Scars (Burn, Disfigurement, Painful) — VA Disability Rating Criteria (DC 7800/7804)
Diagnostic Code 7800 · 38 CFR §4.118
What Is It?
The VA rates scars under several diagnostic codes depending on their location, characteristics, and functional impact. DC 7800 covers scars that cause disfigurement of the head, face, or neck. DC 7801 covers deep nonlinear scars (not on the head, face, or neck). DC 7802 covers superficial nonlinear scars. DC 7804 covers scars that are unstable or painful. DC 7805 covers scars rated on limitation of function of the affected body part. Veterans can receive ratings under multiple scar codes for the same injury if different characteristics apply. Scars from surgical procedures related to service-connected conditions are also ratable.
Rating Criteria
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 80% | Under DC 7800: Disfigurement of head, face, or neck with visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of three or more features or paired sets of features, or with eight characteristics of disfigurement. This is the maximum under DC 7800. |
| 50% | Under DC 7800: Disfigurement of head, face, or neck with visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of three or more features or paired sets of features, or six or more characteristics of disfigurement. |
| 30% | Under DC 7804: Five or more scars that are unstable or painful. Under DC 7800: Disfigurement with visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of two features or paired sets of features, or four or five characteristics of disfigurement. Under DC 7801: Deep nonlinear scar area of at least 72 square inches (465 sq cm). |
| 20% | Under DC 7804: Three or four scars that are unstable or painful. Under DC 7800: Disfigurement of head, face, or neck with visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of one feature or paired set of features, or two or three characteristics of disfigurement. Under DC 7801: Deep nonlinear scar area of at least 12 square inches (77 sq cm). |
| 10% | Under DC 7804: One or two scars that are unstable or painful. An unstable scar is one where there is frequent loss of covering of skin over the scar. A painful scar is one that is painful on examination. Under DC 7800: One characteristic of disfigurement of the head, face, or neck. Under DC 7801: A deep nonlinear scar with an area of at least 6 square inches (39 sq cm). |
Evidence Needed
You need: (1) documentation of the scar(s) including their location, size, and characteristics, (2) evidence connecting the scar to military service (injury, surgery for a service-connected condition, burn, etc.), and (3) medical records describing whether scars are painful, unstable, or cause functional limitation. Photographs of the scars are helpful evidence. For disfigurement claims (DC 7800), the eight characteristics of disfigurement include: scar 5 inches or more in length, scar at least one-quarter inch wide at widest part, surface contour elevated or depressed on palpation, scar adherent to underlying tissue, skin hypo- or hyper-pigmented in an area exceeding 6 square inches, skin texture abnormal in an area exceeding 6 square inches, underlying soft tissue missing in an area exceeding 6 square inches, and skin indurated and inflexible in an area exceeding 6 square inches.
C&P Exam Tips
The examiner will measure each scar (length, width, area) and assess its characteristics. Point out every scar related to your service or service-connected conditions — do not assume the examiner will find them all. For each scar, tell the examiner whether it is painful (even intermittently), whether the surface is unstable (skin breaks down or peels), and whether it limits your movement or function. If scars are on your head, face, or neck, the examiner will assess disfigurement characteristics. Wear clothing that allows easy access to your scars. If you have scars from surgeries related to service-connected conditions (knee surgery, back surgery, etc.), make sure these are included in your claim.
How to File
File on VA Form 21-526EZ. List each scar or group of scars with their location and cause. If scars resulted from surgical treatment of a service-connected condition, explain that connection. You can claim scars under multiple diagnostic codes — for example, a facial scar can be rated under both DC 7800 (disfigurement) and DC 7804 (painful) simultaneously. Submit photographs and any medical records documenting the scars. Note: an additional 10% is added under DC 7804 if one or more scars are both unstable AND painful.
Common Mistakes
The most common mistake is not claiming scars at all, especially surgical scars from service-connected surgeries. If you had knee surgery, back surgery, or any other procedure related to a service-connected condition, those surgical scars are ratable. Another mistake is not mentioning pain or instability during the exam — if a scar is tender to touch even sometimes, report it. Veterans often miss that scars can be rated under multiple codes simultaneously (disfigurement plus painful, for example). Also, if a scar limits your range of motion, it can be rated under DC 7805 based on the limitation it causes, potentially yielding a higher rating than the scar codes alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get rated for surgical scars?
Yes. Scars from surgical procedures performed to treat service-connected conditions are ratable. For example, if you had knee replacement surgery for a service-connected knee condition, the surgical scar can be separately rated if it is painful, unstable, or causes functional limitation.
Can the same scar be rated under multiple codes?
Yes. A scar can be rated under different diagnostic codes for different characteristics. For example, a facial scar could receive a rating under DC 7800 for disfigurement and a separate rating under DC 7804 for being painful. The VA will assign all applicable ratings.
What are the "characteristics of disfigurement"?
The eight characteristics include: scar at least 5 inches long, at least one-quarter inch wide, surface contour elevated or depressed, adherent to underlying tissue, hypo- or hyper-pigmented area exceeding 6 sq inches, abnormal texture exceeding 6 sq inches, missing underlying soft tissue exceeding 6 sq inches, and indurated/inflexible skin exceeding 6 sq inches. Each characteristic present increases the rating under DC 7800.