How Veterans Injured with Burns Get Ratings for Secondary Conditions

If you have burn injuries from active duty and you are a veteran looking for disability compensation, take a look at these options you have.

For many veterans with scars from burn injuries, the idea of getting veteran’s disability payments sounds obvious. The problem that many veterans face, however, is getting the most they are eligible to get in light of the level of the scar damage they suffer. There can be other secondary service-connections that develop from the scarring that veterans don’t even know they can claim.

We help veterans get the VA rating they deserve for their burn injuries and secondary conditions from the scars.

Factors that Impact Burn Healing

Initial burn treatment impacts long-term survival and recovery. Yet, with burns, veterans often have lifelong effects.

Healing may take longer if you have an autoimmune disorder. Having a history of keloid scarring, collagen, or healing problems affect wound healing. It may even lead to an unstable burn scar.

Deep burns take a long time to heal. Prolonged swelling and more strain on the body’s recovery mechanisms increase scarring. 

During the body’s recovery phase, the tissue in the wound can tighten or contract. The outside skin may heal together before the underlying tissue. Contracted and unstable deep tissue can cause ongoing problems.

Special Considerations Related to Burn Location

The specific body parts injured impact the calculation of the burn severity. This often determines their initial treatment. It also affects a veteran’s recovery.

Eye injuries

Burns to the eye may result from chemical exposure, thermal, or blast injuries. Many facial burns include injury to the eyes and/or eyelids.

Chemical burns may cause corneal damage, dry eye syndrome, or glaucoma. This can also cause blindness or loss of the eye.

Thermal and blast injuries result in fewer direct injuries to the eyeball. This is due to protective reflexes.

Examples include the blink reflex and reflexive shielding of the head and arms. Bell’s reflex causes the eyes to roll up and out when both eyelids close forcibly.

Burns to the eyelids can cause loss of eyelid tissue. Eyelid scarring can also develop. This means the cornea is no longer protected.

Prolonged exposure of the cornea to the environment causes keratitis of the cornea. This represents the biggest threat to the survival of the cornea and sight.

How Is Glaucoma Diagnosed? What to Know About Glaucoma VA Benefits

Face and Neck

The skin on the forehead overlies bone and doesn’t have much flexibility. These burns often shrink and can expose the skull.

The rest of the face has more fat, muscle, and elasticity. This means that burned areas can easily contract and cause problems for the eyelids and lips.

These contractures may impair the full opening and closing of the eyelids. Shrinking of the lips and surrounding tissue cause problems with eating.

The nose also has very little underlying tissue. Thus, burns can cause shrinking of the nostrils making it hard to breathe through the nose.

The ears have a thin layer of skin over the cartilage. Severe burns often cause tissue death leading to ear deformities.

Burns to the neck may result in scarring and contractures. This can interfere with moving the head in different directions.

Hands

Any injury to the hands is a high priority. Severe burns can lead to scarring, weakness, and contractures. The result may be an inability to use the hand.

Joints

Burns near or across a joint can lead to shrinking. Contractures across joints make it hard to move the joint. This can result in reduced or lost function.

Long Term Effects of Burn Injuries

Individuals who experience severe burns often have profound stress responses. This can last for months to years. Burn victims often have more hospital admissions due to musculoskeletal problems.

The following describes several long-term consequences of burn injuries.

Amputations

In some cases, the burn injury is too medically complex to restore blood circulation. The only option may be to amputate one or more limbs to save the person’s life.

Frequent Infections

Burns cause damage to the skin which is our body’s protective infection barrier. The immune system is also compromised after a burn making it harder to fight disease. This increases the risk of infections in the lungs and bloodstream (sepsis).

Tiny fissures often occur in the burn scar allowing bacteria and viruses to enter the body. Local infections cause swelling which results in more scarring.

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Chronic Skin Conditions

When the skin is burned, the body suffers an injury to the sweat glands and blood vessels as well. This makes it hard for the blood vessels near the scar tissue to contract and expand normally. This can interfere with the blood supply to the skin.

The sweat gland’s ability to send moisture to the skin changes. This may cause itching or unusual sweating.

Burned skin often looks red and swollen at first. After one to one and a half years, the skin finishes healing. Scars often fade to a near-normal color, but may still look different.

Heart and Lung Damage

Smoke inhalation can cause heart or lung damage. The person may develop heart failure, angina (chest pain), or a heart attack. Lung problems include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, or emphysema.

Can You Get VA Disability for COPD or Chronic Bronchitis?

What About Injuries Related to Burn Pits?

Burn pit exposure is a big topic in the media and legislature. Yet, there’s no presumptive condition for burn pit injuries just yet. While the VA may pay some benefit claims, it’s very difficult without concrete evidence.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, burn pits exposed thousands of soldiers to dangerous chemicals. If you need help filing a claim related to burn pit exposure, call us.

Burn Pit Presumptive Conditions List

How to File a Veteran Affairs Disability Claim

There are several steps to filing a VA disability claim. VA disability lawyers can help you file an accurate and complete application. The following describes the application process.

Are You Eligible for VA Disability Compensation?

Do you have a current illness or injury affecting your body or mind? This condition must meet the following requirements.

Both of the following must be true:

• You served on active duty for training, active duty, or inactive duty training
• You received a service-connected disability rating

At least one of the following must be true:

• Your condition resulted from military service and you can show a connection
• A pre-military service illness or injury got worse due to your service
• Your condition started after your service ended but it’s service-connected

Veterans who can’t hold down a steady job that supports them financially (known as substantially gainful employment) because of their service-connected disabilities are 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

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Presumed Disabilities

Presumed disabilities have a relationship to when and where you served. For example, if you “had boots on the ground” during the Vietnam War, it’s assumed you had Agent Orange exposure. This also covers conditions resulting from being a prisoner of war.

