Ulcerative Colitis VA Ratings Explained!

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Living with ulcerative colitis is tough, especially if you’re a veteran trying to manage flare-ups while navigating the VA disability system.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that can cause pain, fatigue, and life-changing complications. The good news? The VA recognizes ulcerative colitis as a ratable condition.

In this guide, we’ll break down how the VA rates ulcerative colitis, what evidence you need, and how to give your claim the best chance of success.

Summary of Key Points

• The VA rates ulcerative colitis under Diagnostic Code 7323 at 10%, 30%, 60%, or 100%, depending on symptom severity.
• To qualify, you must show a current diagnosis, in-service event/aggravation, and a Nexus connecting your condition to service.
• Ulcerative colitis may also qualify as a secondary condition, such as being linked to PTSD.
• A strong DBQ and medical evidence (including documentation of flare-ups, malnutrition, or weight loss) can significantly improve your chances of a higher rating.

What is Ulcerative Colitis?

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the colon and rectum. In some cases, the condition can also cause life-threatening complications.

Symptoms

Symptoms of ulcerative colitis can include:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Weight loss or loss of appetite
• Rectal pain and bleeding
• Abdominal pain and cramping
• Bloody diarrhea
• Feeling the urge to have a bowel movement, but unable to do so

Most cases of ulcerative colitis are mild to moderate. There may be periods where you have little to no symptoms at all.

However, ulcerative colitis can lead to other complications, including:

• Perforated colon
• Colon cancer
• Dehydration
• Bone loss
• Inflammation or joint pain
• Increased risk of blood clots

It’s crucial to get treated if you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, no matter their severity.

There is no cure, but being seen and treated for ulcerative colitis can help you get back to living a more normal life. Filing a VA claim for ulcerative colitis can allow you access to VA healthcare to manage your symptoms.

Diagnosing Ulcerative Colitis

To diagnose the condition for an ulcerative colitis VA rating, your doctor will start by looking at your entire medical history. You may be referred to a gastroenterologist, a doctor specializing in digestive disorders.

Your doctor will likely ask you questions about your symptoms and when they started. They’ll also want to know if you have any family history of inflammatory bowel disease or other conditions that might be similar to ulcerative colitis.

The definitive way to diagnose ulcerative colitis is by taking a tissue sample from your colon or a biopsy. 

Your doctor may rule out other conditions before performing a biopsy with blood and stool testing. To determine the severity of any inflammation, they may also request an abdominal X-Ray, MRI, or CT scan.

Most biopsies are performed with a colonoscopy (or a flexible sigmoidoscopy). 

What causes ulcerative colitis?

The cause of ulcerative colitis is unknown, but it’s considered an autoimmune disorder. This means that your body’s immune system attacks healthy tissue in your colon by mistake. The condition can also develop through exposure to bacterial infections, viral infections, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Diet and stress don’t cause this condition, but can worsen its symptoms. Keeping a food diary can help you understand what specific foods aggravate your ulcerative colitis.

It’s also believed that there may be a genetic component, as ulcerative colitis tends to run in families. If you have a family member with ulcerative colitis, you’re more likely to develop the condition yourself.

The key here is that the VA will avoid granting service connection for most genetic disorders, so pointing to specific causes or exposure during your time in service will help you prove service connection to win your ulcerative colitis VA claim.

Proving Service Connection

The first step in getting an ulcerative colitis VA rating is proving service connection. Service connection means that your ulcerative colitis is related to your time in service. You’ll need to show that your ulcerative colitis was caused or aggravated by your time in service.

To be granted an ulcerative colitis VA rating, you need three things:

1. A current medical diagnosis of ulcerative colitis
2. An in-service event or injury that caused or aggravated your ulcerative colitis
3. A link (or Nexus) between your military service and your ulcerative colitis (Your conditions must be at least as likely as not caused by your military service)

You can prove a connection with medical records, lay evidence (testimony from friends or family members), or a Nexus letter from a doctor linking your ulcerative colitis to an event or injury during your time in service. 

Looking for a Nexus letter to help establish service connection for your ulcerative colitis? Click HERE to join VA Claims Insider Elite, our premier education-based membership program. The Elite Program also offers you discounted access to our preferred provider network for medical examinations, VA disability evaluations, and Medical Nexus letters for various conditions!

