VA Disability Rating for Scars

Whether your scars came from combat injuries, training accidents, or military surgeries, you deserve proper compensation for their impact on your life.

But here’s the problem – the VA’s rating system for scars is incredibly complicated, with different rules for different body parts and types of scars. Many veterans are getting much lower ratings than they deserve simply because they don’t understand how VA measures and rates their scars.

Don’t let that happen to you. We’ll break down exactly how VA rates different types of scars, what evidence you need to support your claim, and how to fight back if you get an unfair rating.

Table of Contents

The Truth About VA Scar Ratings

Did you know that scars are the sixth most common service-connected disability? Over a million veterans receive VA disability benefits for their scars. For veterans who served in the Global War on Terror alone, scars affect more than 375,000 people.

But getting the right rating isn’t automatic. VA looks at several factors when rating scars:

Whether they’re painful
If they’re stable or breaking down
Their size and shape
Where they’re located on your body
If they limit your movement
How deep they go into your tissues

How VA Rates Different Types of Scars

Painful or Unstable Scars

One or two scars: 10% rating
Three or four scars: 20% rating
Five or more scars: 30% rating

An “unstable” scar means the skin covering it keeps breaking down or falling off. If your scar is both painful AND unstable, VA should add 10% to these ratings.

Scars on Your Head, Face, or Neck

These get special attention from VA because they’re visible and can affect your appearance. Ratings can be:

30% if you have 2-3 “characteristics of disfigurement”
50% if you have 4-5 characteristics
80% if you have 6 or more characteristics

What are these “characteristics”? They include things like:

Scars longer than 5 inches
Scars wider than 1/4 inch
Sunken or raised scars
Scars that stick to the tissue underneath
Skin color changes over a large area
Abnormal skin texture
Missing tissue under the scar
Hardened, inflexible skin

Scars on Other Body Parts

For scars not on your head, face, or neck, VA looks at their total size:

10% for scars covering 6-12 square inches
20% for scars covering 12-72 square inches
30% for scars covering 72-144 square inches
40% for scars covering more than 144 square inches

Burn Scars

VA rates burn scars separately. Over 65,000 veterans currently receive compensation for burn scars. These can qualify for higher ratings depending on their severity and location.

Getting Multiple Ratings for Your Scars

Here’s something many veterans don’t know: If you have scars on different parts of your body, you might qualify for separate ratings for each area. For example:

A painful scar on your leg: 20% rating
Another painful scar on your arm: additional 20% rating
Total combined rating: 40%

However, multiple scars in the same area usually only get one rating based on their combined impact.

Evidence You Need to Win Your Claim

To get the right rating for your scars, you need strong medical evidence showing:

Exact measurements of each scar
Whether they’re painful or unstable
How deep they go
Any limitation of motion they cause
Clear photos (especially for facial scars)
Doctor’s notes about symptoms and impact

Got a Low Rating or Denial? We Can Help

If VA gave you a lower scar rating than you deserve or denied your claim entirely, don’t give up. Our experienced VA disability attorneys at ProVet Legal focus specifically on winning appeals for veterans like you.

When you’re already dealing with painful or disfiguring scars, the last thing you need is a fight with VA’s appeals system. Let us handle the legal battle while you focus on your health. Our team knows how to:

Get accurate measurements and documentation of your scars
Prove how they impact your daily life
Fight for proper combined ratings
Navigate the appeals process
Get you the back pay you deserve

We’ve helped countless veterans win their scar rating appeals, and we can help you, too. Contact us today for a case review. Remember – if we don’t win your appeal, you pay nothing.

Your scars tell the story of your service and sacrifice. Don’t let an unfair VA decision minimize its impact on your life. The pain, limitations, and changes you deal with deserve proper recognition and compensation. Let our experienced team fight for the rating you deserve.

COMMON VA DISABILITY CLAIMS

Tinnitus
Hearing Loss
Limitation of Flexion of the Knee
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Lumbosacral or Cervical Strain
Scars, General
Paralysis of the Sciatic Nerve (Sciatica)
Limitation of Range of Motion of the Ankle
Migraines (Headaches)
Limitation of Motion of the Arm

Degenerative Arthritis of the Spine
Sleep Apnea
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Major Depressive Disorder
Asthma
Diabetes Type 2
Cancer
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Pes Planus (Flat Feet)
Radiculopathy

Adjustment Disorder
Somatic Symptom Disorder (Chronic Pain Syndrome)
Gastroesophageal Reflex Disease (GERD)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Erectile Dysfunction
Plantar Fasciitis
Arthritis
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD)
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
Fibromyalgia
Eczema
Allergic Rhinitis (Hay Fever)
Sinusitis
Meniere's Syndrome
Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease (Coronary Artery Disease)
Chronic Conjunctivitis
Limited Motion of the Jaw (Temporomandibular Disorder)
Hiatal Hernia

Hemorrhoids
Varicose Veins
Nephrolithiasis (Kidney Stones)
Hypothyroidism
Anemia
Peripheral Neuropathy
Prostate Gland Injuries
Ischemic Heart Disease
Vertigo
Urinary Incontinence

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Rebecca and her team were outstanding. I never thought I would find someone that really knew the VA system. She kept me posted through the entire process. I never would have got my rating if it wasn’t for her. Great Ann knowledgeable people. Thank you ProVet.

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Many veterans earned disability benefits, we make sure they get them.

I founded ProVet Legal, P.A. to provide top-notch service to veterans and their families seeking disability and survivor benefits from the VA. My mission with ProVet Legal is deeply personal. I am the granddaughter of three veterans, including my maternal grandmother, who served in the Waves before women were able to join the Navy. I met my husband in Afghanistan when I served with the U.S. Department of State to support our military’s efforts with Operation Enduring Freedom.

I understand the physical and mental stresses of training and deployment, as well as the unparalleled sense of purpose and camaraderie that can only be forged in a combat zone. When my husband retired, I got accredited with the VA’s Office of General Counsel to represent Veterans with Service-Connected Disability claims. I began by helping my husband and some of his buddies navigate the VA claims process. I quickly realized that the benefits system is complex and can be confusing, even for an attorney.

Veterans navigating it on their own can get lost in all the paperwork and often walk away from benefits they deserve out of frustration or fear that the VA might take away what they have already won. Since 2019, I have been representing veterans and their families full-time, successfully helping hundreds of veterans win their VA claims. I take pride in helping veterans tell their stories in a way that the VA will understand and appreciate. I look forward to the opportunities to continue to serve those who have risked everything to serve our country.

Rebecca C. Y. Deming
Founder and Principal Attorney

VA Disability Rating for Scars

The Truth About VA Scar Ratings