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The VA orders this exam to verify your diagnosis and measure how severe it is right now. It can shape your rating and your monthly compensation — but it does not decide your claim. A rating specialist weighs it against your full record, and if the exam does not reflect your condition, you can say so and ask the VA to correct it.
When is your exam?
Set the date and this page becomes a plan — the preparation steps get paced across the days you have left. It stays in this browser; no account, nothing sent anywhere.
Scarring or disfigurement of the head, face, or neck caused by burns, trauma, or surgery. The VA rates this condition based on how many of the eight characteristics of disfigurement are present, along with tissue loss and distortion of facial features. DC 7800 prints no 0 percent row. Where its lowest compensable requirements are not met, 38 CFR 4.31 assigns a 0 percent evaluation — that is not a denial: it establishes service connection, and a later increase claim runs from it.
The percentages this diagnostic code can be rated at. Which one applies depends on the findings — no tool here can tell you in advance.
Rated under 38 CFR 4.118, DC 7800. The examiner records findings on the DBQ; a rating specialist makes the decision.
| Rating | Rating criteria | What that means for you |
|---|---|---|
| 0% | § 4.31 Zero percent evaluations. In every instance where the schedule does not provide a zero percent evaluation for a diagnostic code, a zero percent evaluation shall be assigned when the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met. | You have a service-connected scar or other disfigurement of the head, face or neck, but no characteristic of disfigurement is present and there is no visible or palpable tissue loss or distortion of a feature. DC 7800 has no rung for that, so § 4.31 supplies a zero. The lowest compensable rung on this ladder is 10 percent. A zero percent rating pays nothing now, but it establishes service connection and fixes the effective date any later increase runs from. |
What supports this level
| ||
| 10% | With one characteristic of disfigurement. | You have one characteristic of disfigurement on your head, face, or neck. |
What supports this level
| ||
| 30% | With visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of one feature or paired set of features (nose, chin, forehead, eyes (including eyelids), ears (auricles), cheeks, lips), or; with two or three characteristics of disfigurement. | You have visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of one feature or paired set of features (nose, chin, forehead, eyes, ears, cheeks, lips), or you have two or three characteristics of disfigurement. |
What supports this level
| ||
| 50% | With visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of two features or paired sets of features (nose, chin, forehead, eyes (including eyelids), ears (auricles), cheeks, lips), or; with four or five characteristics of disfigurement. | You have visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of two features or paired sets of features, or you have four or five characteristics of disfigurement. |
What supports this level
| ||
| 80% | With visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of three or more features or paired sets of features (nose, chin, forehead, eyes (including eyelids), ears (auricles), cheeks, lips), or; with six or more characteristics of disfigurement. | You have visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of three or more features or paired sets of features, or you have six or more characteristics of disfigurement. |
What supports this level
| ||
The middle column is our transcription of the criteria at 38 CFR 4.118, DC 7800, condensed for reading. Read the section itself on eCFR before relying on the exact wording. The items under each level are the kinds of evidence that document it — not a VA checklist, and not a prediction of which level applies to you.
Not providing color photographs — the VA requires unretouched color photos for disfigurement claims. Take photos from multiple angles in good lighting.
Not understanding the eight characteristics of disfigurement: (1) scar 5+ inches (13+ cm) in length, (2) scar at least 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) wide at widest part, (3) surface contour elevated or depressed on palpation, (4) scar adherent to underlying tissue, (5) skin hypo- or hyper-pigmented in area exceeding 6 sq in (39 sq cm), (6) abnormal skin texture in area exceeding 6 sq in, (7) underlying soft tissue missing in area exceeding 6 sq in, (8) skin indurated and inflexible in area exceeding 6 sq in.
Forgetting to claim separate functional limitation — if your scar also limits motion or function, you may be entitled to a separate rating under DC 7805.
Missing secondary psychological effects — facial disfigurement often causes depression, anxiety, or social isolation that may warrant a separate mental health claim.
These apply to every C&P exam, whatever the condition.