VA evaluates DC 7804 by the total number of unstable or painful scars and adds 10 percent when one or more of those scars are both unstable and painful.
Plain-language summaries explain the text; they do not decide whether any level applies.
Five or more scars that are unstable or painful, with 10 percent added because one or more scars are both unstable and painfulPlain-language summary
The 30% five-or-more-scar level plus the required 10% addition produces 40%.
Five or more scars that are unstable or painful; or three or four such scars with 10 percent added because one or more scars are both unstable and painfulPlain-language summary
This result can come from the base five-or-more-scar level or from the three-to-four-scar level plus the required addition.
Three or four scars that are unstable or painful; or one or two such scars with 10 percent added because one or more scars are both unstable and painfulPlain-language summary
This result can come from the base three-to-four-scar level or from the one-to-two-scar level plus the required addition.
One or two scars that are unstable or painfulPlain-language summary
The base level applies to one or two unstable or painful scars.
38 CFR § 4.118, DC 7804 · Effective Oct 23, 2008 · Reviewed Jul 24, 2026
These are explicit reviewed mappings, not automatic keyword matches.
VA publishes a public Scars and Disfigurement DBQ.