VASRD 7802 · Skin
Scars Without Underlying Soft Tissue Damage (Not of the Head, Face, or Neck) VA Disability Rating
DC 7802 covers burn scars, and scars from any other cause, that are not on the head, face, or neck and that are not associated with underlying soft tissue damage. It is the counterpart to DC 7801, and the difference between the two codes is that association — not the burn origin, and not how superficial the scar looks. This code offers one evaluation only: 10 percent, and only where the scar or scars cover an area of 144 square inches (929 sq. cm.) or greater.
VA Rating Tiers
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 10% | Total affected area of 144 square inches (929 sq. cm.) or more. This is the only evaluation DC 7802 provides. |
How the VA Evaluates Scars Without Underlying Soft Tissue Damage (Not of the Head, Face, or Neck)
DC 7802 has a single criteria row: 10 percent for an "area or areas of 144 square inches (929 sq. cm.) or greater." There is no higher tier and no smaller compensable area, so everything turns on measured area. Note (1) defines six zones of the body — each extremity, the anterior trunk, and the posterior trunk, with the midaxillary line dividing anterior from posterior — and Note (2) permits a separate evaluation for each affected zone, combined under § 4.25, or alternatively a single evaluation adding the areas from multiple zones where that yields the higher result. Two other codes can reach the same scars: DC 7804 evaluates scars that are unstable or painful by count, and its Note (3) allows that evaluation in addition to one under this code, while DC 7805 directs any disabling effect not considered under DCs 7800-7804 to an appropriate diagnostic code.
Veterans service-connected
1,323,340 veterans
Veterans service-connected count from the VBA Annual Benefits Report (FY2025), as of September 30, 2025. Approval outlook and typical rating are Vetrify editorial estimates — not official VA statistics.
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Best Evidence to Gather
- •A measured area for each scar, in square inches or square centimeters, from the exam or a dermatology note.
- •A statement in the record that the scar is not associated with underlying soft tissue damage, which is the finding that assigns it to DC 7802 rather than DC 7801.
- •Photographs showing each scar and where it sits on the body, so the affected zones under Note (1) can be identified.
- •Treatment records from the original burn or wound.
Strategy Tips
- •Have the total area measured rather than estimated. 144 square inches (929 sq. cm.) is the only threshold this code states, and an area below it does not meet it no matter how the scar looks.
- •Record which zone each scar falls in. Under Note (2) the choice between separate evaluations per zone combined under § 4.25 and one evaluation adding areas across zones can change the outcome, and the per-zone option is unavailable without zone-by-zone measurements.
- •If a scar here is painful, or unstable — Note (1) to DC 7804 defines an unstable scar as one where, for any reason, there is frequent loss of covering of skin over the scar — DC 7804 carries its own evaluation, and its Note (3) allows it alongside this code's.
- •Where the scar is on the head, face, or neck, this is the wrong code. DC 7800 covers those, and its tiers turn on characteristics of disfigurement — and, at the higher levels, on visible or palpable tissue loss with gross distortion or asymmetry of features — rather than on area.
C&P Exam Pitfalls
- •An exam that describes the scars without measuring them. The single criterion here is an area of 144 square inches (929 sq. cm.) or greater, and it cannot be applied to a description.
- •Scars measured as one body-wide total with no zone breakdown. That total still answers Note (2)'s alternative of adding the areas from multiple zones, but the separate-evaluation-per-zone option, combined under § 4.25, cannot be reached without knowing which zones are affected.
- •An exam that stops at appearance and never records whether any scar is unstable or painful, which is what DC 7804 evaluates separately by count.
Common Filing Mistakes
- •Treating this as the burn-scar code. Its title covers scars "due to other causes" as well, and the burn origin is not what the criterion measures.
- •Claiming disfigurement under this code. Disfigurement of the head, face, or neck is DC 7800's subject; DC 7802 applies only to scars that are not on the head, face, or neck, and its criterion is area.
- •Leaving unstable or painful scars out of the claim, since DC 7804 counts those and its Note (3) allows an evaluation there in addition to this one.
Onset Patterns
- •This code's title reaches burn scars and scars due to other causes alike, so the scar dates from the burn, wound, or incision that caused it. What places it here rather than under DC 7801 is that the healed scar is not associated with damage to the soft tissue beneath it.
Secondary Conditions
Conditions commonly linked to Scars Without Underlying Soft Tissue Damage (Not of the Head, Face, or Neck). Service-connecting a secondary condition can increase your combined rating.
Contractures
Nerve pain
Psychological distress
Common Among These Military Jobs
Military occupational specialties (MOS) where Scars Without Underlying Soft Tissue Damage (Not of the Head, Face, or Neck) is frequently claimed.
Common questions about Scars Without Underlying Soft Tissue Damage (Not of the Head, Face, or Neck)
- Is Scars Without Underlying Soft Tissue Damage (Not of the Head, Face, or Neck) a VA-rated disability?
- Yes. The VA rates Scars Without Underlying Soft Tissue Damage (Not of the Head, Face, or Neck) under VASRD diagnostic code 7802 (Skin). DC 7802 covers burn scars, and scars from any other cause, that are not on the head, face, or neck and that are not associated with underlying soft tissue damage. It is the counterpar…
- What VA disability rating can I get for Scars Without Underlying Soft Tissue Damage (Not of the Head, Face, or Neck)?
- Possible VA ratings for Scars Without Underlying Soft Tissue Damage (Not of the Head, Face, or Neck) are 10%. Examples: 10%: Total affected area of 144 square inches (929 sq. cm.) or more. This is the only evaluation DC 7802 provides..
- What evidence helps prove Scars Without Underlying Soft Tissue Damage (Not of the Head, Face, or Neck) for VA disability?
- Strong evidence for a Scars Without Underlying Soft Tissue Damage (Not of the Head, Face, or Neck) claim includes: A measured area for each scar, in square inches or square centimeters, from the exam or a dermatology note.; A statement in the record that the scar is not associated with underlying soft tissue damage, w…
- What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Scars Without Underlying Soft Tissue Damage (Not of the Head, Face, or Neck)?
- Common pitfalls when filing for Scars Without Underlying Soft Tissue Damage (Not of the Head, Face, or Neck): Treating this as the burn-scar code. Its title covers scars "due to other causes" as well, and the burn origin is not what the criterion measures.; Claiming disfigurement under this code. Disfigurement of the…
- What conditions are commonly secondary to Scars Without Underlying Soft Tissue Damage (Not of the Head, Face, or Neck)?
- Conditions often service-connected as secondary to Scars Without Underlying Soft Tissue Damage (Not of the Head, Face, or Neck) include: Contractures, Nerve pain, Psychological distress. Filing for secondary conditions can increase a veteran's combined VA rating.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.118 — Schedule of ratings — skin conditions (Diagnostic Code 7802)
- VBA Annual Benefits Report (FY2025) — veterans service-connected count, as of September 30, 2025
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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