Calculation Methodology

VA disability evaluations are not additive. Under Title 38, Section 4.25 of the Code of Federal Regulations (38 CFR 4.25), the VA uses the combined ratings table to calculate combined disability ratings. This page explains the math, order of operations, and rounding rules used in our calculator.

1. The Whole Person Method

The underlying philosophy is that a veteran starts with a body that is 100% efficient. Each disability rating consumes a percentage of the remaining efficiency, not the starting 100%. To mirror the VA combined ratings table, each intermediate combined value is rounded to the nearest whole number before the next rating is applied:

1. Sort Ratings: Arrange all individual disability ratings in descending order (highest percentage first).
2. Apply Sequentially: Combine the highest rating with the next rating, round that combined value to the nearest whole number, and repeat the process for all subsequent ratings.

2. The Bilateral Factor Boost

If a veteran has compensable service-connected disabilities affecting paired extremities or paired skeletal muscles, they qualify for a Bilateral Factor. This represents a 10% addition:

• Isolate Bilateral Ratings: All ratings qualifying for the bilateral factor are combined first using the VA combined ratings table method.
• Add 10% Boost: 10% of that combined bilateral rating value is calculated and added directly to the combined bilateral evaluation.
• Combine with Non-Bilateral Ratings: This adjusted bilateral evaluation is then combined with any remaining non-bilateral ratings in descending order.

3. Rounding Rules

The final combined value is converted to the nearest 10% increment:

• Combined values ending in 5 or greater are rounded UP to the next 10% (e.g., 65% rounds to 70%, 95% rounds to 100%).
• Combined values ending in 4 or lower are rounded DOWN to the lower 10% (e.g., 64% rounds to 60%).