Our Mission
RateMyVSO exists to help veterans research and understand their legitimate VA disability claims, not to push claims, game ratings, or exploit the system.
We built this platform because the VA claims process is overwhelming, the rating schedule reads like a legal textbook, and finding the right person to help you shouldn't require guessing. Every veteran who served has earned the right to understand what benefits they may qualify for and they deserve dedicated and competent representation from a VSO Representative that cares about the Veteran's claim outcomes.
This site helps you do three things: research VA diagnostic codes and rating criteria in plain English using government data, read general information about commonly-associated secondary conditions from published medical and regulatory sources, and find an accredited VSO representative with a track record of care and expertise backed by honest reviews from fellow veterans.
What we are NOT: RateMyVSO is not an accredited representative, claims coach, or agent. We do not prepare, present, or prosecute VA disability claims. We do not charge fees. We do not tell you what to file or evaluate the strength of your specific case — that work requires VA accreditation under 38 U.S.C. § 5901 and 38 C.F.R. § 14.629, and only accredited VSOs, agents, and attorneys can do it. We publish factual information from public government sources so that you can make informed decisions in partnership with an accredited representative.
RateMyVSO is built and operated by a disabled veteran, for veterans. It is and will remain a free service.
What We Do
Condition Lookup
725 VA diagnostic codes translated into plain English. Search by everyday language: rating criteria, C&P exam tips, and evidence guidance for every condition.
Real Data, Not Guesswork
We analyzed 1,660,000+ BVA decisions and combined more than ten government sources to show what evidence actually works: grant rates, denial patterns, and more.
Find the Right VSO
Search 15,253 VA-accredited representatives by location. Read real reviews from fellow veterans to find someone who knows your type of claim.
Secondary Conditions
Discover conditions commonly linked to your existing disability, including medical basis, evidence guidance, and Board of Veterans' Appeals grant rates.
PACT Act & Presumptives
All 82 PACT Act presumptive conditions with qualifying service periods, official grant rates, and VA Inspector General findings about denial errors.
Community Data
Veterans can anonymously share their claim outcomes. Once enough veterans contribute, community trends appear on condition pages to help others.
Our Data Sources
RateMyVSO is the only free veteran resource that combines more than ten official government sources into one platform:
- Board of Veterans' Appeals Decisions, Our own analysis of 1,666,927 BVA decisions (1992-2026), extracting 677,000+ individual claim determinations with evidence patterns, grant/denial factors, and rating transitions. One decision often covers several claims, so the claim count runs higher than the decision count.
- 38 CFR Part 4, VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities, The official VA rating schedule sourced from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). This is the foundation for all 725 diagnostic codes, rating criteria, and plain-English translations on the site. We also carry the full text of 38 CFR Parts 3, 14, 19, and 20 (service connection, representation, and appeals rules), monitored weekly for amendments.
- M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual, The complete internal manual VA raters follow when deciding claims: all 429 sections, readable on-site, checked daily against VA's copy so changes surface within a day. It powers the "Rater's Playbook" on condition pages.
- Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) Decisions, Published Court opinions cross-referenced against the Board decisions that cite them, so you can see which court cases actually shape Board outcomes.
- VA OGC Accreditation Database, The official source for all 15,253 VA-accredited representative records (VSO reps, attorneys, and claims agents), organizations, and registration data.
- VA AMA Performance Reports, VA's monthly appeals-modernization metrics: docket wait times, decision volumes, and outcome splits, refreshed monthly on our appeals pages.
- VA Annual Benefits Report (FY2025), Prevalence data covering 6.3 million veterans and 46.5 million service-connected disabilities.
- VA Disability Compensation Recipients by County, County-level recipient counts (FY2019-FY2025) behind our state-by-state veteran population and rating-trend pages.
- GAO Audits (GAO-23-106097), Initial claim approval rates for the top 10 conditions.
- VA Inspector General Reports, 23 audits documenting claims processing error rates by condition.
- VA PACT Act Performance Dashboard, Official grant rates for toxic exposure conditions.
How our AI tools use these sources
When the site's Guide chat or the Letter Interpreter answers a question, the answer is grounded in these sources, not in the AI's general knowledge. Behind every response we retrieve the actual regulation text from 38 CFR, the matching sections of the M21-1 manual raters use, and real Board decisions on the same conditions and regulations. Every citation the AI produces is checked against the source documents before you see it; anything we cannot verify is flagged, not presented as fact.
We don't sell coaching. We don't push claims. We show you what the data says, in plain English, so you can have a more informed conversation with your VSO.
Important Information
Not affiliated with the VA. RateMyVSO is an independent, community-driven platform. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or any government agency.
Data source. Representative and organization data is sourced from the publicly available VA Office of General Counsel (OGC) Accreditation Database. Reviews and ratings are submitted by users and reflect individual experiences.
Operated by RateMyVSO LLC. RateMyVSO is a Georgia LLC committed to keeping this platform free and accessible to all veterans. Response times for messages and moderation may vary.
Get Involved
The strength of RateMyVSO comes from the veteran community. Here's how you can help:
- Leave a review, Share your experience with your VSO representative.
- Share your claim outcome, Help other veterans by anonymously sharing your results.
- Spread the word, Tell fellow veterans about RateMyVSO.
- Claim your profile, If you're a VSO rep, verify your identity and engage with reviews.
- Report issues, Flag inappropriate content or contact us with suggestions.