The “Whole Person” Theory

One of the most confusing aspects of the VA disability system is “VA Math.” A veteran might have a 50% rating for PTSD and a 50% rating for a back condition, but their combined rating is only 80%, not 100%. Why?

The VA uses a system based on the “whole person” theory. They consider a person to be 100% whole before any disabilities.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Start with your highest rating. Let’s say it’s 50% for PTSD. The VA considers you 50% disabled and 50% “whole.”
  2. Apply the next rating to the “whole” part. Your next rating is 50% for your back. The VA doesn’t add this to the first 50%. Instead, they take 50% of the remaining “whole” person (50% of 50% is 25%).
  3. Add the new value to your previous disability rating. Your initial 50% plus the new 25% equals a 75% disability rating.
  4. Round to the nearest 10. The VA rounds the final number. In this case, 75% is rounded up to an 80% combined rating.

This process continues for every disability you have. Each subsequent rating is applied to the remaining “able-bodied” percentage. It’s a system that heavily favors the highest ratings and shows why getting a high initial rating is so important.