Most Common VA Disabilities

What are the most common VA disabilities for Veterans?

The U.S. Census reported in 2020, about 30% of Veterans had a disability, while 24% of Veterans reported as having a service-connected disability.

About 41% of Gulf War-era (post-Sept. 11, 2001) Veterans and 25% of all Veterans report having service-connected disabilities, according to the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission. The most common injuries include missing limbs, burns, spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), hearing loss, and other impairments.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a rating process for service-connected medical issues, disabilities, and diseases. Veterans who submit claims to the VA for these issues must be evaluated and assigned a disability percentage rating.

These steps are fairly common knowledge for those who must navigate the system. What’s not so well understood are what the most common VA disabilities are and what it means to be evaluated for them.

The most common disabilities are not necessarily the most highly rated. In some cases, you may only earn a 10% disability rating from the VA for certain conditions such as hearing damage or tinnitus.

Why do Veterans need to know what the most common claims are?

Because you might not consider yourself suffering from a physical or mental condition until you have your symptoms, experiences, and other issues put into context.

One of the most common VA disability claims includes hearing loss, which is one you might not even realize you’ve been affected by. But for any military career field requiring work around active runways, constant motors or jet engines, gunfire, ordnance, or even heating and air conditioning, such work can bring hearing damage over the long term.

Hearing Damage, Hearing Loss

Tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are among the most common ear-associated disabilities. You may find 10% maximum ratings are possible for tinnitus, and the same is true for hearing loss.

A doctor’s diagnosis is not enough to make the claim in this area.

The VA evaluates your hearing loss and/or tinnitus independently of other diagnoses, but takes those into account when determining your claim.

Some Veterans may be rated 0% for hearing loss. So don’t be surprised if this happens to you, depending on the nature of your claim, circumstances, etc. But make sure you submit your hearing issues to the VA in your claim, regardless.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most common VA-rated disabilities.

While PTSD is not a precise diagnosis of a specific mental state or condition, the disorder is like other mental health issues existing on a spectrum.

You may experience severe PTSD, mild PTSD, or something in between.

To obtain a VA rating for PTSD, you are required to be evaluated by a VA provider. The evaluation seeks to establish whether the trauma was service-connected, the severity of it, and other factors. A PTSD rating of 70% reportedly is not uncommon.

Scars

Scarring can happen for various reasons–traumatic injury, surgery, multiple or lesser injuries, etc.

Scarring can be cosmetic, or it could be more life-threatening, depending on a variety of factors. The VA’s criteria for scars is strict, and many Veterans may get a 0% rating unless there are complications—pain, unstable healing, etc. A VA rating for scars may be more associated with the size of the scarring rather than the actual location.

Scars present unique issues for Veterans. While you may not receive VA compensation for a post-surgery scar, you may be able to claim temporary VA disability benefits while you are healing from an operation.

On the list of VA criteria that may qualify you for such temporary disability? Surgical wounds that are slow to heal or don’t seem to be healing properly may qualify as a temporary disability. While other criteria may apply, it is important to know your options when seeking treatment. Ask your VA rep if you are heading into surgery soon.

Knee Problems

One of the top five most common VA disabilities, “knee problems”, can be a broad term. But specific issues, such as limitation of flexion of the knee, refers to a specific problem and has a specific diagnosis. If your limited motion is due to an injury, you must submit documentation of that injury. If your issues are not injury related, but still include “painful motion” or other limitations, you will need to present a current diagnosis with your claim if you have one–and it’s a very good idea to obtain one. What kinds of issues are associated with VA ratings for knee problems?

• Problems with joints and muscles with pain or limited motion
• Arthritis
• Weakness
• A loss of power
• Easily fatigued
• Lack of coordination
• Decreased movement or decreased control of movement

Not all knee issues are “standalone,” meaning you may have knee problems in association with other diseases, injuries, etc.

Back and Neck Pain, Spinal Issues

There are a wide variety of back and neck issues you could get a VA disability rating for; the VA is interested in how your issues affect the range of motion, flexibility, and other aspects related to your ability to bend, sit, stand, work, etc.

VA claims involve a determination process to establish whether or not your back and/or neck pain issues are service related.

When making a claim in this area, be sure to list all military experience related to carrying heavy objects, working in non-ergonomically sound positions (aircraft maintainers who strain to reach engine parts or make repairs may identify well with that issue), prolonged hiking, running or walking with fully loaded rucksacks, backpacks, etc.

