Yes, any additional disabilities you have will also be rated by the VA and can increase your total disability rating. The VA does not simply add ratings together; instead, they use a Combined Ratings Table to determine how two or more conditions are calculated.
For example, a 50% disability rating combined with another 50% rating will equal a total of 75%, which is then rounded to the nearest ten percent—bringing the total rating to 80%. Another example: a 40% disability rating combined with a 20% rating equals 52%, which is then rounded down to 50%.
The way the math works is that each rating is applied to the veteran’s “able-body” percentage—the portion of the body still considered healthy. If a veteran has a 70% disability rating, that leaves 30% considered able-bodied. If another 10% rating is added, it is applied to that 30%, which equals 3%. That 3% is then added to the original 70%, making 73%. Finally, the VA rounds to the nearest tenth digit, giving a final combined rating of 70%.
