VA Combined Ratings Explained: Why 50% + 30% Doesn't Equal 80%
VA does not simply add multiple disability percentages. It combines ratings from highest to lowest under the Combined Ratings Table in 38 C.F.R. § 4.25.
Simple example
A 50% rating combined with a 30% rating produces a combined value of 65. VA then rounds the final combined value to the nearest 10%, producing a 70% combined rating.
Why order and intermediate values matter
When there are more than two ratings, the next percentage is combined with the prior unrounded combined value. This is why a stepwise calculator should mirror the table rather than simply multiply every remaining-efficiency percentage and round once at the end.
Bilateral factor
Some disabilities affecting paired extremities are subject to a bilateral-factor rule. This is a separate calculation step and can change the result, so verify the current rule when it applies.