, with different major- and minor-hand percentages above the mild level. -
Multiple Sclerosis
Not yet analyzed Multiple sclerosis has a seven-year presumptive period after qualifying service and a 30-percent minimum under DC 8018 when ascertainable residuals are… -
Narcolepsy
Not yet analyzed Narcolepsy has its own VA code, DC 8108, but that code directs VA to the petit mal epilepsy criteria. -
Radiculopathy
Not yet analyzed Radiculopathy is evaluated separately from the spine for each affected extremity. -
Restless Leg Syndrome
Not yet analyzed Restless leg syndrome has no diagnostic code of its own, so VA rates it by analogy to the closest listed condition.
Respiratory
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Asthma
44 percent granted at the Board across 577 decided appeals If you have asthma and qualifying burn-pit or fine-particulate service, current law may presume service connection without the old ten-year diagnosis limit. -
Sleep Apnea
38 percent granted at the Board across 1,115 decided appeals Sleep apnea rates at 0%, 30%, 50%, or 100% under DC 6847. -
Pulmonary Fibrosis
34 percent granted at the Board across 301 decided appeals Pulmonary fibrosis is rated through the interstitial-lung-disease formula, while 38 U.S.C. § 1120 provides a separate service-connection presumption for… -
Sinusitis
31 percent granted at the Board across 2,199 decided appeals Sinusitis is an under-appreciated respiratory claim: the rating ladder reaches 50 percent, and chronic sinusitis can qualify for the PACT Act presumptive… -
COPD
30 percent granted at the Board across 3,218 decided appeals COPD is the largest condition in Claim Raven's BVA dataset at 3,218 cases, and the claim usually turns on the bridge between current lung disease and service… -
Sarcoidosis
26 percent granted at the Board across 114 decided appeals Sarcoidosis is rated under DC 6846 or from active disease and residuals in the affected organs. -
Bronchiectasis
25 percent granted at the Board across 89 decided appeals DC 6601 rates bronchiectasis through an infection-and-sputum path or allows the chronic-bronchitis pulmonary-impairment path when appropriate. -
Allergic Rhinitis
Not yet analyzed Allergic rhinitis has one of the shortest rating schedules at VA: 10 percent or 30 percent, decided by polyps and obstruction percentages. -
Chronic Bronchitis
Not yet analyzed Chronic bronchitis is rated under DC 6600 using pulmonary-function results and a short list of severe alternatives. -
Constrictive Bronchiolitis
Not yet analyzed Constrictive or obliterative bronchiolitis is a statutory PACT Act presumptive disease for covered veterans, but the current VA schedule does not give it a… -
Deviated Septum
Not yet analyzed DC 6502 provides one compensable rating for traumatic deviation of the nasal septum: 10 percent when the obstruction threshold is met.
Cardiovascular
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Heart Arrhythmia
36 percent granted at the Board across 1,111 decided appeals Heart arrhythmia claims grant above the Board average, and many winning cases run through presumptive ischemic heart disease rather than direct arrhythmia… -
Hypertension
34 percent granted at the Board across 667 decided appeals Hypertension is one of the most-claimed conditions at the VA, and almost every veteran who gets the grant lands at 10% and stays there. -
Heart Disease
31 percent granted at the Board across 323 decided appeals Heart disease is rated on a single METs-based framework (ejection fraction was deleted as a criterion in 2021), and for Vietnam-era veterans ischemic heart… -
Varicose Veins
17 percent granted at the Board across 447 decided appeals Varicose veins are rated per leg under DC 7120, and the rating turns almost entirely on one word: whether your edema is persistent or intermittent. -
Peripheral Vascular Disease
14 percent granted at the Board across 682 decided appeals Since November 14, 2021, peripheral vascular disease has been rated under DC 7114 on objective test results for each leg, led by the ankle/brachial index,… -
Aortic Aneurysm
Not yet analyzed DC 7110 has only two evaluations, 100 percent or zero, and the date the 100 percent starts is the date a physician recommends surgery, not the date you are… -
Cardiomyopathy
Not yet analyzed VA rates cardiomyopathy under DC 7020 using the current general formula for diseases of the heart, which centers on METs, heart-failure symptoms, imaging,…
Digestive
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IBS
45 percent granted at the Board across 968 decided appeals VA's current IBS criteria list 10%, 20%, and 30% ratings. -
GERD
37 percent granted at the Board across 2,248 decided appeals As of May 19, 2024, VA rates GERD under DC 7206 on an esophageal stricture framework, with tiers of 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, and 80%. -
Ulcerative Colitis