VA disabilities cover qualified veterans and qualified dependents.

Gather Supporting Documents

Before you begin completing the applications, gather all your evidence. This includes the following:

• DD214 or other separation documents
• Medical reports describing your condition and providing evidence of a service connection
• Medical documentation showing that your condition has worsened
• Eye-witness reports of your injury and current problems and if they’ve gotten worse

Once you start your application, you only have 365 days to complete it. When you call us, we work with you to get all of the right materials in order and on time.

Getting the Right Forms for Your VA Disability Application

Submit the Application

Always make sure to complete every part of the form. Leaving areas blank can delay the decision or even result in a claim rejection. If you wish to file your claim online, you’ll need to answer a few questions first.

You can also file your claim by mail or complete the form and take it to your local VA office.

You don’t have to use a Veteran’s compensation lawyer that is nearby. We can work with you over the phone and apply or appeal electronically.

How the VA Calculates Your Disability Rating

The VA disability rating describes how disabled you are. A percentage system ranging from 0% to 100% quantifies your disability. It’s divided into 10% increments, such as 10%, 20%, 30%, and so on.

If you have more than one disability, the VA calculates a combined rating. They do not just add your disability percentages together. Click on this VA disability calculator to estimate your disability rating.

Here is a video explaining how the VA combined ratings table works from one of our Veterans Disability Lawyers.

VA Disability Rating System for a Burn Injury

There are two different disability rating systems used for burn scars. One measures your specific medical condition and the other looks at your disfigurement. Different ratings are also used for certain injuries.

38 CFR § 4.118 Code 7800 Rating Addressing Scar Disability

This rating looks at the condition of your scarring. You receive an 80% rating for major tissue loss and distortions to these areas:

• Cheeks
• Chin
• Ears
• Eyes and eyelids
• Head
• Forehead
• Mouth
• Nose
• Neck

You’ll receive a 50% rating for major tissue loss or distortion in two of the areas listed. If your tissue loss and distortion are in one of these areas, your rating will be 30%.

38 CFR § 4.118 Code 7801 Scar Rating

This addresses deep scars based on soft tissue involvement. This system focuses on specific features of your disfigurement. The characteristics include the following:

• Length and width of the scar
• Does the scar rise and fall when touched?
• Is the skin hard and unmovable?
• Is the soft tissue missing or attached?
• Is the texture of the skin irregular?
• Is the color of the skin irregular?

If you have at least six of these characteristics, you’ll receive an 80% rating. Your rating will be 30% if you meet four to five of the characteristics. If you meet one characteristic, your rating will be 10%.

38 CFR § 4.118 Code 7802

This rates superficial scars that only affect the skin and not the soft tissue. This doesn’t cover burns of the head, face, or neck.  If the burn measure over 144 square inches, it’s rated as 10%.

38 CFR § 4.118 Code 7804

This code refers to unstable and painful scars. A scar is considered unstable if it keeps re-opening.

Five or more of these scars receives a 30% rating. Three to four gets a 20% rating and one or two receives a 10% rating.

38 CFR § 4.118 Code 7805

This code covers all other scars. This gives the VA leeway to rate complicated scars that don’t fit under other codes. This may be used for keloid scars, acne scars, and other skin conditions.

38 CFR § 4.124a Rating

The codes in this section address neurological and peripheral nerve damage. The rating is based on the severity of the impairment.

Do You Qualify for a Housing Allowance?

If you have a service-connected disability, you may be eligible for an adaptive housing grant. This assists you in modifying or building structures in your home to meet your needs. The goal is to create a barrier-free home for disabled veterans and service members.

The highest grant amount is $90,364. Yet, adjustments may occur on an annual basis. Check the VA benefits website to find the current figures.

To qualify, the veteran must have one of the following service-connected disabilities:

• Blindness in both eye and a leg amputation or loss of the use of one leg
• Inability to use both legs
• Loss of ability to use one leg and have effects from an organic disease or injury
• Need braces, canes, crutches, or a wheelchair to move around
• Inability to use one arm which makes it hard to balance and requires help with mobility
• Inability to use both arms at or above the level of the elbows
• Severe burn injury

If any of these situations apply to you, contact your VA representative.

How to Get Approved for Specially Adapted Housing

Can You Appeal a Veteran Affairs Decision?

If you don’t agree with a VA decision, you can appeal or file a Motion of Reconsideration. Before you start the appeal process, speak with a VA disability lawyer. We have experience in VA appeal cases and know what the reviewers look for.

When making an appeal you have three review options. If you disagree with the first reviewer’s decision, you can progress up the chain.

Begin by Filing a Supplemental Claim. You must have new and relevant information that wasn’t previously reviewed.

The next option is to appeal to a more senior reviewer. You aren’t allowed to submit new evidence when appealing to a Higher-Level Review.

If you still aren’t satisfied, you have the right to appeal to a Veterans Law Judge. They are part of the Board of Veterans’ Appeals.

Here, one of our VA disability lawyers talks about what we do when we appeal your case to the Veteran’s Administration.

Do You Need Help with a VA Disability Claim?

If you’re suffering from a service-connected illness or injury, you may qualify for benefits. Woods and Woods, The Veteran’s Firm, has a whole team of Veteran Affairs disability lawyers. We help veterans file disability claims and get higher VA disability ratings.

Veterans can get help in filing appeals for denied claims or low ratings. Our teams are here to help surviving spouses of deceased servicemembers as well. Click here to complete our contact form or call us for a free consultation.