Adrenal Disorders — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
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The DBQ for Adrenal Disorders
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960E-2 (Endocrine Diseases (Other Than Thyroid, Parathyroid or Diabetes Mellitus)) — the form that decides your rating. You can have your own doctor complete the same DBQ and submit it as evidence.
Have a C&P exam coming up? See exactly what the examiner will ask about Adrenal Disorders — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Adrenal Disorders, based on your overall combined VA disability rating.
| Rating | Monthly (Alone) | Monthly (w/ Spouse) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $6,629.64 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $9,550.08 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $13,594.80 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $17,220.24 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $21,701.40 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $25,225.80 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $28,347.60 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $47,262.96 |
Common Symptoms
Document these symptoms in your claim. The more thoroughly you describe how they affect your daily life, the stronger your claim.
Functional Limitations
VA rates disabilities based on how they limit your ability to function. Describe these limitations in your personal statement.
Rating Criteria for Adrenal Disorders
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.119, DC 7911 (Addison's disease / adrenocortical insufficiency). Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
One or two crises during the past year, or two to four episodes during the past year, or weakness and fatigability, or corticosteroid therapy required for control.
Three crises during the past year, or five or more episodes during the past year.
Four or more crises during the past year.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding Adrenal Disorders raise your rating?
Enter your current combined rating and the level this condition would rate at. We'll do the VA math.
New combined
20%
New monthly
$357
Change
+$357
Rates shown are the 2026 veteran-alone amounts (no dependents). VA combines ratings with "whole-person" math and rounds to the nearest 10, so adding a condition does not simply add its percentage. Full combined-rating calculator with dependents →
Peer-Reviewed Medical Evidence
Real, verified studies from PubMed/NIH that support a Adrenal Disorders claim. Bring these citations to your accredited VSO or C&P exam — they help show your condition is recognized in the medical literature and, where noted, linked to other service-connected conditions.
- Adrenal insufficiencySecondary
Lancet, 2021 · nexus to chronic opioid use, long-term glucocorticoid/corticosteroid therapy · PMID 33484633
Finding: This major review establishes that adrenal insufficiency can arise not only from primary adrenal disease but secondarily from suppression of ACTH by exogenous glucocorticoid or opioid medications. Adrenal crisis (a life-threatening event) occurs in roughly 50% of patients with adrenal insufficiency after diagnosis, and the condition carries reduced quality of life, reduced work capacity, and increased mortality even with steroid replacement.
Why it helps: Supports an association between medications commonly prescribed for service-connected conditions (long-term steroids for inflammatory/musculoskeletal disease, chronic opioids for pain) and the later development of adrenal insufficiency, which is foundational for a secondary-nexus argument.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2023 · nexus to chronic opioid therapy · PMID 36902007
Finding: Opioid-induced adrenal insufficiency (OIAI) is secondary to long-term opioid use, is common but under-recognized, and resolves with opioid cessation. The authors estimate only about 10% of patients with OIAI are ever properly diagnosed, and note that roughly 5% of the US population has a chronic opioid prescription, with untreated OIAI capable of progressing to life-threatening adrenal crisis.
Why it helps: Supports an association between chronic opioid therapy (often prescribed for service-connected pain conditions) and adrenal insufficiency, and highlights that the condition is frequently missed, which is relevant to a delayed secondary claim.
Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity, 2019 · nexus to chronic opioid therapy · PMID 30870182
Finding: Across the small systematic studies available, the estimated prevalence of opioid-induced adrenal insufficiency among patients on chronic opioids ranges from 8.3% to 29%, and is more likely in those receiving higher opioid doses. Lower cortisol levels were associated with reduced health-related quality of life and altered pain perception.
Why it helps: Supports a dose-related association between chronic opioid use and adrenal insufficiency, providing quantified prevalence figures useful for a secondary-nexus argument tied to opioid pain management.
Psychiatry Research, 2018 · nexus to PTSD · PMID 29576410
Finding: In a clinical sample of Gulf War veterans (266 genotyped, 174 completing a low-dose dexamethasone suppression test), the FKBP5 risk allele and childhood abuse were each independently associated with PTSD diagnosis, and the risk allele was associated with significantly lower baseline cortisol levels, consistent with HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis alteration in veterans with PTSD.
Why it helps: Supports an association in a veteran population between PTSD and altered HPA-axis/cortisol regulation, relevant when arguing that adrenal/cortisol dysfunction is connected to service-connected PTSD.
Journal of Dual Diagnosis, 2020 · nexus to PTSD, alcohol use disorder · PMID 32493131
Finding: This VA-authored review synthesizes evidence that aspects of combat deployment, high PTSD levels, and reintegration stress can dysregulate cortisol and HPA-axis functioning in veterans, with potentially bidirectional effects where alcohol used as a coping mechanism further dysregulates the HPA axis and cortisol.
Why it helps: Supports an association between combat service, PTSD, alcohol use disorder, and dysregulation of the HPA (adrenal) axis in veterans, useful background for a secondary claim linking adrenal/cortisol dysfunction to service-connected mental-health conditions.
Frontiers in Endocrinology, 2021 · nexus to obstructive sleep apnea · PMID 33542703
Finding: In this meta-analysis of 16 studies, children with obstructive sleep apnea had significantly lower morning salivary cortisol than controls (mean difference -0.13 ug/dl; 95% CI -0.21 to -0.04; P=0.003), suggesting altered HPA-axis activity, though no significant cortisol differences were found between adults with and without OSA.
Why it helps: Provides a balanced view of the link between obstructive sleep apnea (a common service-connected condition) and HPA-axis/cortisol changes; the evidence is mixed in adults, so it supports an association cautiously rather than strongly.
Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 2022 · PMID 36045149
Finding: Primary aldosteronism, an adrenal disorder, is a common cause of hypertension and an independent risk factor for cardiovascular and renal morbidity and mortality through mechanisms beyond blood pressure alone, yet it remains largely under-recognized, with less than 2% of at-risk individuals ever tested.
Why it helps: Supports the position that an adrenal disorder (primary aldosteronism) can drive hypertension and cardiovascular/renal damage, which is relevant when conditions such as hypertension are claimed as secondary to an underlying adrenal disorder, and underscores frequent under-diagnosis.
Every citation is real and verified against PubMed. This is general information, not medical or legal advice — your accredited VSO or representative can advise on your specific claim.
Evidence Checklist
Gather these types of evidence before filing your claim. The strongest claims include multiple evidence types.
Common Treatments
Documenting ongoing treatment strengthens your claim and supports higher ratings.
Secondary Conditions Linked to Adrenal Disorders
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Adrenal Disorders. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
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Filing a Adrenal Disordersclaim? Don't skip these.
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Draft your Adrenal Disorders personal statement
7-step wizard that builds your VA claim personal statement using your own words. Detects presumptive eligibility, cites 38 CFR + DBQ, includes federal-crime disclosure. You review and edit before filing.
Start draftingNot legal or medical advice. Always have a VSO or accredited rep review before filing.
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Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to Adrenal Disorders.
Adrenal Disorders Claim Guide by State
Find state-specific VA facilities, veteran benefits, and filing resources.
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Educational content, not professional advice
This article is published by Military Transition Toolkit for educational and planning purposes. It is not legal, medical, or financial advice. VA rating criteria, benefits, and regulations change — verify anything benefits-affecting against VA.gov, 38 CFR Part 4, or a VA-accredited representative (VSO, agent, or attorney) before filing.
MTT is a veteran-owned planning tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or any military branch.