23 percent granted at the Board across 389 decided appeals Since May 19, 2024, ulcerative colitis is still coded at DC 7323 but rated under the DC 7326 criteria, which turn on daily diarrhea episodes and the class of… -
Hepatitis
22 percent granted at the Board across 499 decided appeals Hepatitis claims are denied far more often than they are granted, and the reason is almost always the nexus to an in-service risk factor rather than the… -
Hemorrhoids
22 percent granted at the Board across 618 decided appeals Since May 19, 2024, DC 7336 is a two-tier code at 10 and 20 percent. -
Diverticulitis
15 percent granted at the Board across 553 decided appeals Since May 19, 2024, DC 7327 has its own tiers and no longer rates by analogy. -
Barrett's Esophagus
Not yet analyzed VA now has a dedicated code for Barrett's esophagus. -
Chronic Gastritis
Not yet analyzed Current DC 7307 directs VA to rate chronic gastritis under the peptic-ulcer-disease criteria in DC 7304. -
Hernia
Not yet analyzed Current DC 7338 covers femoral, inguinal, umbilical, ventral, incisional, and other non-hiatal hernias under one rating framework. -
Hiatal Hernia
Not yet analyzed VA now rates hiatal and paraesophageal hernias under DC 7346 by applying the esophageal-stricture criteria in DC 7203, not the former reflux-symptom ladder. -
Pancreatitis
Not yet analyzed VA rates chronic pancreatitis under DC 7347.
Genitourinary
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Prostate (Non-Cancer)
48 percent granted at the Board across 960 decided appeals Non-cancer prostate conditions (benign prostatic hypertrophy or BPH, prostatic dysfunction) rate under DC 7527 in the genitourinary chapter, and chronic… -
Bladder
48 percent granted at the Board across 540 decided appeals Bladder conditions cover a wide range of pathologies: bladder cancer, neurogenic bladder, interstitial cystitis, bladder injury residuals, urinary… -
Kidney Disease
31 percent granted at the Board across 958 decided appeals Kidney disease grants at 30.6% across 958 BVA cases (close to the Board average), but the connection-type split is the real story. -
Erectile Dysfunction
8 percent granted at the Board across 782 decided appeals VA assigns a 0 percent schedular rating for erectile dysfunction under DC 7522, but the decision should also address possible SMC-K for service-connected… -
Endometriosis
Not yet analyzed VA rates endometriosis at 10, 30, or 50 percent under DC 7629 based on pelvic pain or bleeding, treatment control, and qualifying bowel or bladder… -
Female Sexual Arousal Disorder
Not yet analyzed VA rates female sexual arousal disorder at 0 percent under DC 7632 and directs adjudicators to review possible SMC for qualifying service-connected loss or… -
Hysterectomy
Not yet analyzed Your VA rating after a hysterectomy depends on what was removed and whether the surgery is connected to service. -
Kidney Stones (Nephrolithiasis)
Not yet analyzed Kidney stones can be rated three different ways under three different rules: the colic ladder, the recurrent-formation rule, or the kidney-damage formula.
Hearing & Balance
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Tinnitus
48 percent granted at the Board across 1,123 decided appeals Tinnitus is the most common service-connected disability, with 3,255,323 veterans rated for it in VA's fiscal year 2024 report. -
Vertigo
33 percent granted at the Board across 913 decided appeals Vertigo grants at 33.4% across 913 BVA cases. -
Meniere's Disease
32 percent granted at the Board across 478 decided appeals Meniere's disease is rated under DC 6205, but the single biggest lever is the election to rate vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus separately when that math… -
Hearing Loss
22 percent granted at the Board across 1,111 decided appeals Roughly 1.6 million veterans are service-connected for hearing loss, and the most common rating is zero percent because the rating table is built around…
Vision
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Dry Eye Syndrome
46 percent granted at the Board across 500 decided appeals Dry eye syndrome has no dedicated diagnostic code, so VA rates it by analogy under § 4.79, and the rating turns on active objective findings and the need for… -
Diabetic Retinopathy
27 percent granted at the Board across 463 decided appeals Diabetic retinopathy is almost always a secondary condition to service-connected diabetes, where the nexus is usually easy and the real fight is over how the… -
Cataracts
20 percent granted at the Board across 500 decided appeals Cataracts are rated under DC 6027, with the rating built on the visual impairment or treatment visits they cause rather than on the cataract itself. -
Glaucoma
19 percent granted at the Board across 500 decided appeals Glaucoma is rated on the visual impairment it causes, not the diagnosis itself, and a 10% minimum applies to open-angle glaucoma whenever continuous… -
Chronic Conjunctivitis
Not yet analyzed Chronic nontrachomatous conjunctivitis is DC 6018.
