What is pyramiding in VA disability ratings?
Last verified July 30, 2026 · Reviewed by Esteban Magallon, VA-Accredited Claims Agent
Details
- Impermissible: rating the same knee pain under two codes measuring the identical limitation.
- Permissible: radiculopathy in an extremity rated separately from the orthopedic spine rating.
- Permissible: a painful or unstable scar rated separately from the underlying condition.
- Mental disorders are rated once, on overall occupational and social impairment, regardless of how many diagnoses appear.
- Pyramiding (§ 4.14) is different from the combined rating table (§ 4.25), which governs how assigned percentages are combined.
Related
This is general educational information about VA claims — not legal or medical advice. Individual outcomes depend on the record. Oakridge Claims is a private VA-Accredited Claims Agent practice and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.