If you’ve been diagnosed with gastritis you think was caused or worsened by military service, you’ll want to understand the gastritis VA rating. This post explains the condition and how the VA handles related disability benefits.
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An injury while you were in the service caused you to need over-the-counter pain medications multiple times a day for months. You then started having ongoing stomach pain, nausea, and bloating. Now, you’ve been diagnosed with gastritis. These things may be connected. Aspirins and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly linked with the development of gastritis. If this is your case, or the stomach issue is connected to another service-related condition, you’ll want to understand the VA disability rating for gastritis.
In this article about the gastritis VA rating:
What is gastritis?
Gastritis is when your stomach lining becomes inflamed. It causes varying symptoms, which may include:
- Stomach pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite or feeling like your stomach is bloated and full
- Abdominal bleeding
- Blood in your vomit or stool
Drinking too much alcohol, smoking, taking drugs like ibuprofen or aspirin frequently for long periods of time, and extreme stress can cause it. Some medical conditions can also cause gastritis, including infection, traumatic injury, burns, or radiation exposure, like that related to chemotherapy. It’s also linked to certain diseases, like autoimmune disorders and some types of reflux and anemia.
“From the day we contacted [Woods and Woods], they made us feel so comfortable. They treated us like we mattered and we were not just clients but family.”
L.B., a Navy veteran and wife in Florida
Gastritis VA rating
In the Schedule of Ratings, the diagnostic code for gastritis was DC 7307, but the VA changed the rating, and it is currently rated under DC 7304 for peptic ulcer disease. The rating is based on the severity of the condition and its symptoms. It is as follows:
| Description | VA Rating | Monthly payment (vet only) |
|---|---|---|
| Post-operative for perforation or hemorrhage, for three months | 100% | $3,737.85 |
| Continuous abdominal pain with intermittent vomiting, recurrent hematemesis (vomiting blood) or melena (tarry stools); and manifestations of anemia which require hospitalization at least once in the past 12 months | 60% | $1,3161.88 |
| Episodes of abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting, that: last for at least three consecutive days in duration; occur four or more times in the past 12 months; and are managed by daily prescribed medication | 40% | $755.28 |
| Episodes of abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting, that: last for at least three consecutive days in duration; occur three times or less in the past 12 months; and are managed by daily prescribed medication | 20% | $338.49 |
| History of peptic ulcer disease documented by endoscopy or diagnostic imaging studies | 0% | None |
If gastritis requires surgery, the veteran will receive a 100% rating for three months after the procedure while they recover. After that, they will undergo a medical exam for reevaluation, and the rating will be adjusted based on residuals.
Gastritis and related conditions
Sometimes, gastritis can lead to other medical conditions. If your gastritis is service-connected and you develop another condition because of it, you may be able to receive a secondary service connection. A secondary service connection allows you to receive a VA disability rating for any health condition medically related to a service-connected condition.
Gastritis can result in stomach ulcers, stomach bleeding, or other gastrointestinal concerns that qualify for VA disability ratings. In rare cases, gastritis can even cause stomach tumors and cancer.
On the other hand, if you’ve received a service connection for a condition that led to gastritis, you may qualify for a gastritis VA rating on a secondary basis. Some medical conditions that can cause gastritis include:
- Autoimmune disorders such as type 1 diabetes, Crohn’s disease, or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
- Infections
- Traumatic injury or burns
TDIU for gastritis
A veteran can be awarded total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) benefits if they can’t maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected conditions.
The chronic abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting that accompany gastritis can interfere with your ability to show up to work consistently. In severe cases, veterans with service-connected gastritis may require hospitalization, making it even more difficult to maintain a job.
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:
- 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.
“The firm got me to 70%, and I was happy. Individual unemployability was awarded to me and to this day, I’m so grateful. My future is no longer bleak. These people work very hard for you.”
R.C., a Navy veteran in Hawaii
How Woods and Woods can help
Woods and 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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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes, you can receive a VA disability rating for gastritis if you can prove it started during military service, was worsened by service, or is related to a service-connected condition.
The disability rating for gastritis depends on the severity of the condition and its symptoms. Gastritis that requires surgery is rated 100% for three months following the surgery. After that, it’s rated based on residuals. Gastritis that doesn’t require surgery is rated at 60%, 40%, 20%, or 0%.
Neil Woods
VA disability attorney
Woods & Woods
Neil Woods is the firm’s owner and president. He received his law degree from Western Michigan University.
