Scars are one of the most commonly service-connected conditions in the VA system, affecting well over a million veterans, and they are also one of the most commonly forgotten. If you had surgery for a condition VA already service connected, there is a good chance you have a claim sitting there unclaimed. Here is how VA rates scars and what to look for.
Scars are rated under 38 CFR 4.118, Diagnostic Codes 7800 through 7805. Which code applies depends on where the scar is, how big it is, whether it is deep or superficial, and whether it hurts or breaks open. The five codes cover different situations, and it is possible to be rated under more than one for the same scar if the effects are genuinely distinct.
This is the code that matters most for the average veteran, because it does not depend on the scar being large or disfiguring. It just has to hurt or break down. An unstable scar is one where the skin covering it frequently breaks down.
If a scar is both unstable and painful, an additional 10 percent may be added to the evaluation. One important practical note: VA looks for some objective indication supporting your reports of pain or tenderness, so it helps if the examiner actually documents tenderness on examination rather than only recording what you said.
Scars on the head, face, or neck are rated on disfigurement, using a list of eight characteristics of disfigurement. Those include a scar five inches or longer, a scar at least one quarter inch wide at its widest point, a surface that is elevated or depressed on palpation, a scar stuck to underlying tissue, skin discoloration over an area larger than six square inches, abnormal skin texture over six square inches, missing underlying soft tissue over six square inches, and skin that is hard and inflexible over six square inches.
DC 7801 covers deep, nonlinear scars not on the head, face, or neck, meaning scars that affect the tissue underneath rather than just the surface. These are rated by total surface area: 10 percent for at least 6 but less than 12 square inches, 20 percent for at least 12 but less than 72, 30 percent for at least 72 but less than 144, and 40 percent for 144 square inches or more.
DC 7802 covers superficial nonlinear scars elsewhere on the body, meaning surface-level scars that do not affect underlying tissue. The only rating available here is 10 percent, and it requires a total area of 144 square inches or more.
Scars in separate body areas, such as one on an arm and one on a leg, are generally rated separately and then combined.
This code is a catch-all. If a scar causes a disabling effect that is not already covered by the other codes, VA rates that effect under whatever code fits it. The classic example is a linear surgical scar across a joint that restricts motion. The scar itself might not qualify under 7800 through 7804, but the limitation of motion it causes gets rated under the appropriate musculoskeletal code.
Here is the part worth paying attention to. If you had surgery to treat a condition VA has already service connected, the scars from that surgery can often be claimed as secondary to that condition. Knee surgery, shoulder repair, back surgery, hernia repair, cancer treatment: all of these leave scars, and those scars are a consequence of a service-connected condition. Veterans go years without realizing this is claimable. If the scar is painful or tender, DC 7804 alone could be worth 10 percent or more.
Explore what else might connect to your existing conditions with the Secondary Conditions Mapper, and read more in VA Secondary Conditions Explained.
VA generally cannot rate the same symptom twice, a rule called pyramiding. But a single scar can produce genuinely different problems, and courts have recognized that veterans may receive separate ratings for distinct, non-overlapping manifestations. A scar that is disfiguring, painful, and also causes nerve or muscle impairment may support more than one rating, as long as each rating is compensating something different rather than the same symptom twice.
Map scars back to an existing service-connected condition with the free Secondary Conditions Mapper, check readiness with the Claim Readiness Checker, and organize records with the Condition Evidence Builder. More in the Claim Preparation hub.
Related reading: VA Secondary Conditions Explained, VA Rating for Shoulder and Arm Conditions, What to Expect at Your C&P Exam.
VetClaimsGuide is an independent educational platform and self-help resource. It is not a law firm, not a VSO, not VA-accredited representation, and is not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. It does not file or prepare claims for veterans, represent veterans, or provide legal or medical advice, and it does not diagnose conditions or guarantee any rating, payment, or outcome. It helps veterans organize information, understand possible evidence gaps, and prepare questions to discuss with a VSO, accredited representative, attorney, or medical provider. Confirm everything at VA.gov or with an accredited professional.