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The VA uses “whole person” math — ratings are not simply added together. Each rating applies to your remaining healthy percentage. (38 CFR 4.25)
The VA does not simply add disability percentages together. Instead, it uses a “whole person” formula defined in 38 CFR 4.25. Each rating is applied to your remaining healthy percentage, not the original 100%.
For example, if you have a 50% rating and a 30% rating: the VA starts with the highest rating (50%), leaving you 50% “healthy.” The 30% then applies to that remaining 50%, which is 15%. Your exact combined value is 50 + 15 = 65%. The VA rounds to the nearest 10%, giving you a 70% combined rating.
When you have disabilities affecting both arms, both legs, or paired skeletal muscles, the VA applies a “bilateral factor” under 38 CFR 4.26. The bilateral conditions are first combined together, then 10% of that combined value is added before merging with the rest of your ratings. This typically results in a slightly higher overall combined rating.
After combining all disabilities, the VA rounds the exact percentage to the nearest multiple of 10. Values ending in 5 or above round up — for instance, 65% rounds to 70%, while 64% rounds to 60%. This rounding determines your actual compensation tier and monthly payment amount.