When it comes to spinal issues, the concerns are similar. Cervical strain is one of the most common VA disability claims for Veterans, regardless of age or sex. VA ratings in this area aren’t as high as some might expect–some sources report that more than 90% of vets who make claims in this area get ratings from zero to 20%. In some cases, the rating may be higher, depending on the nature and severity of the issue.

What do you need to know about these claims?

• Musculoskeletal system conditions are evaluated on the range of motion, the amount of pain in the motion, etc.
• Cervical strain is described as an injury, stretching, or tearing in neck tendons or muscles; it is also linked to repetitive use and trauma
• If you have civilian diagnoses of these issues, you will want to include them in your claim, and it pays to see a doctor the moment you feel any of these issues affecting you, whether currently serving or not
• Many of these issues may be associated with other injuries or trauma; don’t rule out any condition that may be associated with your injury, accident, incident, or development of chronic pain or loss of motion

Migraines

A high number of Veterans file claims for migraines. They are in the top ten most common VA disability claims. This is considered a “high-value VA claim”, as 30% ratings are not uncommon.

Getting headaches and experiencing migraines are two different things–migraine sufferers are said to experience a neurological problem that can dramatically affect the ability to work and enjoy life. What kinds of symptoms does the VA look for?

• Frequent attacks resulting in complete “prostrating” (lying down) to cope with the attack
• Less frequent attacks (once per month or less) that result in complete prostrating
• Attacks averaging one in two months or less resulting in complete prostrating
• Attacks less frequent than those mentioned above

The VA wants to know how these issues directly affect the Veteran’s quality of life and how they can manage employment, self-care, etc. Migraines may be associated with another condition which is why the VA may want you to submit any information related to other injuries, conditions, or diseases which may aggravate the condition.

Other Common Disabilities

Currently, Veterans receive compensation from the VA for many different types of disabilities, injuries, and service-connected conditions. Other common conditions that lead to VA disability claims include:

• Paralysis of the sciatic nerve: Sciatica can develop when pressure on a spinal nerve leads to pain that can extend from the lower back down through the buttocks and legs; severe cases may lead to paralysis.
• Sleep apnea: Nearly 20 percent of Veterans suffer from sleep apnea; Veterans are four times more likely than other Americans to have this condition. It is possible to receive up to 100 percent disability for sleep apnea, but Veterans must first undergo a sleep study to be diagnosed.
• Chemical exposures: Veterans may experience a number of different chemical exposures during their military service, which can lead to health issues such as cancer. These chemicals can include: Agent Orange, asbestos, mustard gas, radiation exposure, or specific environmental hazards from serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, Djibouti, or Atsugi, Japan. The VA announced in 2024 that VA healthcare would be expanded to anyone who served in the listed combat zones, or were stationed or trained in U.S. installations where toxic herbicides were tested to stored. 
• Major depressive disorder: Depression is a serious mental health condition, and can affect the way individuals feel, think, and behave. The VA estimates that nearly one-third of all Veterans have some symptoms of depression. These symptoms may include lack of motivation, appetite changes, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, irritability, and feeling sad or hopeless. Veterans experience depression at twice the rate of civilians, and it is possible to get up to a 100 percent disability rating for the condition.
• Anxiety: in 2018, nearly 2 million Veterans had received mental health treatment from the VA. Approximately ten percent of Veterans report elevated anxiety, which can cause difficulty concentrating, muscle tension, difficulty sleeping, feeling restless, or worrying excessively. Veterans can receive up to a 100 percent disability rating for anxiety that is connected to their military service.
• Asthma and other respiratory conditions: These conditions have become more prevalent in Veterans, especially those who served in Iraq or Afghanistan. This is thought to be due to exposure to burn pits; approximately three percent of all Iraq or Afghanistan Veterans have been diagnosed with asthma.
• Diabetes: Nearly a quarter of all Veterans seen by the VA suffer from diabetes, a chronic disease that impacts the body’s ability to produce or properly utilize insulin. It can lead to organ damage, fatigue, weight loss, or blurry vision. For Veterans who served in Vietnam and were exposed to Agent Orange, a service-connection for diabetes will be presumed.
• Secondary conditions: These include any condition that develops as a result of another, service-connected condition. These could include medication side effects or mental health issues. Secondary conditions may help a Veteran reach 100% disability when combined with another condition with a lower rating.