Skin
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Eczema
40 percent granted at the Board across 2,002 decided appeals Eczema is the second-largest skin condition in the BVA dataset at 2,002 cases, with a 39.9% grant rate, nearly ten points above the BVA average. -
Scars
37 percent granted at the Board across 484 decided appeals Scars from a service-connected surgery, a knee replacement, a hernia repair, are some of the most under-claimed ratings at VA, and a painful scar can stack… -
Psoriasis
25 percent granted at the Board across 474 decided appeals Psoriasis is rated under DC 7816, and after the 2018 amendment a veteran on a biologic can reach 60% on the therapy prong even with limited visible skin. -
Acne
16 percent granted at the Board across 674 decided appeals Acne is rated under DC 7828 and tops out at 30 percent, but the scarring it leaves can be rated separately and often outvalues the active acne itself. -
Onychomycosis (Nail Fungus)
Not yet analyzed VA lists onychomycosis as tinea unguium under DC 7813 and usually evaluates it under the General Rating Formula for the Skin. -
Seborrheic Dermatitis
Not yet analyzed Seborrheic dermatitis is generally evaluated under DC 7806 and the General Rating Formula for the Skin.
Cancer
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Prostate Cancer
50 percent granted at the Board across 597 decided appeals Prostate cancer is one of the cleaner paths through the VA disability framework. -
Bladder Cancer
47 percent granted at the Board across 502 decided appeals Bladder cancer carries a 100% rating during active treatment under DC 7528, then converts to a residual rating on voiding or renal dysfunction. -
Leukemia
44 percent granted at the Board across 488 decided appeals Most leukemia is rated at 100% while the disease is active or in a treatment phase, then dropped to a residual-based rating after a mandatory VA exam, a… -
Lung Cancer
40 percent granted at the Board across 649 decided appeals Lung cancer is rated under 38 CFR § 4.97 DC 6819. -
Skin Cancer
35 percent granted at the Board across 569 decided appeals Skin cancer is one of the more confusing conditions in the VA framework. -
Lymphoma
34 percent granted at the Board across 459 decided appeals Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is an Agent Orange and Camp Lejeune presumptive, which is a big reason these claims succeed, but the rating drops to residuals once… -
Colon Cancer
30 percent granted at the Board across 468 decided appeals Colon cancer is rated at 100% during active disease and treatment, then re-rated on residuals after a mandatory exam. -
Kidney Cancer
Not yet analyzed Kidney cancer is rated at 100 percent under DC 7528 while active, and it reaches three separate presumptive routes: the PACT Act statute, the… -
Testicular Cancer
Not yet analyzed VA rates active testicular cancer at 100 percent under DC 7528, then evaluates qualifying residuals after treatment and a mandatory six-month examination. -
Thyroid Cancer
Not yet analyzed Thyroid cancer starts at 100 percent under DC 7914, but that evaluation runs off a six-month cliff, and the hypothyroidism code most veterans land on has a…
Endocrine
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Hypothyroidism
40 percent granted at the Board across 549 decided appeals Since December 10, 2017, DC 7903 has only two rungs: 100% for myxedema and 30% without it. -
Diabetes
25 percent granted at the Board across 469 decided appeals Diabetes is rated under 38 CFR § 4.119 DC 7913. -
Hyperthyroidism
17 percent granted at the Board across 171 decided appeals DC 7900 assigns 30 percent for six months after the initial hyperthyroidism diagnosis.
Systemic
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Gulf War Illness
25 percent granted at the Board across 848 decided appeals If you have qualifying service under 38 USC § 1117 and a chronic undiagnosed illness or a qualifying diagnosed MUCMI such as CFS, fibromyalgia, or IBS, the… -
Fibromyalgia
23 percent granted at the Board across 953 decided appeals Fibromyalgia is Gulf War presumptive under 38 CFR § 3.317. -
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
16 percent granted at the Board across 911 decided appeals Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has the lowest grant rate of any major cornerstone in the BVA dataset: 16.1% across 911 cases. -
Lupus
2 percent granted at the Board across 132 decided appeals VA rates systemic lupus by its flares and effect on your health, or by combining ratings for its residuals. -
Lyme Disease
Not yet analyzed DC 6319 no longer carries its own percentage table.
Other
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Anemia
12 percent granted at the Board across 76 decided appeals VA no longer rates anemia under one hemoglobin-based code. -
Loss of Smell / Taste
Not yet analyzed VA rates loss of smell and loss of taste under two codes in the special-senses schedule, each worth a single 10 percent for complete loss, and only when an…
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