You have the best chance of proving direct service connection if you were diagnosed with ulcerative colitis while serving or within one year of leaving the military. It will also strengthen your claim if you can prove that you had symptoms but went undiagnosed (or were misdiagnosed). Your medical records are the best place to start; make sure you submit all relevant medical evidence with your claim.

If you can’t prove direct service connection, ulcerative colitis is also commonly rated as a secondary service-connected condition. This means that it’s not directly related to your service but is a result of another service-connected condition. One typical example is Ulcerative colitis secondary to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

How the VA Rates Ulcerative Colitis

The VA assigns a VA rating for Ulcerative colitis from 10% to 100% by considering the severity of your symptoms and how they impact your work and daily life.

The VA uses Diagnostic Code 7323 to rate ulcerative colitis. The VA assigns a diagnostic code to every service-connected condition. There are four separate VA disability ratings you could be granted for ulcerative colitis.

100% VA Disability Rating

Your symptoms must be pronounced to be assigned a 100% VA rating for ulcerative colitis. Symptoms could include:

• Malnutrition
• Anemia
• General debility
• Other serious complications (for example, liver abscess)

60% VA Disability Rating

Your symptoms must be severe to be assigned a 60% VA rating for ulcerative colitis. Symptoms could include:

• Multiple attacks each year
• Malnutrition

The VA may assign you a 60% rating if your health is only fair during remission when you aren’t experiencing symptoms.

This is the first rating level with a specific symptom assigned: malnutrition. If you’re experiencing malnutrition (typically shown by weight loss or other testing), this raises you to the 60% rating level.

30% VA Disability Rating

Your symptoms must be moderately severe at the 30% VA rating for ulcerative colitis. You have frequent exacerbations.

10% VA Disability Rating

Your symptoms must be moderate at the 10% VA rating for ulcerative colitis. You have infrequent exacerbations.

Note that the difference between a 10% and 30% VA rating is whether or not your exacerbations (or flare-ups) are frequent. There is no specific VA guidance on the difference in what defines frequent or infrequent. However, based on previous VA claims, the VA generally considers your symptoms frequent if you have flare-ups at least once a month or more. 

Intestinal Conditions Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) for Ulcerative Colitis

The Intestinal Conditions DBQ is a form used by the VA to gather all of your evidence in one place and make a rating decision. 

Since the VA will make a decision on your claim largely based on the information in this form, being accurate and understanding the rating criteria will help you maximize your chances of earning a higher VA rating for ulcerative colitis. 

The questions in the DBQ focus on the following:

• Your medical history
• Current medications taken for your ulcerative colitis
• If you’ve had surgical treatment
• Your symptoms
• How often you have episodes, attacks, or exacerbations of bowel disturbance each year
• How much weight you’ve lost
• If you’re experiencing malnutrition
• If you have tumors and any treatment for those tumors
• Diagnostic test results
• How your ulcerative colitis impacts your ability to work

Getting help from a doctor or someone experienced with filling out DBQs when applying for benefits is essential, as they can be complicated. During your Compensation & Pension (C&P) exam, the doctor can also fill out this form.

Conclusion

If you’re struggling with ulcerative colitis, you don’t have to face the VA disability process alone. By understanding how the VA rates this condition and submitting the right medical evidence, you can improve your chances of getting the benefits you deserve.

Whether your ulcerative colitis began in service, worsened after discharge, or developed as a secondary condition, don’t leave benefits on the table. VA disability compensation can give you access to the care and financial support you need to focus on your health and quality of life.

NEED MORE ASSISTANCE?

Most veterans are underrated for their disabilities and therefore not getting the compensation they’re due. At VA Claims Insider, we help you understand and take control of the claims process, so you can get the rating and compensation you’re owed by law. Our process takes the guesswork out of filing a VA disability claim and supports you every step of the way in building a fully-developed claim (FDC)!

If you’ve filed your VA disability claim and have been denied or have received a low rating—or you’re unsure how to get started—reach out to us! Take advantage of a VA Claim Discovery Call. Learn what you’ve been missing—so you can FINALLY get the disability rating and compensation YOU DESERVE!

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