VA Laws & Regulations: Disability Claim Rules: Page 7
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This collection: 201 CFR sections and 68 U.S. Code sections for disability claims and reviews. Search covers this collection. Browse or search M21 separately.
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- 38 CFR § 4.104
Regulation2026-09-03VA heart and vascular rating criteria
This schedule contains the criteria for heart and blood-vessel conditions. It includes the general formula for diseases of the heart and separate diagnostic codes for other cardiovascular disabilities.
- 38 CFR § 4.112
Regulation2026-09-03Weight loss and nutrition in VA digestive ratings
This section defines weight loss and nutrition terms used in the digestive rating schedule. It distinguishes levels of involuntary weight loss and addresses the baseline and functional circumstances used in those definitions.
- 38 CFR § 4.113
Regulation2026-09-03Overlapping digestive conditions and VA ratings
Different abdominal diseases can produce a similar overall disability picture, including pain, anemia, and nutritional disturbance. This section explains why certain coexisting digestive conditions may not receive separate evaluations for the same effects.
- 38 CFR § 4.114
Regulation2026-09-03VA digestive condition rating criteria
This section supplies the rating criteria for digestive conditions, including stomach, bowel, liver, and related disorders. Each diagnostic code identifies the findings and severity levels relevant to that condition.
- 38 CFR § 4.115
Regulation2026-09-03Kidney inflammation and related VA ratings
This section discusses nephritis, or kidney inflammation, and explains why an isolated urine finding is not necessarily that diagnosis. It also addresses the relationship between kidney and cardiovascular disability evaluations.
- 38 CFR § 4.115a
Regulation2026-09-03VA kidney and urinary dysfunction criteria
This section sets severity criteria for renal dysfunction, voiding problems, urinary frequency, obstructed voiding, and urinary tract infection. Diagnostic codes elsewhere in the schedule may direct VA to one of these categories.
- 38 CFR § 4.115b
Regulation2026-09-03VA kidney and urinary diagnosis rating codes
This schedule lists genitourinary diagnoses and directs how they are rated. Some codes have their own criteria, while others refer to the dysfunction categories in § 4.115a.
- 38 CFR § 4.116
Regulation2026-09-03VA gynecological and breast rating criteria
This schedule covers gynecological conditions and disorders of the breast. The codes and notes identify how particular diseases, surgeries, and lasting effects are evaluated for compensation.
- 38 CFR § 4.117
Regulation2026-09-03VA blood and lymphatic condition ratings
This section contains criteria for blood and lymphatic system conditions. Depending on the code, evaluations may turn on laboratory findings, treatment needs, recurrent infections, disease activity, or lasting effects.
- 38 CFR § 4.118
Regulation2026-09-03VA skin and scar rating criteria
The skin schedule covers scars and other skin conditions. The applicable code may consider location, size, pain, instability, areas affected, or the treatment used for the diagnosed condition.
- 38 CFR § 4.119
Regulation2026-09-03VA endocrine condition rating criteria
This section provides criteria for endocrine conditions, including diabetes and thyroid disorders. Individual codes may address treatment, complications, an initial evaluation period, or residual disability after treatment.
- 38 CFR § 4.120
Regulation2026-09-03How VA evaluates neurological impairment
Neurological disability is evaluated in relation to the motor, sensory, or mental functions affected. This rule directs attention to the actual site and character of an injury and the impairments it causes.
- 38 CFR § 4.121
Regulation2026-09-03Evidence of seizures in VA epilepsy ratings
This section addresses verification of epilepsy and evidence of seizure frequency. It requires seizures to have been witnessed or verified at some time by a physician and discusses further observation when the nature of the attacks is uncertain.
- 38 CFR § 4.122
Regulation2026-09-03Psychomotor epilepsy in VA ratings
This rule describes psychomotor epilepsy, including seizures that may involve changes in awareness, behavior, movement, or perception. It also addresses associated psychiatric disturbance.
- 38 CFR § 4.123
Regulation2026-09-03VA ratings for neuritis and nerve inflammation
Neuritis is evaluated using the scale for the affected nerve, with limits described in this section. Findings such as loss of reflexes, muscle atrophy, sensory disturbance, and constant pain help characterize the disability.
- 38 CFR § 4.124
Regulation2026-09-03VA ratings for neuralgia and nerve pain
Neuralgia is generally evaluated on the scale for the affected nerve. This section describes the typical intermittent pain pattern and the limit that ordinarily applies to its evaluation.
- 38 CFR § 4.124a
Regulation2026-09-03VA neurological and migraine rating criteria
This section contains neurological and seizure rating criteria, including migraines under Diagnostic Code 8100 and traumatic brain injury under Diagnostic Code 8045.
- 38 CFR § 4.125
Regulation2026-09-03Mental health diagnoses in VA claims
A VA mental-disorder diagnosis must conform to the DSM-5 standard identified in this regulation and be supported by the examination findings. If it does not, the report must be returned for substantiation.
- 38 CFR § 4.126
Regulation2026-09-03How VA evaluates mental health symptoms
VA must consider the frequency, severity, and duration of psychiatric symptoms, periods of improvement, and the ability to adjust during those periods. The evaluation should reflect the full record of occupational and social impairment.
- 38 CFR § 4.127
Regulation2026-09-03Personality disorders and VA compensation
This rule generally excludes intellectual disability and personality disorders as diseases or injuries for compensation, subject to the provisions it identifies. The specific medical diagnosis is important to the analysis.
- 38 CFR § 4.128
Regulation2026-09-03Mental health ratings after extended hospitalization
This section addresses continuation of a total mental-disorder evaluation following a continuous hospitalization lasting six months or more. It requires a later examination under the timing specified in the rule.
- 38 CFR § 4.129
Regulation2026-09-03Mental health ratings after release for traumatic stress
This rule applies when an in-service mental disorder caused by a highly stressful event is severe enough to bring about release from active service. It provides an initial minimum evaluation and a follow-up examination.
- 38 CFR § 4.130
Regulation2026-09-03VA mental health rating criteria explained
This section contains the mental-disorder diagnostic codes and the general rating formula. The formula organizes evaluations around occupational and social impairment, with examples of symptoms at the different levels.
- 38 CFR § 4.150
Regulation2026-09-03VA dental, jaw, and oral rating criteria
This schedule covers compensable dental and oral conditions, including specified jaw injuries and other structural or functional losses. The diagnostic codes identify the findings used to evaluate those disabilities.
- 38 CFR § 19.2
Regulation2026-09-03Legacy Appeals and Opting Into Modernized Review
This rule distinguishes legacy appeals from the modernized review system and identifies permitted elections into modernized review. February 19, 2019 is the effective date used by this framework.