Ratings and Evaluations

A hearing loss VA rating works differently from almost every other condition — it’s decided almost entirely by two specific tests, not by how much your hearing loss affects your daily life. That surprises a lot of veterans, who feel their hearing is genuinely bad but come away with a 0% or 10% rating. Understanding … Read more

A tinnitus VA rating is one of the simplest in the entire system — a flat 10%, no more, no less. It’s also the single most common service-connected disability among veterans. But here’s what most veterans miss: the real value of a tinnitus claim usually isn’t the 10% itself. It’s what tinnitus opens the door … Read more

A migraine VA rating often comes down to a single word the VA uses but rarely explains well: prostrating. Migraines are one of the most common conditions veterans claim — and one of the most frequently under-rated, because veterans don’t document their attacks in the specific way the VA’s rating criteria require. This guide breaks … Read more

Your PTSD VA rating is one of the most consequential numbers in your entire claim — and one of the most misunderstood. Two veterans with the exact same diagnosis can end up with very different ratings, because the VA doesn’t rate the trauma or even the symptom list. It rates how much PTSD impairs your … Read more

There’s a number most veterans get wrong, and getting it wrong can cost you a higher rating, more money, or months of frustration arguing with a decision letter that looks like a math error. It isn’t a math error. It’s VA math, and it works nothing like the arithmetic you learned in school. Here’s the … Read more