Qualifying for a Shingles VA Disability Rating  

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Can you get a shingles VA disability rating? Yes!  

If you’ve ever had chicken pox, you’re at risk of developing shingles at some point in your lifetime. The uncomfortable condition is mainly seen in people aged 50 and older, but it can affect anyone infected by the virus.  

In this post, I’m covering everything you need to know to get a shingles VA disability rating to bring you closer to the VA compensation and benefits you deserve.  

Let’s jump to it.  

Summary of Key Points

What Causes Shingles?

Shingles, or herpes zoster, is a painful skin rash caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. If you’ve had chicken pox, the virus stays inactive in your cells and can become active again later in life, leading to shingles.  

You are at greater risk of developing shingles if you: 

• Are age 50 or older 

• Have an illness that weakens your immune system 

• Have cancer, particularly lymphoma or Hodgkin disease 

• Take medications that weaken your immune system 

• Are 19 years or older and have or will have a weakened immune system due to therapy or disease that could lead to immunosuppression  

Note: If you’ve never had chicken pox, you can get the virus from someone with shingles, but you would develop chicken pox, not shingles.  

Shingles VA Disability Ratings

The VA has no specific diagnostic code (DC) for shingles, and instead, the VA rates it using a similar DC.  

For example, shingles is frequently rated under the General Rating Formula of the Skin, with ratings of 0%, 10%, 30%, or 60%.  

Your VA disability rating for shingles will depend on how much of your body is affected by shingles and how frequently you require treatment.  

See Related: VA Disability for Skin Conditions [Ultimate Guide] 

Shingles VA Rating Chart

General Rating Formula of the Skin	VA Rating
Characteristic lesions involving more than 40 percent of the entire body or more than 40 percent of exposed areas affected; or Constant or near-constant systemic therapy including, but not limited to, corticosteroids, phototherapy, retinoids, biologics, photochemotherapy, psoralen with long-wave ultraviolet-A light (PUVA), or other immunosuppressive drugs required over the past 12-month period	60%
Characteristic lesions involving 20 to 40 percent of the entire body or 20 to 40 percent of exposed areas affected; or Systemic therapy including, but not limited to, corticosteroids, phototherapy, retinoids, biologics, photochemotherapy, PUVA, or other immunosuppressive drugs required for a total duration of 6 weeks or more, but not constantly, over the past 12-month period	30%
Characteristic lesions involving at least 5 percent, but less than 20 percent, of the entire body affected; or At least 5 percent, but less than 20 percent, of exposed areas affected; or Intermittent systemic therapy including, but not limited to, corticosteroids, phototherapy, retinoids, biologics, photochemotherapy, PUVA, or other immunosuppressive drugs required for a total duration of less than 6 weeks over the past 12-month period	10%
No more than topical therapy required over the past 12-month period and at least one of the following: Characteristic lesions involving less than 5 percent of the entire body affected; or Characteristic lesions involving less than 5 percent of exposed areas affected Or rate as disfigurement of the head, face, or neck (DC 7800) or scars (DCs 7801, 7802, 7804, or 7805), depending upon the predominant disability. This rating instruction does not apply to DC 7824	0%

Proving Service-Connection

While the causes of shingles can be hard to determine, you still must prove service connection.  

To prove your service-connected disability, you must provide: 

1. A current medical diagnosis of shingles  

2. An in-service event, injury, or illness that caused or aggravated your disability 

3. A medical link (nexus) between your shingles and the incident  

Remember, you must have a current medical diagnosis of shingles before filing a VA claim for disability.  

SEE MORE: 3 Things the VA Needs to Prove Your Service-Connected Disability  

Filing a VA Claim for Shingles

Once you have your medical diagnosis of shingles, you’re on your way to filing a VA disability claim.  

Here’s a look at the ways to file a VA claim for shingles: 

1. Online   

2. Mail to:  

Department of Veterans Affairs  
Claims Intake Center  
PO Box 4444  
Janesville, WI 53547-4444  

3. Fax:   

If you’re in the U.S., fax your application to 844-531-7818.  

If you’re outside the U.S., fax your application to 248-524-4260. 

4. In person at your closest VA regional office   

Generally, the fastest method to file a VA claim is online, but it’s always nice to have extra options! You can also check the status of your VA claim online.  

VA Secondary Conditions to Shingles

Generally, shingles goes away without any lasting symptoms; however, it can lead to secondary conditions in some cases. It’s important to treat shingles immediately to avoid potential complications. 

Examples of secondary conditions to shingles include: 

• Pneumonia (if the virus spreads to your lungs) 

• Inflammation of the brain (if the virus spreads to your central nervous system) 

• Postherpetic neuralgia  

• Bacterial infection  

• Eye problems  

In addition, research shows there is a link between skin conditions and negative emotions, including depression and anxiety.  

You can check out our guide, What are VA Secondary Conditions? for more information.

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