Before they will provide disability benefits, the VA will assign a
disability rating. The ratings are assigned in increments of 10 percent, ranging from 0 percent to 100 percent. A 0 percent rating means the VA doesn’t consider the service-connected condition to be severe enough to warrant compensation. A 100 percent rating allows the veteran to obtain the maximum disability compensation available.
Veterans with multiple disabilities are subject to the VA’s “whole person theory,” in which they calculate a combined disability rating. The ratings aren’t just added together. The VA assesses how each disability affects the veteran’s overall functioning and health.
Compensation rates are based on the assigned disability rating and the
veteran’s dependent status.