Understand how VA rates your condition.

Anxiety disorders are generally evaluated by the level of occupational and social impairment shown across the record.

Bipolar disorder ratings focus on the overall effect of depressive, manic, and related symptoms on work and relationships.

Adjustment disorder uses the general mental-disorders formula and is evaluated from the complete functional picture.

VA considers the severity, persistence, and functional effects of psychotic symptoms under the general mental-disorders formula.

Depressive disorders are rated by occupational and social impairment rather than by counting symptoms alone.

Insomnia has no dedicated diagnostic code and may be evaluated with the diagnosed condition that best explains its impairment.

ADHD is not separately listed in the rating schedule; any evaluation depends on the service-connected diagnosis and applicable analogous criteria.

Somatic symptom disorder is evaluated under the general formula for mental disorders using its documented functional effects.

Pes planus ratings consider deformity, pain, swelling, callosities, and whether prescribed orthopedic support provides relief.

Lumbar conditions usually turn on measured motion, ankylosis, painful function, flare-ups, and separately ratable neurological effects.

Ankle evaluations commonly depend on measured limitation of motion, ankylosis, and functional loss with repeated use or flare-ups.

Degenerative disc disease may be evaluated through spinal motion and ankylosis or, when applicable, qualifying incapacitating episodes.

A knee can involve separate questions about flexion, extension, instability, meniscal impairment, ankylosis, and replacement residuals.

Spinal stenosis is generally evaluated under the spine formula, with neurological complications considered separately when supported.

Arthritis is usually rated through limitation of motion in the affected joint, with special rules when motion is otherwise noncompensable.

VA generally evaluates the thoracic and lumbar segments together rather than assigning an independent thoracic-spine rating.

A herniated disc may be rated from spinal limitation or qualifying incapacitating episodes, with nerve symptoms evaluated separately when appropriate.

Wrist ratings focus on dorsiflexion, palmar flexion, ankylosis, painful motion, and whether the dominant hand is affected.

Neck evaluations use cervical range-of-motion and ankylosis thresholds and can include separate upper-extremity neurological ratings.

Elbow criteria address flexion, extension, rotation, ankylosis, joint damage, and differences between the dominant and nondominant arm.

VA may evaluate active systemic disease or chronic joint residuals, using the method that produces the proper overall evaluation.

Temporomandibular disorder ratings use measured jaw opening, lateral movement, and medically required dietary restrictions.

Shoulder ratings consider arm elevation, ankylosis, recurrent dislocation, bone impairment, and whether the major arm is involved.

Gout is evaluated under the applicable inflammatory-arthritis rules or through chronic residual limitation in affected joints.

Hallux valgus has narrow schedular criteria centered on severity comparable to great-toe amputation or qualifying surgery.

Scoliosis is evaluated through the resulting spinal limitation and functional impairment rather than spinal curvature alone.

Rheumatoid arthritis can be evaluated as an active systemic process or by chronic residuals in individual joints.

Hip ratings examine flexion, extension, rotation, abduction, ankylosis, flail joint, fracture residuals, and replacement history.

This exertion-related muscle condition is evaluated from treatment response and the limitations it causes in the affected extremity.

Anterior metatarsalgia, including Morton's disease, has a single schedular evaluation whether one or both feet are affected.

Pes cavus ratings consider toe position, plantar fascia, callosities, tenderness, and deformity in one or both feet.

Plantar fasciitis criteria distinguish unilateral or bilateral disease and whether appropriate treatment has provided relief.

A rotator cuff injury has no single dedicated code and is usually evaluated from the shoulder limitation or impairment it produces.

Shin-splint ratings depend on the duration of treatment, response to treatment, and whether one or both legs are affected.

Migraine ratings turn on the character, frequency, duration, and economic impact of qualifying attacks.

Parkinson's disease has a minimum evaluation, while separately identifiable motor, cognitive, and other residuals can drive the total rating.

Traumatic brain injury is evaluated through cognitive, emotional or behavioral, and physical residuals while avoiding duplicate compensation.

