VA Disability Rating for TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury): 2026 Complete Guide

What Is a TBI for VA Purposes?

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined by the VA as a sudden insult to the brain from an external force — blast exposure, vehicle accidents, falls, or blunt trauma. TBI is one of the signature injuries of the post-9/11 wars, affecting an estimated 400,000+ veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.

The VA rates TBI under 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 8045. Unlike most disabilities that follow a straight severity scale, TBI is rated by evaluating 10 facets of cognitive, behavioral, and physical functioning, then assigning a global rating based on the worst facet.

The 10 TBI Rating Facets

The VA evaluates TBI across 10 categories. Your overall TBI rating is determined by the facet with the highest level of impairment — not an average:

1. Memory, attention, concentration, and executive function
2. Judgment
3. Social interaction
4. Orientation
5. Motor activity (not related to a separately ratable condition)
6. Visual-spatial orientation
7. Subjective symptoms (headaches, dizziness, fatigue)
8. Neurobehavioral effects (irritability, impulsivity, mood swings)
9. Communication
10. Consciousness

Each facet is scored 0–3 (0 = no impairment, 3 = total impairment). The highest score across all facets determines the global rating.

TBI Rating Levels and Monthly Pay (2026)

Note: 0%, 10%, 40%, 70%, and 100% are the only available TBI ratings under DC 8045. The VA does not assign 20%, 30%, 50%, 60%, 80%, or 90% for TBI itself — but you can reach those combined ratings through residual conditions.

Residual Conditions: Where the Real Money Is

Most TBI veterans receive a relatively low base TBI rating (0% or 10%) but can build significant combined ratings through separately ratable residual conditions. The VA is required to rate each TBI residual on its own merits under the appropriate diagnostic code:

• Migraines (DC 8100) — Rated 0%–50%. A veteran with TBI-caused migraines that are prostrating (debilitating enough to require lying down) 4+ times per month gets 50% — adding $1,132.90/month. See our migraines guide.
• Sleep apnea (DC 6847) — Rated 50% if CPAP is required. TBI frequently disrupts sleep architecture and can cause or worsen sleep apnea. See our sleep apnea guide.
• Depression and anxiety — Rated 0%–100% under DC 9434/9400. TBI-caused mood disorders are rated separately from the cognitive TBI rating. See our depression/anxiety guide.
• PTSD (DC 9411) — Commonly comorbid. Many blast-exposed veterans have both TBI and PTSD. They are rated separately. See our PTSD guide.
• Tinnitus (DC 6260) — Always rated 10%. Blast exposure that causes TBI almost always also damages hearing. See our tinnitus guide.
• Hearing loss (DC 6100) — Rated 0%–100%. Blast TBI and hearing loss go hand in hand. See our hearing loss guide.

TBI and PTSD: Can You Get Both?

Yes — and this is one of the most important things for combat veterans to understand. PTSD and TBI are not the same condition and are rated separately under different diagnostic codes. Many examinations used to conflate the two; the VA now uses a separate TBI evaluation form (DBQ) to distinguish between neurological symptoms (TBI) and psychiatric symptoms (PTSD).

If you have both, you should be filing for both. A veteran with 70% PTSD and 40% TBI, plus 50% sleep apnea and 10% tinnitus, would have a combined rating above 90% using the VA's whole-person method — which rounds up to 100% or may qualify for TDIU.

TBI Severity Classifications

The VA distinguishes between three levels of TBI based on the initial injury characteristics:

• Mild TBI (mTBI/concussion) — Loss of consciousness up to 30 minutes, post-traumatic amnesia up to 24 hours. Most blast-related TBIs fall here initially.
• Moderate TBI — Loss of consciousness 30 min–24 hours, post-traumatic amnesia 1–7 days.
• Severe TBI — Loss of consciousness more than 24 hours, post-traumatic amnesia more than 7 days, or a Glasgow Coma Scale score under 9.

The initial severity classification does not determine your rating — the current level of impairment does. Many veterans with an initial mTBI diagnosis have severe long-term residuals that qualify for high ratings.

TDIU and TBI

TBI that affects cognitive function, memory, or behavior can prevent gainful employment just as severely as a physical disability. If your TBI and related residuals prevent you from working full-time at a job that pays above the poverty threshold, you may qualify for TDIU (Total Disability Individual Unemployability), which pays at the full 100% rate ($3,938.58/month) even if your combined rating is below 100%.

The scheduler requirements for TDIU are one condition at 60%+ OR two conditions where one is 40%+ and the combined is 70%+. Use our TDIU Eligibility Checker to see if you qualify.

Evidence You Need for a TBI Claim

• Service records showing the incident — deployment records, injury reports, buddy statements
• Medical records documenting the initial injury — field medic notes, MEDEVAC records, hospital records
• Current medical evidence of residuals — neurology evaluations, neuropsychological testing, sleep studies
• Nexus letter — a private doctor's opinion connecting your current symptoms to your in-service TBI. See our nexus letter guide.
• Personal statement describing how TBI symptoms affect your daily life and work

Common Questions