If you have more than one service-connected condition, the VA does not simply add your ratings together. It uses a combined ratings table — and the result is almost always lower than the sum you would expect. Understanding this early saves a lot of confusion when your decision letter arrives.
The combined ratings table
The VA starts with your highest rating, then applies each additional rating to the part of you that is still considered “whole.” A 30% rating leaves 70% remaining; a second 20% rating applies to that 70%, not to the full 100%. The two combine to 44%, which the VA then rounds to the nearest 10 — giving you 40%, not 50%.
Why it matters for your claim
Because ratings combine this way, the order and strength of your evidence for each condition can change your final number. A few things worth knowing:
- Higher individual ratings carry more weight in the combined total.
- Rounding happens once, at the end — not after each step.
- Bilateral conditions (both arms, both legs) can add a small extra factor.
- Getting one more condition documented can occasionally push you over a rounding threshold.
You do not need to do this math by hand. The point is to set expectations: your combined rating reflects a formula, not a total, and every well-documented condition still counts toward it.