Cannot Remember

[Billyboy]

Some one posted this

"A veteran may be rated at zero percent, meaning there is evidence of the service-connected condition, but it does not impair the veteran. An example is a minor scar. This zero percent rating, though not compensable, can be beneficial, since it may raise the veteran’s priority in other VA programs such as health care eligibility. In addition, it may be reviewed for a higher rating if the condition worsens"

Is this in the rules somewhere or just an opinion? bill

[Guest rickb54]

Technically,

0% is nothing more than an acknowledgement that a condition is service connected. Yes it can be raised on future exam, depending on the medical isue. Ie: hearing rating logically could be raised, scar would likely not be raised.

A 0% rating does not raise priority in health care or any other are of veterans benefits.

A 0% rating entitles the veteran to medical care for the problem that is rated 0%, nothing more. If he has no other ratings he is not entitled to medical care.

[Railroader]

Three or Four 0% rating can be converted into a 10 percent rating

[Guest rickb54]

Railroader,

You said." three or Four 0% rating can be converted into a 10 percent rating

I posted this the other day, actually it is two or more,

http://www.hadit.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=6554

but that does not go to the heart of Billyboy's post: This zero percent rating, though not compensable, can be beneficial, since it may raise the veteran’s priority in other VA programs such as health care eligibility.

Edited November 26, 2006 by rickb54

[vaf]

Rick, can you direct me to the discussion of this in 38 CFR? My husband has many 0% ratings, far more than two. He's had them since 1993 when he retired. How does this work, would we be asking for 10% for all of them combined? Also, I'm assuming since we didn't ask for this in 1993, we can't retro it, correct? Or does this qualify for CUE, since the VA didn't do this on its own?

Thanks!

[Guest rickb54]

Vicki,

The only thing I can find on this subject is what I posted. From what I can understand it is up to the rater to determine when the va will allow a rating for two 0% ratings. From what I know of CUE, not assigning a rating under these circumstance is not a CUE.

Check out:

http://www.hadit.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=6556

for cue claims....

[Vike17]

Vicki,

§3.324 is what you're looking for. It states;

"Whenever a veteran is suffering from two or more separate permanent service-connected disabilities of such character as clearly to interfere with normal employability, even though none of the disabilities may be of compensable degree under the 1945 Schedule for Rating Disabilities the rating agency is authorized to apply a 10-percent rating, but not in combination with any other rating"

One thing to keep in mind is that this does not apply to a veteran that also has other disabilities rated at 10% or higher. For example, let's say a veteran is rated 20% for lower back, 10% for right knee, and then has a 0% ratings for hearing loss, scars, and IBS. Since the veteran already has some disabilities rated over 10%, the VA wouldn't be able to assign a combuned rating of 10% for the thre 0%'s.

Vike 17