Understanding 10% VA Disability Ratings

As a U.S. service member, you put your civilian life on hold to serve your country. Depending on your role in the military, your physical and mental well-being may have been compromised during service. 

If you develop a disability that resulted from military service, you may be eligible for monthly, tax-free compensation based on the rating the VA assigns to your disability. Although a 10% disability rating may seem insignificant, it can have a real impact. In this article, we explain what VA disability is, what a 10% VA disability rating means for you, and why a 10% VA disability is worth pursuing. 

What is VA disability?

VA disability compensation is a monthly tax-free benefit paid to veterans who are at least 10% disabled because of injuries, health conditions, or other diseases that were incurred or made worse due to military service. This includes veterans who participated in active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training. 

A physical or mental disability caused or worsened by military service may be considered related to service and can be service connected.

To determine the amount of monthly compensation a veteran receives, the VA assigns a rating between 0% and 100% depending on criteria listed in the Schedule for Rating Disabilities in the Code of Federal Regulations. These compensation ratings are assigned in 10% increments. 

Is it worth it to get a 10% VA disability rating?

Now you might be wondering if getting a 10% disability rating is even worth it. As we previously mentioned, when the VA combines ratings, a 10% rating doesn’t move the needle very far. This is especially true the higher your combined rating gets. In fact, in some cases, adding a single 10% rating for a condition doesn’t change a total combined rating at all. 

However, getting a 10% rating can be worthwhile, and can even be significant. 

10% VA ratings and secondary conditions

Perhaps most importantly, a 10% rating could create a pathway to VA disability for secondary conditions. 

One example of this would be getting your tinnitus service connected. 10% is the only rating possible for tinnitus.

VA disability lawyer Zack Evans explained, “When it comes to being rated for your tinnitus by the VA, the max rating is only 10%. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but don’t be fooled. The impact can be significant, and sometimes it can serve as a useful bridge to other conditions.” 

If your tinnitus is causing headaches, by service-connecting your tinnitus, you’ve now created a path to getting secondary VA disability for your headaches. 

This is just one example. Many conditions that can be service connected may seem insignificant on their own, but could be causing additional health issues. These secondary health issues may also be eligible for VA compensation, but you need to be able to show they are linked to your service or another service-connected condition.

10% VA ratings and worsening health conditions

Another reason getting a 10% VA disability rating for your condition can be worthwhile is because the process is slow and health changes. Applying now for a condition that may only be 10% disabling can help you establish service connection early when it’s often easier to gather evidence to support your claim. Also, if the condition worsens over time, as many health conditions do, it may be easier to appeal for an increased rating than to start your claim from scratch. 

Overall, it’s worth it to go after a 10% rating. Even if it’s for just one disability, filing a claim and receiving a 10% rating means that the VA recognizes that you have a disability that was caused by military service. And now, you have a pathway to file a claim if the condition worsens or for a potential secondary disability down the road.