Education · 38 CFR § 4.118 · Skin and scars · not your rating · we do not file
Burn scar(s) of the head, face, or neck; scar(s) of the head, face, or neck due to other causes; or other disfigurement of the head, face, or neck VA rating (DC 7800)
VA rates burn scar(s) of the head, face, or neck; scar(s) of the head, face, or neck due to other causes; or other disfigurement of the head, face, or neck under diagnostic code 7800 in 38 CFR § 4.118. The rule book lists 10%, 30%, 50%, and 80%. Below: each level in plain English, then the exact words.
Rule-book name: Burn scar(s) of the head, face, or neck; scar(s) of the head, face, or neck due to other causes; or other disfigurement of the head, face, or neck. Last checked against eCFR on 2026-10-10 (eCFR issue 2026-08-27). Official text: 38 CFR § 4.118 on eCFR.
Each rating level in plain English
- 80%: Read the exact words below. We have not mapped this line to plain words, so we quote it rather than guess.
- 50%: Read the exact words below. We have not mapped this line to plain words, so we quote it rather than guess.
- 30%: Read the exact words below. We have not mapped this line to plain words, so we quote it rather than guess.
- 10%: Read the exact words below. We have not mapped this line to plain words, so we quote it rather than guess.
Plain words come from our reading aid for the published words. They never add a symptom. The quotes below are the rule.
Exact words in 38 CFR § 4.118
80% · “With visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of three or more features or paired sets of features (nose, chin, forehead, eyes (including eyelids), ears (auricles), cheeks, lips), or; with six or more characteristics of disfigurement”
50% · “With visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of two features or paired sets of features (nose, chin, forehead, eyes (including eyelids), ears (auricles), cheeks, lips), or; with four or five characteristics of disfigurement”
30% · “With visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of one feature or paired set of features (nose, chin, forehead, eyes (including eyelids), ears (auricles), cheeks, lips), or; with two or three characteristics of disfigurement”
10% · “With one characteristic of disfigurement”
“Skin texture abnormal (irregular, atrophic, shiny, scaly, etc.) in an area exceeding six square inches (39 sq. cm.).”
Notes printed with this code
“Note (1): The 8 characteristics of disfigurement, for purposes of evaluation under § 4.118, are:”
“Note (2): Rate tissue loss of the auricle under DC 6207 (loss of auricle) and anatomical loss of the eye under DC 6061 (anatomical loss of both eyes) or DC 6063 (anatomical loss of one eye), as appropriate.”
“Note (3): Take into consideration unretouched color photographs when evaluating under these criteria.”
“Note (4): Separately evaluate disabling effects other than disfigurement that are associated with individual scar(s) of the head, face, or neck, such as pain, instability, and residuals of associated muscle or nerve injury, under the appropriate diagnostic code(s) and apply § 4.25 to combine the evaluation(s) with the evaluation assigned under this diagnostic code.”
“Note (5): The characteristic(s) of disfigurement may be caused by one scar or by multiple scars; the characteristic(s) required to assign a particular evaluation need not be caused by a single scar in order to assign that evaluation.”
What records usually show this
VA reads these things from your records: service treatment records, VA and private treatment records, and the VA claim exam (C&P exam). Read the exact words above next to your own records.
Education only. This does not say you have any of these, and a record that mentions them does not decide a rating. Only write what is true for you. Evidence needed for your disability claim · VA claim exam (C&P exam)
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Common questions
What percentages does the VA rating schedule list for Burn scar(s) of the head, face, or neck; scar(s) of the head, face, or neck due to other causes; or other disfigurement of the head, face, or neck (DC 7800)?
38 CFR § 4.118 lists 10%, 30%, 50%, and 80% for diagnostic code 7800. VA decides which line fits from the evidence. This page is not your rating.
Where do these words come from?
They are quoted from the public eCFR copy of 38 CFR § 4.118, last checked 2026-10-10. The official page is linked on this page so you can check every word.
Does this page tell me what my rating will be?
No. It shows what the published rule book says. It does not predict a rating, a decision, or a dollar amount, and it does not say you have this condition.
Who can file a VA claim for me for free?
Accredited Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) can prepare and file a claim with you at no cost. VA lists accredited representatives on VA.gov. We do not file.
This page quotes the public VA rule book. It is not your rating and not your pay. We do not say you have this condition. We do not file. You, or a free accredited representative, file with VA.
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