Peripheral neuropathy ratings depend on the affected nerve, extremity, side, and degree of incomplete or complete paralysis.

Sciatica is commonly evaluated as lower-extremity radiculopathy based on sensory, motor, reflex, pain, and functional findings.

Epilepsy ratings rely heavily on the type and verified frequency of seizures, making consistent medical and witness records important.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is usually evaluated through median-nerve impairment and whether the major or minor hand is affected.

Multiple sclerosis has a minimum evaluation, but separate neurological and other residuals often determine the final combined result.

Radiculopathy is evaluated separately for each affected extremity according to the involved nerve and severity of neurological impairment.

Asthma ratings use pulmonary-function results, medication requirements, exacerbations, and courses of systemic corticosteroids.

Pulmonary fibrosis is evaluated mainly through pulmonary-function testing and specified severe respiratory complications.

Sinusitis criteria examine incapacitating and non-incapacitating episodes, prolonged antibiotics, headaches, discharge, crusting, and surgery history.

COPD ratings rely primarily on pulmonary-function results and certain findings such as oxygen use or cardiorespiratory complications.

Sarcoidosis may be evaluated through treatment and systemic involvement or through residual impairment in the affected body system.

Bronchiectasis criteria consider infection frequency, antibiotic treatment, cough and sputum, weight loss, and pulmonary impairment.

Allergic rhinitis ratings depend on nasal obstruction and whether polyps are present.

Chronic bronchitis is evaluated primarily with pulmonary-function testing and listed severe respiratory findings.

Constrictive bronchiolitis is a recognized toxic-exposure condition but lacks one dedicated schedular code, so the resulting impairment guides evaluation.

A traumatic deviated septum is compensable when the regulatory nasal-obstruction threshold is documented.

Arrhythmia ratings depend on the diagnosed rhythm disorder, documented episodes, treatment, and applicable cardiac testing.

Hypertension is rated from documented blood-pressure history and whether continuous medication is required.

Many heart diseases are evaluated through workload in METs, symptoms, heart-failure history, and specified imaging findings.

Varicose veins are evaluated separately by leg using edema, aching, pigmentation, eczema, ulceration, and response to elevation or compression.

Peripheral arterial disease ratings use objective circulation testing, walking limitation, and trophic or ischemic changes.

Aortic aneurysm criteria address size, symptoms, surgical recommendation, treatment periods, and residual cardiovascular impairment.

Cardiomyopathy uses the general heart formula, including METs-related symptoms, heart-failure history, and other qualifying cardiac findings.

Irritable bowel syndrome ratings focus on abdominal pain related to defecation and the frequency of accompanying bowel symptoms.

Current GERD criteria use an esophageal framework that considers documented stricture, dysphagia, treatment, aspiration, and nutritional impact.

Ulcerative colitis is evaluated from documented episodes, diarrhea, abdominal distress, treatment, complications, and nutritional effects.

Chronic liver disease ratings consider fatigue, malaise, anorexia, weight loss, hepatomegaly, and qualifying incapacitating episodes.

Hemorrhoid ratings distinguish persistent bleeding or prolapse and complications such as anemia or fissures.

Diverticulitis criteria consider hospitalization, prescribed treatment, abdominal symptoms, fever, and recurrence.

Prostate conditions are generally evaluated through predominant voiding dysfunction or urinary-tract infection residuals.

Bladder disorders may be evaluated through urine leakage, frequency, obstruction, infection, or renal impairment depending on the diagnosis.

Kidney evaluations use filtration measurements, albumin or edema, hypertension, dialysis, transplant history, and functional limitations.

Erectile dysfunction usually receives a noncompensable schedular evaluation, while qualifying loss of use can raise special monthly compensation.

Kidney stones can be evaluated by recurrent formation and treatment, renal colic, infection, or resulting kidney dysfunction.

Peripheral vestibular disorders are evaluated from dizziness, staggering, objective findings, and the diagnosed cause.

Meniere's disease criteria combine hearing impairment, vertigo, and gait disturbance, with an alternative separate-rating method when more favorable.

Dry eye has no dedicated code and is evaluated by analogy from objective findings, treatment needs, and resulting visual impairment.

