VA Disability Rating for Scars, other; and other effects of scars evaluated under diagnostic codes 7800, 7801, 7802, or 7804 (DC 7805)
Body system: SkinRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.118DBQ: DBQ Scars/Disfigurement
DC 7805 is the catch-all 'other scars' code in 38 CFR § 4.118. It does not assign a schedular percentage of its own. Instead, it directs raters to evaluate any disabling effect of a scar that is not already captured by DCs 7800 (head/face/neck disfigurement), 7801 (scars not of the head, face or neck that are associated with underlying soft tissue damage), 7802 (scars not of the head, face or neck that are not associated with underlying soft tissue damage), or 7804 (painful or unstable scars) under whichever diagnostic code matches the functional impairment. Common examples: limited joint motion from contracture (rate under the joint's DC), peripheral nerve compression (DCs 8510 to 8530, by nerve), muscle injury (DCs 5301-5329), tendon adhesion, vascular compromise. Multiple scar effects can be rated separately under DCs 7800-7805 and combined under § 4.25 subject to anti-pyramiding rules of § 4.14, they measure different disabilities of the same underlying scar.
Rating levels
Note — DC 7805 has no schedular tier of its own. It is the catch-all 'other scars' code that captures any disabling effect of a scar that is not already accounted for by DCs 7800-7804. Examples: a scar that causes limited motion of an adjacent joint (rate under the joint's DC, e.g., DC 5260-5262 for knee, DC 5201 for shoulder, DC 5215 for wrist), a scar that compresses a nerve and produces peripheral neuropathy (DCs 8510 to 8530 by nerve), a scar that crosses a tendon causing functional impairment, a scar that produces pain that is constant rather than intermittent (DC 7804 already covers painful and/or unstable scars, use that DC for scar pain itself), or a scar with associated muscle injury (DCs 5301-5329 by muscle group). DCs 7800-7805 are designed to combine under 38 CFR § 4.25, NOT to be alternatives, Note 4 of DC 7800 explicitly authorizes combining DC 7800 (disfigurement) with the appropriate DC under 7805 for nerve/muscle/joint effects. Anti-pyramiding of § 4.14 applies between DCs that measure the same disability; a single scar that is both disfiguring AND limits motion gets BOTH ratings because they cover different disabilities.
Disclaimer: This tool is for informational purposes only and is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with your VSO representative or a qualified veterans benefits attorney for guidance on your specific claim.
