Body system: Cardiovascular SystemRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.104DBQ: DBQ CARDIO Artery & Veins
Varicose veins are enlarged, twisted veins that usually appear in your legs and feet, often looking like dark blue or purple cords under your skin. The VA doesn't rate varicose veins under this diagnostic code 7120 - instead, they'll evaluate your condition using diagnostic code 7121. This means your rating will be based on the severity of your varicose veins and any complications like ulcers or blood clots, with ratings typically ranging from 0% to 100%.
Rating levels
- 100% — Your legs have severe, constant swelling that feels hard and rigid like a wooden board (massive board-like edema). You experience non-stop pain in your legs even when you're sitting or lying down and not moving around.
- 60% — To qualify for this rating, you must have persistent swelling or hardened tissue under the skin, skin inflammation from poor blood flow (stasis dermatitis), and problems with the deep veins in your legs not working properly or being blocked. In addition to those symptoms, you must also have either recurring open sores on your legs (varicose ulcers) that keep coming back, or severe scarring and deformity that significantly changes how your legs look.
- 40% — You must have both of these problems at the same time: ongoing swelling in your legs or hardening under the skin along with skin inflammation and discoloration (but no open sores), AND varicose veins where the connecting veins between your surface and deep veins don't work properly or your deep veins are blocked. The swelling and skin problems must be persistent, meaning they don't go away with rest or elevation of your legs.
- 20% — You must have both persistent swelling or hardening under the skin (subcutaneous induration means the tissue beneath your skin has become thick and firm), AND skin irritation or discoloration around the affected veins (stasis dermatitis is when poor blood flow causes your skin to become red, itchy, or develop a rash). Both of these conditions must be ongoing, not something that comes and goes occasionally.
- 10% — To qualify under this criteria, you need varicose veins plus one of these additional problems: ongoing swelling or hardened tissue under the skin (persistent edema or subcutaneous induration), a skin condition caused by poor blood flow that makes your skin red, scaly, or itchy (stasis dermatitis), or varicose veins that cause noticeable symptoms like pain, aching, or discomfort. Simply having visible varicose veins without these complications or symptoms would not meet this rating level.