Percentage Award

[Alb]

I was awarded 20% cervical strain and 20% lumbar strain. What does this percentage add up to in VA terms.

[3 years to retire]

I am currently 40 %

I have an appeal in and hoping to get to 50 %, here is the math as I see it, any help ?

(I will probably not win it, but for sake of argument, say I do)

I am currently :

20 %

plus 10 %

plus 10 %

so:

100 - 20 % = 80 = 20 %

80 x 10 % = 8 = 28 %

72 x 10 % = 7.2 = 35.2 %

If I get 10 % on my appeal

64.8 x 10 % = 6.48 = 41.68 %

If I get 20 % on my appeal

64.8 x 20 % = 12.96 = 48.16 %

So if I get less than 20 % on my appeal then I will not be able to hit 50 % ?

[sharon]

[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 38, Volume 1]

[Revised as of July 1, 2003]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 38CFR4.25]

[Page 364-366]

TITLE 38--PENSIONS, BONUSES, AND VETERANS' RELIEF

CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

PART 4--SCHEDULE FOR RATING DISABILITIES--Table of Contents

Subpart A--General Policy in Rating

Sec. 4.25 Combined ratings table.

Table I, Combined Ratings Table, results from the consideration of

the efficiency of the individual as affected first by the most disabling

condition, then by the less disabling condition, then by other less

disabling conditions, if any, in the order of severity. Thus, a person

having a 60 percent disability is considered 40 percent efficient.

Proceeding from this 40 percent efficiency, the effect of a further 30

percent disability is to leave only 70 percent of the efficiency

remaining after consideration of the first disability, or 28 percent

efficiency altogether. The individual is thus 72 percent disabled, as

shown in table I opposite 60 percent and under 30 percent.

(a) To use table I, the disabilities will first be arranged in the

exact order of their severity, beginning with the greatest disability

and then combined with use of table I as hereinafter indicated. For

example, if there are two disabilities, the degree of one disability

will be read in the left column and the degree of the other in the top

row, whichever is appropriate. The figures appearing in the space where

the column and row intersect will represent the combined value of the

two. This combined value will then be converted to the nearest number

divisible by 10, and combined values ending in 5 will be adjusted

upward. Thus, with a 50 percent disability and a 30 percent disability,

the combined value will be found to be 65 percent, but the 65 percent

must be converted to 70 percent to represent the final degree of

disability. Similarly, with a disability of 40 percent, and another

disability of 20 percent, the combined value is found to be 52 percent,

but the 52 percent must be converted to the nearest degree divisible by

10, which is 50 percent. If there are more than two disabilities, the

disabilities will also be arranged in the exact order of their severity

and the combined value for the first two will be found as previously

described for two disabilities. The combined value, exactly as found in

table I, will be combined with the degree of the third disability (in

order of severity). The combined value for the three disabilities will

be found in the space where the column and row intersect, and if there

are only three disabilities will be converted to the nearest degree

divisible by 10, adjusting final 5's upward. Thus, if there are three

disabilities ratable at 60 percent, 40 percent, and 20 percent,

respectively, the combined value for the first two will be found

opposite 60 and under 40 and is 76 percent. This 76 will be combined

with 20 and the combined value for the three is 81 percent. This

combined value will be converted to the nearest degree divisible by 10

which is 80 percent. The same procedure will be employed when there are

four or more disabilities. (See table I).

( Except as otherwise provided in this schedule, the disabilities

arising from a single disease entity, e.g., arthritis, multiple

sclerosis, cerebrovascular accident, etc., are to be rated separately as

are all other disabiling conditions, if any. All disabilities are

then to be combined as described in paragraph (a) of this section. The

conversion to the nearest degree divisible by 10 will be done only once

per rating decision, will follow the combining of all disabilities, and

will be the last procedure in determining the combined degree of

disability.

[yoggie2]

I have another claim pending, what percentage would I need to get at 60% if awarded along with the 40%. What would it take in VA math. At least another 30% signal rating claim?

Yes you would either need one of those 20 to go to 50 or receive a 30 on something else..yog

[Pete53]

Its weird but it is better to be rated big on one or two than a little on many. There is something very onerous about how the VA calculates disability in my opinion.