Scars - Surgical — 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 Scars - Surgical
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960F-1 (Scars/Disfigurement) — 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 Scars - Surgical — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Scars - Surgical, 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 Scars - Surgical
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.118, DC 7804 (painful/unstable), DC 7801/7802 (area), DC 7805 (other effects). Surgical scars are most often rated as painful or unstable.. Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
One or two scars that are painful or unstable (DC 7804); or a deep scar (with underlying soft tissue damage, not head/face/neck) covering at least 6 but less than 12 square inches (DC 7801); or a superficial scar not of the head/face/neck covering 144 square inches or more (DC 7802).
Three or four scars that are painful or unstable (DC 7804); or a deep scar covering at least 12 but less than 72 square inches (DC 7801).
Five or more scars that are painful or unstable (DC 7804); or a deep scar covering at least 72 but less than 144 square inches (DC 7801).
A deep scar (with underlying soft tissue damage) covering 144 square inches (929 sq. cm.) or greater (DC 7801). If one or more scars are both unstable and painful, add 10 percent to the DC 7804 evaluation. Other disabling effects (e.g., limited motion, adhesions) are rated under DC 7805 or the appropriate body-system code and combined.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding Scars - Surgical raise your rating?
Enter your current combined rating and the level this condition would rate at. We'll do the VA math.
New combined
10%
New monthly
$180
Change
+$180
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 Scars - Surgical 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.
- Chronic postsurgical pain and neuropathic symptoms after abdominal hysterectomy: A silent epidemicDirect
Medicine (Baltimore), 2016 · PMID 27537570
Finding: Among 93 women evaluated at least 3 months after abdominal surgery, neuropathic pain symptoms were present in 90 patients (96.8%), and sensory alterations such as hypoesthesia and hyperesthesia were detected around the abdominal scar in 19.4% on pinprick testing. The authors note chronic postsurgical pain prevalence reaches about 30% overall.
Why it helps: Supports an association between surgical incisions/scars and persistent neuropathic pain and altered sensation at the scar site, which is the type of painful, tender, or unstable surgical scar that a veteran may document for a rating.
Burns, 2021 · PMID 33485727
Finding: In 44 patients with 115 affected joints, scar contractures held mean range of motion at only 37.3% of functional ROM before release surgery, and disability-free survival was 55% preoperatively; regaining functional motion was significantly associated with less disability (WHODAS 2.0) and higher quality of life (EQ-5D, p < 0.001).
Why it helps: Supports an association between scar contractures and measurable joint disability and reduced quality of life, relevant when a surgical scar limits motion or function rather than being merely cosmetic.
J Burn Care Res, 2019 · PMID 30919903
Finding: This multicenter study (US Army Institute of Surgical Research co-authors; 174 joints, 66 subjects, 1044 measurements) found scar-related ROM limitation of 38.8% using cutaneous-function goniometry versus 32.1% with standard goniometry (p < 0.0001), with greater limitation correlating with the percentage of scarred cutaneous functional units.
Why it helps: Supports an association between scarring and objectively measurable loss of joint range of motion, and shows standard exams may underestimate scar-caused functional impairment; military-authored, relevant to documenting functional limitation from a scar.
- Visual disfigurement and depressionSecondary
Plast Surg Nurs, 2004 · nexus to depression · PMID 15632721
Finding: Authored from the Department of Veterans Affairs, this review reports that roughly 10% of people have a facial disfigurement such as a scar that affects normal life, and depressive disorders are present in 20-32% of people with a medical disease, with depressive symptoms common before, during, and after corrective surgery.
Why it helps: Supports an association between visible/disfiguring scars and depression, relevant to a secondary mental-health claim where a service-connected surgical scar contributes to depressive symptoms.
Am J Clin Dermatol, 2023 · PMID 36662366
Finding: This review concludes that hypertrophic scars and keloids can have significant detrimental effects on patients both psychosocially and functionally, that no single treatment is fully effective, and that lesions frequently recur, requiring combination therapy tailored to individual risk factors.
Why it helps: Supports an association between abnormal surgical scarring (hypertrophic/keloid) and ongoing functional and psychosocial burden plus recurrence, relevant to claims involving disfiguring or symptomatic post-surgical scars that need continued care.
Pain Manag, 2024 · PMID 39589498
Finding: This systematic review of 12 studies found topical 8% capsaicin produced a large pooled reduction in postsurgical neuropathic pain (Cohen's d 1.09, 95% CI 0.58-1.56, p < 0.001), noting patients are often left with nerve pain around the surgical site or scar.
Why it helps: Supports an association between surgical scars/incisions and chronic neuropathic pain located at the scar, confirming this is a recognized, treatable clinical entity relevant to a painful surgical scar claim.
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.
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Related Guides
Scars - Surgical as a Secondary Condition
Scars - Surgical is commonly claimed secondary to these primary conditions:
Filing a Scars - Surgicalclaim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Scars - Surgical should also be looking at:
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Draft your Scars - Surgical 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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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.