Skin conditions might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of receiving VA disability benefits. However, various VA disability ratings are available for veterans who experience fungal infections — from athlete’s foot to ringworm — resulting from their military service.
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If you experience a fungal infection resulting from your military service, you may be eligible for VA disability benefits. Read this post to learn more about the tinea pedis or athlete’s foot VA rating and ratings for other common infections veterans experience.
In this article about VA ratings for fungal infections of the skin:
Types of fungal infections of the skin
Fungal infections aren’t unique to veterans, nor is there any proof that veterans are more prone to them than the general population. Anyone can get a fungal infection in the wrong conditions.
Open wounds, taking antibiotics, exposure to fungi, or a compromised immune system can all cause fungal skin infections. They can spread through contact, but also wearing tight or damp clothing can cause them to multiply. Many fungal infections thrive in warm, humid, close-quartered conditions that some veterans are exposed to during their service.
So, for example, athlete’s foot, which may show in your medical records as tinea pedis, could easily develop or worsen during training or combat when you wear sweaty socks and boots nearly all day, every day. Showing evidence of these conditions while you were enlisted can help you prove a service connection.
Fungal infections usually are easy to see. Your skin gets chapped, sore, itchy, or discolored. You may even have what looks like extremely dry skin flaking in the infected areas.
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Types of fungal infections of the skin include:
- Tinea pedis. Also known as athlete’s foot, tinea pedis is when fungus grows on your feet. It’s most commonly worse between the toes. It looks like extreme dryness and causes itching, pain, and burning.
- Tinea versicolor. Tinea versicolor is caused by the overdevelopment of yeast that’s already on your skin. It causes you to develop white, pink, yellow, or brown spots on your skin. It’s most commonly found on a person’s back, shoulders, or chest. It gets worse in heat and with sun exposure and may itch.
- Tinea unguium. Nail fungus, or tinea unguium, is most often found on your toenails, but it can affect fingernails too. It usually happens when there is a cut that allows the mold to get between your toenail and the nail bed. It causes the nail to yellow or thicken, but it doesn’t typically cause pain.
- Tinea corporis. Ringworm (tinea corporis) is a fungus that causes an itchy, round lesion anywhere on your skin. It’s extremely contagious and can spread to other places on your body and to others.
- Tinea cruris. Jock itch (tinea cruris) causes an itchy, red rash on your thighs, groin, or rectum. It’s typically caused by moisture, allowing fungi to infect and grow on the dead layers of skin, but it can spread from person to person when in close contact.
VA ratings for fungal infections of the skin
The VA rates skin conditions using diagnostic code 7813 in the Schedule of Ratings using the General Rating Formula for the Skin.
The General Rating Formula for the Skin gives a rating of 60%, 30%, 10%, or 0%.
The VA defines systemic therapy as treatment administered through any route (orally, injection, suppository, intranasally) other than the skin, while topical therapy is defined as treatment administered through the skin.
| Description | VA Rating | Monthly payment (vet only) |
|---|---|---|
| Characteristic lesions involving more than 40 percent of the entire body or more than 40 percent of exposed areas affected; or Constant or near-constant systemic therapy required over the past 12-month period | 60% | $1,3161.88 |
| Characteristic lesions involving 20 to 40 percent of the entire body or 20 to 40 percent of exposed areas affected; or Systemic therapy required for a total duration of 6 weeks or more, but not constantly, over the past 12-month period | 30% | $524.31 |
| Characteristic lesions involving at least 5 percent, but less than 20 percent, of the entire body affected; or At least 5 percent, but less than 20 percent, of exposed areas affected; or Intermittent systemic therapy required for a total duration of less than 6 weeks over the past 12-month period | 10% | $171.23 |
| No more than topical therapy required over the past 12-month period and at least one of the following: Characteristic lesions involving less than 5 percent of the entire body affected; or Characteristic lesions involving less than 5 percent of exposed areas affected or rate as disfigurement of the head, face, or neck (DC 7800) or scars (DCs 7801, 7802, 7804, or 7805), depending upon the predominant disability. | 0% | None |
Bilateral tinea pedis VA rating
Many veterans experience a fungal infection or both hands or both feet, and may be wondering whether they can get a bilateral tinea pedis VA rating.
As noted in the rating criteria above, tinea pedis is rated primarily based on the need for treatment and the surface area of the skin/body covered by the condition. This means athlete’s foot affecting both feet would likely warrant a higher rating than the condition on just one foot. Veterans will still only receive one rating for the condition whether it affects one or both feet. Additionally, the bilateral factor would not be applied in this case.
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A.M., a veteran’s widow in Pennsylvania
Can you get TDIU for fungal infections of the skin?
In some cases, a veteran can be awarded total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) if they can’t maintain substantially gainful employment due to their service-connected condition. TDIU for fungal skin infections is unlikely, but it’s not impossible if you have another condition that qualifies for VA benefits. On average, veterans receiving VA disability are service connected for six or more conditions each. That’s why you want to have an accredited VA lawyer help you with your service records.
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
Veterans who receive TDIU are compensated at the 100% disability rating level even though their condition is rated below 100%.
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 knows 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, the VA does rate skin conditions, including fungal infections like athlete’s foot and jock itch. Fungal conditions are typically rated based on the severity of symptoms and how large the affected area is.
The highest rating for fungal infections under the General Rating Formula for the Skin is 60% which is $1,3161.88 per month.
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.
