What issues give you the most VA disability percentage usually include severe physical or mental health conditions. These are specific medical conditions that prevent a veteran from holding a steady job, especially when multiple service-connected problems combine to reach a high overall rating. Many of the highest VA disability ratings are tied to conditions like PTSD, traumatic brain injury, severe back or spine problems, and other major illnesses that rate at or near 100%.
How VA percentages work
VA disability ratings show how much your service-related health problems affect your ability to work and handle everyday life. Each condition is assigned a percentage in 10% increments. The VA then uses a “combined rating” formula (sometimes called “VA math”) to calculate the overall rating, which can range from 0% to 100%.
The “what issues give you the most VA disability percentage” question is really about which conditions can be rated at higher levels and how those ratings stack together. Even a veteran who doesn’t qualify for 100% under one single condition can sometimes reach a very high combined rating when several serious disabilities are all service-connected.
Conditions with the highest VA ratings
Some disabilities can be rated all the way up to 100% when they cause total occupational and social impairment or very severe physical limitations. These often include:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other serious mental health conditions that lead to total impairment in work and relationships at the 100% level.
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when there is “total” impairment in major areas like cognition, behavior, or physical functioning.
- Severe spine or neurological conditions, such as degenerative arthritis of the spine with the entire spine frozen in an unfavorable position, or complete paralysis of certain nerves.
When veterans and law firms talk about the “Highest VA disability ratings,” they are usually referring either to a single condition rated at 100% or to combined ratings of 90–100% with severe functional limits.
Common high-rated but not always 100% conditions
Some issues are common and often receive moderately high ratings, even if they don’t always reach 100% on their own, such as:
- PTSD is one of the top conditions in VA disability systems and frequently receives ratings of 50–70% or higher, depending on symptom severity and impact on work.
- Chronic back pain, neck pain, and radiculopathy can be rated anywhere from 10% to 100%, with the highest ratings reserved for severe limitations in motion or paralysis-like symptoms.
- Conditions like migraines, respiratory problems, and certain neurological disorders may also support higher ratings when they produce frequent, debilitating symptoms.
Because the VA looks at your medical records and how your condition affects your everyday life, two veterans with the same diagnosis can end up with very different disability ratings.
How to build toward a higher overall rating
Because the VA looks at your medical records and how your condition affects your everyday life, two veterans with the same diagnosis can end up with very different disability ratings.
For most veterans, getting a 100% rating usually takes solid medical exams, detailed treatment records, and clear proof that your service‑connected conditions keep you from working or handling everyday life. The VA is looking for both “what you have” (diagnoses and test results) and “how it affects you” (functional limits and unemployability).
Steps that can help your claim include:
- Get a thorough medical checkup and make sure every one of your symptoms are clearly documented in your records.
- Filing for every condition that may be service-connected, including mental health issues, chronic pain, and secondary conditions.
- Appealing low ratings or denials when the evidence supports more severe limitations than the VA initially recognized.
To reach a 100% rating based on the schedule, the record usually needs to show both a clear diagnosis and objective findings that match the highest criteria under the diagnostic code.
Supporting Evidence Beyond Medical Records
Non-medical evidence can be powerful when it backs up the medical findings and shows daily impact, such as:
- Lay statements from the veteran describing specific limitations, such as panic attacks at work, needing to lie down several times a day, or forgetting critical tasks.
- Statements from family, friends, or coworkers describing changes in mood, memory, reliability, or physical abilities over time.
- Documentation of hospitalizations or surgeries, especially if seeking a temporary 100% rating after 21+ days of inpatient treatment for a service-connected condition.
When all of this comes together into a consistent story—diagnosis, in-service link, current severity, and unemployability—it creates the kind of record that most often secures 100% ratings or TDIU.
Herren Law
If you are wondering “What issues give you the most VA disability percentage,” a Houston veterans disability lawyer can review your full complete picture and help you identify conditions that may qualify for higher ratings or secondary claims to move you closer to the highest VA disability ratings available in your case.
Herren Law has helped veterans just like you through the VA’s process. Attorney William Herren is a disability attorney who has helped over 6,000 Houstonians get the benefits they deserve, including veterans. Call The Herren Law Firm today at 713-682-8194 (or use our online contact form) to schedule your free consultation without obligation. We can take your case on a contingency fee basis with no up-front charges and no fees until we win.
