Top 5 High-Value VA Disability Claims Rated 50% or Higher!
Brian Reese the VA Claims Insider, here with a powerful update on the Top 5 “High-Value” VA Disability Claims that are commonly rated at 50% or higher on their own!
If you’re facing mental or physical challenges from your military service, understanding these high-value VA claims and their ratings could be the game-changer you need to secure the VA disability benefits you’ve earned.
In this expert-level guide, I’ll walk you through each of these five high-value claims, shedding light on how the VA assigns ratings and what it takes to qualify for 50% or more.
Let’s begin!
#1. Mental Health Conditions: Rated Up to 100%
Veterans with service-connected mental health conditions such as PTSD, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and adjustment disorder can receive disability ratings from 0% to 100%. The ratings depend on the severity of symptoms and their impact on occupational and social impairment. A 100% rating indicates total occupational and social impairment, often due to symptoms like severe panic attacks, continuous depression affecting independent function, or an inability to perform daily activities without assistance. These conditions significantly affect a veteran’s ability to maintain relationships, employment, and overall quality of life.
VA ratings for mental health conditions are as follows: 0%, 10%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100%. The most common rating is 70%.
Pro Tip: The VA is changing the way it rates mental health conditions in 2025. The new rating system is more objective and will allow veterans to get higher ratings than before. It will be easier to qualify for the 70% and 100% ratings for mental health. Click here to learn more.
#2. Sleep Apnea Syndromes: Rated Up to 100%
Sleep apnea, a serious sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts, can be service-connected if it is caused or made worse by military service or another service-connected disability for secondary service connection. VA ratings for sleep apnea can reach up to 100%, primarily if the condition is severe enough to require the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine or causes significant health issues. Symptoms include loud snoring, episodes of stopped breathing during sleep, and excessive daytime sleepiness, severely affecting a veteran’s health and daily functioning.
VA ratings for sleep apnea are as follows: 0%, 30%, 50%, and 100%. The most common rating is 50%.
Pro Tip: Big VA rating changes for sleep apnea are coming in 2025. Overall, I think these changes are very bad for veterans. The automatic 50% VA rating for sleep apnea with a CPAP will be gone. In the future, if you get any relief from a breathing device, you’ll likely get a 10% rating for sleep apnea, not a 50% rating.
#3. Radiculopathy: Rated Up to 90%
Radiculopathy refers to pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness radiating from the spine to the extremities due to compressed or irritated nerves. Veterans with severe radiculopathy can receive VA ratings up to 90%, particularly if the condition causes significant motor impairment, severe pain, or sensory loss. This condition can severely restrict mobility and dexterity, affecting a veteran’s ability to perform daily activities and maintain employment.
VA ratings for radiculopathy are as follows: 10%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 90%. The most common rating is 20% for each limb affected.
#4. Flat Feet (Pes Planus): Rated Up to 50%
Flat feet, or pes planus, is a condition where the arches of the feet are flattened, leading to pain and dysfunction. Veterans with severe bilateral flat feet, causing pronounced inward displacement and severe pain, can receive VA ratings up to 50%. This condition can significantly affect a veteran’s ability to walk, stand, or engage in physical activities, thus impacting their overall mobility and quality of life.
VA ratings for flat feet are as follows: 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 50%. The most common rating is 20% for unilateral (one foot) and 30% for bilateral (both feet).
#5. Migraines (Headaches): Rated Up to 50%
All types of headaches, including migraines, can be service-connected if they are linked to military service. Veterans experiencing prostrating attacks, occurring very frequently and causing severe economic inadaptability, can receive VA ratings up to 50%. These headaches can be debilitating, affecting a veteran’s ability to work, concentrate, and engage in daily activities, requiring ongoing medical management.
VA ratings for migraines (headaches) are as follows: 0%, 10%, 30%, and 50%. The most common rating is 30%.
Fellow Veterans: Do You Want to WIN Your VA Disability Claim FASTER?
Need expert-level VA claim help? Call us right now: (281) 533–6777.
Hi fellow veterans, I’m Brian Reese, the VA Claims Insider, and I’m here to help you INCREASE your VA rating FASTER — even if you’ve already filed, been denied, gave up, or don’t know where to start…
If you’re frustrated, underrated, or simply sick and tired of fighting the VA alone, I’ve got your six!
There’s always another path available to you, and I’m committed to helping you achieve VA claim victory.
My process starts with a one-on-one phone call so we can get to know your unique claim situation.
We’ll identify where you stand now, where you want to go, and how we make it happen with the right medical evidence.
If we nail your VA claim strategy, the tactics become simple and easy!
Through this gap analysis process, we’ll build a personalized VA claim strategy tailored to your needs — designed to give you the best possible chance of securing the VA rating and compensation you’ve earned for serving our country.
>> Click Here to book your no-obligation consultation or call us right now at (281) 533–6777.
About the Author
Brian Reese is one of the world’s top VA disability experts and the #1 bestselling author of VA Claim Secrets and You Deserve It. Frustrated with the VA claim process, Brian founded VA Claims Insider to help disabled veterans win their VA disability compensation faster. He has served over 10 million military members and veterans since 2013. A former Air Force officer, Brian deployed to Afghanistan in 2011. He is a Distinguished Graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy and holds an MBA from Oklahoma State University, where he was a National Honor Scholar.
