VASRD 7304 · Digestive System
Peptic Ulcer Disease (Gastric, Duodenal, and Marginal Ulcers) VA Disability Rating
Peptic ulcer disease is an open sore in the lining of the stomach or the upper small intestine, causing abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes bleeding. DC 7304 is the schedule's peptic ulcer code — the index routes "Ulcer, peptic" here, and DC 7305 and DC 7306 are listed as removed. What sets the percentage is the pattern rather than the diagnosis: how long each episode of abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting lasts, how many occurred in the past 12 months, whether daily prescribed medication is required, and whether bleeding, anemia, or surgery has been involved.
VA Rating Tiers
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 100% | The first three months after surgery for a perforated or bleeding ulcer |
| 60% | Constant pain with vomiting or bleeding, plus anemia needing hospital care |
| 40% | Three-day flare-ups four or more times a year on daily prescribed medicine |
| 20% | Three-day flare-ups up to three times a year on daily prescribed medicine |
| 0% | Ulcer confirmed by endoscopy or imaging without the symptoms above |
How the VA Evaluates Peptic Ulcer Disease (Gastric, Duodenal, and Marginal Ulcers)
DC 7304 is rated on counted episodes rather than on general severity. The 20 percent level requires "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", and 40 percent is that same picture occurring "four or more times in the past 12 months". The 60 percent level describes something different: "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". A 100 percent evaluation is assigned "post-operative for perforation or hemorrhage, for three months", after which the code's Note directs VA to "rate on residuals as determined by mandatory VA medical examination", applying § 3.105(e) to any change that follows. A "history of peptic ulcer disease documented by endoscopy or diagnostic imaging studies", without those episode findings, is 0 percent. Chronic gastritis (DC 7307) is rated on this same ladder.
Veterans service-connected
~3,700 veterans
Typical rating awarded
~20%
Vetrify editorial estimates informed by VA published claims data (VBA Annual Benefits Report) and the VA rating schedule — not official VA statistics.
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Best Evidence to Gather
- •Endoscopy or diagnostic imaging studies confirming peptic ulcer disease, which is how the schedule's own 0 percent row says the history is documented.
- •Treatment notes that date each episode of abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting and record how many consecutive days it lasted.
- •A pharmacy or prescription record showing daily prescribed medication.
- •Hospital admission records and laboratory results documenting anemia for any episode involving hematemesis or melena.
- •Operative reports for any surgery for perforation or hemorrhage.
Strategy Tips
- •Have each flare-up entered in the record while it is happening, with its start and end dates. The 20 and 40 percent criteria turn on episodes lasting at least three consecutive days and on how many occurred in the past 12 months, and an episode with no note behind it cannot be counted.
- •Keep the prescription history for any daily medication, because "managed by daily prescribed medication" is a required element at both the 20 and 40 percent levels.
- •Gather hospital records and laboratory results together for any bleeding episode — the 60 percent level pairs hematemesis or melena with manifestations of anemia requiring hospitalization at least once in the past 12 months.
- •If a 100 percent evaluation was assigned after surgery for perforation or hemorrhage, it runs for three months and the Note then calls for a mandatory VA examination to rate residuals, so current treatment records belong in the file before that examination.
C&P Exam Pitfalls
- •Episodes managed at home that never generated a note, leaving nothing in the record to count against criteria that are explicitly numeric.
- •No endoscopy or diagnostic imaging in the file, which is what the schedule names as documentation of peptic ulcer disease.
- •Notes that describe symptoms only in general terms, with no duration recorded, so the three-consecutive-day threshold cannot be assessed from the record.
Common Filing Mistakes
- •Filing on a diagnosis alone, without the endoscopy or diagnostic imaging studies the schedule names.
- •Leaving daily prescribed medication out of the evidence when it is a required element of both the 20 and 40 percent evaluations.
- •Working from an older decision that cites DC 7305 or DC 7306. The index lists both as removed and routes "Ulcer, peptic" to DC 7304, so the criteria that apply are the ones printed under 7304.
Onset Patterns
- •The criteria are written around episodes rather than a constant state: they count how long each episode of abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting lasts and how many fell in the past 12 months.
- •An ulcer can be quiet for long periods and then recur, which is the situation the schedule's 0 percent row describes — a documented history confirmed by endoscopy or diagnostic imaging studies, without current episodes.
Secondary Conditions
Conditions commonly linked to Peptic Ulcer Disease (Gastric, Duodenal, and Marginal Ulcers). Service-connecting a secondary condition can increase your combined rating.
Common questions about Peptic Ulcer Disease (Gastric, Duodenal, and Marginal Ulcers)
- Is Peptic Ulcer Disease (Gastric, Duodenal, and Marginal Ulcers) a VA-rated disability?
- Yes. The VA rates Peptic Ulcer Disease (Gastric, Duodenal, and Marginal Ulcers) under VASRD diagnostic code 7304 (Digestive System). Peptic ulcer disease is an open sore in the lining of the stomach or the upper small intestine, causing abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes bleeding. DC 7304 is the schedule'…
- What VA disability rating can I get for Peptic Ulcer Disease (Gastric, Duodenal, and Marginal Ulcers)?
- Possible VA ratings for Peptic Ulcer Disease (Gastric, Duodenal, and Marginal Ulcers) are 100%, 60%, 40%, 20%, 0%. Examples: 100%: The first three months after surgery for a perforated or bleeding ulcer; 60%: Constant pain with vomiting or bleeding, plus anemia needing hospital care; 40%: Three-day flare-ups four or m…
- What's the typical VA rating awarded for Peptic Ulcer Disease (Gastric, Duodenal, and Marginal Ulcers)?
- Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Peptic Ulcer Disease (Gastric, Duodenal, and Marginal Ulcers) at around 20%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 3,700 veterans are service-connected for Peptic Ulcer Disease (Gastric, Duodenal, and Marginal Ulcers).
- What evidence helps prove Peptic Ulcer Disease (Gastric, Duodenal, and Marginal Ulcers) for VA disability?
- Strong evidence for a Peptic Ulcer Disease (Gastric, Duodenal, and Marginal Ulcers) claim includes: Endoscopy or diagnostic imaging studies confirming peptic ulcer disease, which is how the schedule's own 0 percent row says the history is documented.; Treatment notes that date each episode of abdominal pain, nausea, o…
- What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Peptic Ulcer Disease (Gastric, Duodenal, and Marginal Ulcers)?
- Common pitfalls when filing for Peptic Ulcer Disease (Gastric, Duodenal, and Marginal Ulcers): Filing on a diagnosis alone, without the endoscopy or diagnostic imaging studies the schedule names.; Leaving daily prescribed medication out of the evidence when it is a required element of both the 20 and 40 percent evalua…
- What conditions are commonly secondary to Peptic Ulcer Disease (Gastric, Duodenal, and Marginal Ulcers)?
- Conditions often service-connected as secondary to Peptic Ulcer Disease (Gastric, Duodenal, and Marginal Ulcers) include: Anemia, GERD. Filing for secondary conditions can increase a veteran's combined VA rating.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.114 — Schedule of ratings — digestive system (Diagnostic Code 7304)
Rating criteria on this page are an educational summary of the cited regulation — the eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.
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