YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Interstitial Nephritis VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Interstitial Nephritis under diagnostic code 7537, in 38 CFR § 4.115b (genitourinary system), and the schedule provides five evaluation levels for it: 100%, 80%, 60%, 30% and 0%.
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A CLEARER PATH FORWARD
Make sense of your next step.
01Understand the rating02Know what to gather03Plan your preparationTHE ESSENTIALS
How the VA rates Interstitial Nephritis
Kidney inflammation that affects filtering ability, often caused by medications or infections.
DC 7537's entry reads "Rate as renal dysfunction", so the § 4.115a table supplies the percentages, and that table is graded by glomerular filtration rate — not by how often infections occur or by what activity a person can still perform. Each band must hold for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months: 30 percent for GFR from 45 to 59 mL/min/1.73 m2, 60 percent for 30 to 44, 80 percent for 15 to 29, and 100 percent for GFR less than 15, or requiring regular routine dialysis, or being an eligible kidney transplant recipient. The 0 percent row is GFR from 60 to 89 for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months together with recurrent red blood cell (RBC) casts, white blood cell (WBC) casts, or granular casts; or structural kidney abnormalities (cystic, obstructive, or glomerular); or an albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) of 30 mg/g or greater. The table's note accepts GFR, estimated GFR (eGFR), and creatinine-based approximations of GFR when determined to be appropriate and calculated by a medical professional. The code's title also reaches gouty nephropathy and disorders of calcium metabolism, which are rated on this same table.
- Diagnostic code
- 7537
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.115b
- Schedule levels
- 100%, 80%, 60%, 30% and 0%
How does the VA choose a rating level?
Which level applies is set by the criteria the evidence meets, not by the diagnosis. Where there is a question as to which of two evaluations applies, 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher one if the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating.
EXPLORE THE PERCENTAGES
Interstitial Nephritis VA rating criteria (DC 7537)
Choose a percentage to see what that level means. Open the full comparison to read all the criteria in one place.
These are published rating criteria. Selecting a level does not predict your VA decision.
IN THE REGULATION’S OWN WORDS
What 38 CFR also says about Interstitial Nephritis
The notes 38 CFR Part 4 prints with these criteria, quoted. They govern how the evaluation is made without being a rating level themselves.
- “Note: GFR, estimated GFR (eGFR), and creatinine-based approximations of GFR will be accepted for evaluation purposes under this section when determined to be appropriate and calculated by a medical professional.”Renal dysfunction
BUILD YOUR EVIDENCE, ONE PIECE AT A TIME
Evidence for your Interstitial Nephritis claim
A long list feels easier when you have a place to start. Use this checklist to see what you have and what still needs gathering.
Check off what you’ve gathered. Progress stays on this page until you leave or refresh.
THE EXAM FORM
Which DBQ is used for Interstitial Nephritis?
VA's page says: “You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers.”
Source: VA: Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs), read September 18, 2026.
SMALL DETAILS. BETTER PREPARATION.
Preparing your Interstitial Nephritis claim
Start with the practical tips, then explore the common oversights. You don’t need to work through everything at once.
Practical tips for your claim2 tips
- 01
Tie your symptoms to a specific medication history, since this code is often connected to a reaction to antibiotics, NSAIDs, or other drugs, and establishing that link supports the diagnosis.
- 02
Show repeat abnormal kidney lab results over time, since a documented trend is more persuasive than a single test.
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind2 tips
- 01
Temporary kidney symptoms being misinterpreted as this chronic condition.
- 02
No clear link established to medications or toxins that could explain the inflammation.
Common filing mistakes2 tips
- 01
No documentation of the condition's chronic status.
- 02
Incomplete kidney lab work to confirm the diagnosis and its severity.
When symptoms may first appear1 tips
- 01
Interstitial nephritis often develops as a reaction to antibiotics, NSAIDs, or in connection with chronic infections.
THE BROADER PICTURE
Interstitial Nephritis by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- Low to Moderate
- Veterans service-connected
- ~950 veterans
- Typical rating awarded
- ~30%
Vetrify editorial estimates informed by VA published claims data (VBA Annual Benefits Report) and the VA rating schedule, not official VA statistics.
LET’S CLEAR A FEW THINGS UP
Common questions about Interstitial Nephritis
Is Interstitial Nephritis a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Interstitial Nephritis under VASRD diagnostic code 7537 (Genitourinary System). Kidney inflammation that affects filtering ability, often caused by medications or infections.
What VA disability rating can I get for Interstitial Nephritis?
Possible VA ratings for Interstitial Nephritis are 100%, 80%, 60%, 30%, 0%. Examples: 100%: Chronic kidney disease with glomerular filtration rate (GFR) less than 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months; or requiring regular routine dialysis; or eligible kidney transplant recipient; 80%: Chronic kidney disease with GFR from 15 to 29 mL/min/1.73 m2 for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months; 60%: Chronic kidney disease with GFR from 30 to 44 mL/min/1.73 m2 for at least 3 consecutive months during the past 12 months.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Interstitial Nephritis?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Interstitial Nephritis at around 30%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 950 veterans are service-connected for Interstitial Nephritis. Estimated approval outlook: Low to Moderate.
What evidence helps prove Interstitial Nephritis for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Interstitial Nephritis claim includes: Serial GFR or eGFR results with dates covering at least 3 consecutive months within the past 12 months, which is the duration every band requires; An albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR) result, named at the 0 percent level of the renal dysfunction table; Urinalysis reporting red blood cell, white blood cell or granular casts, and imaging showing any structural kidney abnormality — cystic, obstructive, or glomerular; Nephrology records documenting the interstitial nephritis diagnosis and its course.
Which DBQ is used for Interstitial Nephritis?
VA's Kidney Conditions Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) is on its public list of DBQs. VA's page says: "You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers."
What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Interstitial Nephritis?
Common pitfalls when filing for Interstitial Nephritis: No documentation of the condition's chronic status; Incomplete kidney lab work to confirm the diagnosis and its severity.
What conditions can be secondary to Interstitial Nephritis?
Conditions that can be service-connected as secondary to Interstitial Nephritis, when a medical opinion links them, include: Hypertension. A secondary condition gets its own rating, which VA combines with the veteran's other ratings under 38 CFR 4.25.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.115b, Schedule of ratings, genitourinary system (Diagnostic Code 7537)
- 38 CFR § 4.7, higher of two evaluations
Criteria in quotation marks are the regulation’s own words; everything else on this page is Vetrify’s summary of it. The eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.
How these figures are checked: our methodology and the open dataset.
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