Diabetic retinopathy is evaluated from visual impairment or qualifying incapacitating episodes and is often considered secondary to diabetes.

Cataract ratings depend on the type, surgical status, replacement lens, and resulting loss of visual acuity or field.

Glaucoma is evaluated primarily from visual impairment, with minimum ratings under specified types and treatment circumstances.

Eczema ratings consider the extent of affected skin and the type, duration, and route of treatment required.

Scar evaluations examine location, size, disfigurement, pain, instability, tissue damage, and separate functional limitation.

Psoriasis criteria consider body area affected and systemic therapy type and duration.

Acne ratings depend on whether lesions are superficial or deep and how much of the face and neck is affected; scars may rate separately.

Nail fungus is generally evaluated under the skin formula using affected area and treatment requirements.

Seborrheic dermatitis is commonly evaluated through the general skin criteria for affected area and treatment.

Active prostate cancer and qualifying treatment receive a total evaluation, followed by review of voiding or renal residuals after treatment.

Active malignant disease of the bladder is evaluated totally during treatment, then by residual urinary or renal impairment.

Leukemia evaluation depends on disease activity, treatment phase, remission status, and lasting hematologic residuals.

Active respiratory cancer is evaluated totally during treatment, with later evaluation based on residual respiratory impairment.

Malignant skin neoplasms are evaluated from active treatment and then from scars, disfigurement, or other residual impairment.

Lymphoma ratings depend on active disease, treatment phase, remission, and residual effects after therapy.

Active digestive-system cancer receives a total evaluation during treatment, followed by evaluation of lasting digestive residuals.

Active kidney cancer is evaluated totally during treatment, then by residual renal or voiding dysfunction.

Active thyroid cancer and treatment receive a total evaluation, followed by review of endocrine and other residuals.

Hypothyroidism criteria distinguish severe myxedema and the period following initial diagnosis, with residuals evaluated separately when required.

Diabetes ratings build from required treatment and regulation of activities, with severe episodes and separately ratable complications also considered.

Hyperthyroidism receives a time-limited initial evaluation, after which residual thyroid, cardiac, eye, or other effects are evaluated.

This umbrella term can involve undiagnosed illness or a qualifying chronic multisymptom illness tied to specified Southwest Asia service.

Fibromyalgia ratings consider widespread symptoms, frequency, treatment response, and whether the impairment is episodic or nearly constant.

CFS criteria focus on activity restriction, debilitating fatigue, cognitive symptoms, and qualifying periods of incapacitation.

Active Lyme disease and its lasting neurological, musculoskeletal, cardiac, or other residuals are evaluated under the applicable criteria.

Anemia is evaluated under the code for its diagnosed type, treatment needs, severity, and resulting complications rather than one universal formula.

Eating disorders use a specialized formula based on weight loss, self-induced episodes, hospitalization, and physician-prescribed bed rest.

MST is an experience that may support service connection for a diagnosed mental or physical condition; it is not separately rated by itself.

Barrett's esophagus is evaluated using documented esophageal changes, treatment, complications, and the applicable digestive criteria.

Chronic conjunctivitis evaluation depends on whether disease is active and on any lasting visual or other eye residuals.

Chronic gastritis is evaluated through the current peptic-ulcer framework and the documented severity of digestive impairment.

Endometriosis ratings examine pelvic pain or bleeding, control with treatment, and qualifying bowel or bladder involvement.

The schedular evaluation is noncompensable, while qualifying service-connected loss of use can require consideration of special monthly compensation.

Non-hiatal hernia criteria consider size, pain, reducibility, support, surgical eligibility, and functional limitation.

Hiatal and paraesophageal hernias use current esophageal criteria, including dysphagia, aspiration, treatment, and nutritional impact.

Complete anatomical or pathological loss of smell or taste can receive a separate evaluation when the required cause is established.

Restless leg syndrome has no dedicated code and is evaluated through the closest service-connected neurological impairment.

Active testicular cancer is evaluated totally during treatment, with later evaluation based on genitourinary and other residuals.