What a 0% Combined Rating Means
A 0% combined rating means the VA is not paying monthly compensation. Either no condition has been service-connected yet, or the conditions that are service-connected are rated at 0% (noncompensable). Many veterans in this position were denied because their file had no medical opinion connecting a diagnosed condition to their service, or because a C&P examiner's opinion went against them and nothing in the record answered it.
The Four Cases
These are real, de-identified results from our 2026 client tracker. We do not publish names, dates, locations or diagnoses.
| Case | Rating when joined | Rating after decision | Change | Conditions claimed | Rounds | P&T | Est. monthly change* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 0% | 90% | +90 | 12 | 1 | — | +$2,362/mo |
| B | 0% | 90% | +90 | 6 | 2 | — | +$2,362/mo |
| C | 0% | 90% | +90 | 3 | 2 | — | +$2,362/mo |
| D | 0% | 70% | +70 | 15 | 1 | — | +$1,808/mo |
* Estimated with the VA's veteran-alone monthly rates effective December 1, 2025. P&T = rated Permanent and Total; "—" = not recorded. Full data set: Semper Solutus Results 2026.
- Case A claimed 12 conditions and went from 0% to 90% on a single round.
- Case B and Case C reached 90% over two submission rounds.
- Case D claimed 15 conditions and went from 0% to 70% on the first round.
Why Veterans Get Stuck at 0%
The VA grants service connection when three elements are in the record: a current diagnosis, an in-service event, injury or exposure, and a medical nexus linking the two. Claims stall at 0% most often because:
- The nexus is missing. The diagnosis and the service history are both there, but no physician has explained, with rationale, why the condition is at least as likely as not related to service.
- A negative C&P opinion went unanswered. When the only medical opinion in the file is unfavorable, the VA usually follows it. (See C&P exam rebuttal opinions.)
- Secondary conditions were never claimed. Conditions caused or worsened by an already-claimed condition, such as sleep apnea or hypertension linked to PTSD, are often left off the claim. (See secondary conditions.)
- The records were never reviewed as a whole. Evidence of the in-service event is often in the service treatment records but never cited.
What We Do When a Veteran Starts at 0%
In the Semper Nexus Program, a physician reviews the veteran's service treatment records, VA records and private records before writing anything. Each claimed condition gets its own records-based medical opinion using the VA's "at least as likely as not" standard, with the reasoning a rater needs to grant it. Secondary conditions are addressed alongside the primary ones, and if a decision comes back short, the next round targets exactly what the VA said was missing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. In our 2026 data, one veteran who claimed 12 conditions went from 0% to 90% on a single round, and two others reached 90% over two rounds. Results depend on the conditions, the records and the VA's decision.
A 0% combined rating means the VA is not paying monthly compensation: either nothing is service-connected yet, or the service-connected conditions are rated noncompensable (0%).
For a veteran with no dependents, 90% pays $2,362.30 per month at the rates effective December 1, 2025. Veterans with a spouse or children receive more.
If the denial says there is no link between your condition and your service, a records-based medical opinion from a physician is usually the evidence that addresses it. It does not guarantee a grant; the VA decides every claim.
Stuck at 0% or Recently Denied?
Book a free consultation. We will review what your records support and what the VA said was missing.
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