VA Rating for Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is more than just a gluten allergy. The autoimmune disease can lead to uncomfortable symptoms. These include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and fatigue that can make it difficult to get through the day. If not managed correctly, celiac disease can cause more serious complications like osteoporosis or even cancer. If you’re a veteran with celiac disease you believe was caused or worsened by your military service, you’ll want to understand the celiac disease VA rating. This article explains.

What is celiac disease?

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder caused by an immune reaction to consuming gluten,  a protein found in foods made with wheat, barley, or rye. Over time, this immune reaction causes damage that prevents proper nutrient absorption. 

The long-term intestinal damage caused by celiac disease often leads to symptoms like diarrhea, fatigue, bloating and gas, abdominal pain, weight loss, and anemia, among other things. If it goes untreated, celiac disease can lead to serious complications such as malnutrition, osteoporosis from malabsorption, and in rare cases, even cancer.

Although it’s generally thought to be a genetic condition, researchers are studying other factors that may increase someone’s risk of developing celiac disease. Some studies suggest that people who experienced a high number of infections at a young age may have an increased risk. Scientists also believe changes to the bacteria in the digestive tract could lead to the development of the disease. 

Celiac disease VA rating

Celiac disease is rated using diagnostic code 7355 in the Schedule of Ratings for the digestive system, as follows:

Description	VA Rating	Monthly payment (vet only)
Malabsorption syndrome with weakness which interferes with activities of daily living; and weight loss resulting in wasting and nutritional deficiencies; and with systemic manifestations including but not limited to, weakness and fatigue, dermatitis, lymph node enlargement, hypocalcemia, low vitamin levels; and anemia related to malabsorption; and episodes of abdominal pain and diarrhea due to lactase deficiency or pancreatic insufficiency	80%	$2,044.89
Malabsorption syndrome with chronic diarrhea managed by medically-prescribed dietary intervention such as prescribed gluten-free diet, with nutritional deficiencies due to lactase and pancreatic insufficiency; and with systemic manifestations including, but not limited to, weakness and fatigue, dermatitis, lymph node enlargement, hypocalcemia, low vitamin levels, or atrophy of the inner intestinal lining shown on biopsy	50%	$1,102.04
Malabsorption syndrome with chronic diarrhea managed by medically-prescribed dietary intervention such as prescribed gluten-free diet; and without nutritional deficiencies	30%	$537.42

To be eligible for a celiac disease VA rating, a diagnosis must be made with a blood test or an endoscopy with a biopsy. 

It’s important to note that if you are a veteran with celiac disease and your main symptom is malabsorption, the VA will rate your condition using either DC 7355 or DC 7328 for resection of the small intestine, whichever warrants a higher rating.

The rating criteria for 55 digestive conditions, including celiac disease, was updated in May 2024. Before the change, the VA would assign a maximum rating of 30% for celiac disease, regardless of the severity of symptoms. Now, veterans can receive a VA rating for celiac disease up to 80%. 

Celiac disease and related conditions

With little to no gluten-free options offered by the military, it’s understandable that a veteran’s existing celiac disease may have been made worse during service. When the disease progresses or goes unmanaged, it can often lead to other, sometimes more serious, health concerns.

These conditions include but are not limited to:

• Other autoimmune disorders. People with celiac disease are at a higher risk of developing other autoimmune disorders. The most common autoimmune conditions associated with celiac disease are certain types of thyroid disease and type 1 diabetes. It has also been linked to Addison’s disease, Crohn’s disease, and multiple sclerosis (MS), among others. It’s also possible for an autoimmune disorder like the ones listed here to cause celiac disease.

• Dermatitis herpetiformis. Also known as DH or Duhring’s disease, dermatitis herpetiformis is a chronic skin condition caused by a reaction to consuming gluten. The disease causes itchy bumps and blisters on both sides of the body. The majority of DH patients also have celiac disease.

• Mental health conditions. Untreated celiac disease can cause psychiatric symptoms including mood changes, anxiety, fatigue, and sleep difficulties.

• Hepatitis B. Many people with untreated celiac disease do not respond to the hepatitis B vaccine, putting them at a higher risk of developing the viral liver infection. Luckily, the vaccine is generally effective after starting and maintaining a gluten-free diet.
  
• Osteoporosis. Celiac disease often causes malabsorption of essential vitamins and nutrients, which can lead to brittle, weak bones, also known as osteoporosis. 

• Cancer. Studies suggest people with celiac disease may be at a slightly higher risk of developing certain gastrointestinal cancers like intestinal lymphoma and small bowel carcinoma.

If you’re a veteran with service-connected celiac disease that led to another health condition, you may be able to service connect that condition on a secondary basis. Likewise, if you have a service-connected condition that caused your celiac disease, you may be able to get a secondary service-connected disability rating for celiac disease.

Is VA TDIU Right for You?

TDIU for celiac disease

A veteran can be awarded total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) benefits if they can’t maintain “substantially gainful employment” due to their service-connected conditions. 

Veterans with severe cases of celiac disease may find it hard to show up to work every day due to extreme fatigue and uncomfortable digestive issues. Additionally, veterans with service-connected celiac disease that led to or was caused by another service-connected condition may be able to combine their disability ratings and become eligible for TDIU.

TDIU pays at the same level as a 100% disability rating, even when the veteran’s combined rating is below 100%.

Veterans will typically be eligible for TDIU if they have:

• At least one service-connected disability rated at 60% or more disabling, OR
• Two or more service-connected disabilities with at least one rated at 40% or more disabling and a combined rating of 70% or more

How Woods & Woods can help

Woods & Woods has been fighting for people with injuries and disabilities since 1985. Our team of accredited VA disability lawyers, case managers, legal analysts, and intake specialists know the ins and outs of the VA so you don’t have to do all the hard work. Call us today for your free and confidential case evaluation.

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