Calculate your combined VA disability rating and estimated monthly compensation using the official VA combined ratings table and 2026 COLA-adjusted payment amounts.
Uses official VA "whole person" combined rating formula
The VA uses a "whole person" method — not simple addition. If you have a 50% rating and a 30% rating, your combined rating is NOT 80%. Instead, the VA considers how much of your "remaining whole" body is affected by each subsequent disability.
Starting with 100% of a whole person: First disability of 50% leaves 50% remaining. Second disability of 30% affects 30% of the remaining 50% = 15%. Combined: 50% + 15% = 65%, rounded to 70%.
This formula ensures combined ratings never exceed 100%. For complete details, see 38 CFR Part 4 - Schedule for Rating Disabilities.
| Rating | Monthly (2026) | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $175 | $2,100 |
| 30% | $542 | $6,504 |
| 50% | $1,119 | $13,428 |
| 70% | $1,773 | $21,276 |
| 100% | $3,821 | $45,852 |
Settlement values depend on dozens of variables — these are the eight that move the dial the most in real-world negotiations:
These general issues can reduce settlement value and should be discussed with a licensed attorney when a claim is significant:
Consider consulting a licensed attorney before negotiating or signing a release if any of the following apply:
Many personal injury attorneys offer consultations and may work on a contingency-fee basis, but fee terms vary and should be reviewed carefully before signing an agreement.
Average settlements vary by injury severity, jurisdiction, and insurance policy limits. Minor injuries typically settle for $3,000–$25,000; moderate injuries for $25,000–$100,000; serious or permanent injuries can exceed $1,000,000. Insurance Information Institute reports a median bodily-injury claim payout of approximately $20,000–$25,000.
Most insurers use the multiplier method (medical bills × 1.5–5) or per diem method ($100–$500 daily rate × days of recovery). Multipliers rise with permanent impairment, visible scarring, surgery, and inability to perform daily activities.
For minor claims with clear liability, some people negotiate directly. For any claim involving permanent injury, disputed liability, commercial defendants, liens, or filing deadlines, consult a licensed attorney before deciding how to proceed.
Simple, clear-liability cases settle in 30–90 days after treatment ends. Cases requiring litigation average 12–24 months. Catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases can take 2–4 years.
Compensation for physical injuries is generally tax-free under IRC §104(a)(2). Punitive damages, interest, and emotional-distress-only awards are typically taxable. See IRS Publication 4345 and consult a tax professional.
Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage steps in. Many states require carriers to offer UM coverage equal to liability limits unless waived in writing.
The phrase "disability calculator" covers three very different systems, and confusing them is the most common mistake people make. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) pays based on your prior earnings and work credits. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a need-based federal floor for people with limited income and resources. Workers' compensation and VA disability use entirely separate rating schedules. This page focuses on SSDI/SSI because that is what most readers are estimating, but we note where the others diverge.
For SSDI, the Social Security Administration takes your highest 35 years of earnings, indexes them for wage inflation, divides by 420 months, and arrives at your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME). The AIME is then run through the Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) formula using fixed "bend points" that the SSA recalibrates yearly. For 2026, the PIA formula is: 90% of the first $1,226 of AIME, plus 32% of AIME between $1,226 and $7,391, plus 15% of AIME above $7,391. The sum, rounded down to the nearest dime, is your monthly SSDI benefit before any offsets. The maximum SSDI benefit in 2026 is $4,152/month at full retirement age, and the SSA reports the average disabled-worker benefit is approximately $1,630/month after the 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).
| Program | Maximum monthly | Average monthly | Resource limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSDI (worker) | $4,152 | ~$1,630 | None (insurance, not means-tested) |
| SSI (individual) | $994 | ~$700 | $2,000 |
| SSI (couple) | $1,491 | ~$1,050 | $3,000 |
| SGA non-blind (2026) | $1,620/mo earned | — | — |
| SGA blind (2026) | $2,700/mo earned | — | — |
| Trial Work Period month threshold | $1,160 | — | — |
All figures sourced from SSA.gov (cost-of-living adjustment notice, October 2025) and the SSA Red Book 2026 edition.
ssa.gov/myaccount to get your indexed earnings record.| Action | Deadline | Statute / regulation |
|---|---|---|
| SSDI initial application | No SOL, but file ASAP — back-pay capped at 12 months pre-application | 20 C.F.R. § 404.621 |
| Request reconsideration after denial | 60 days from denial notice | 20 C.F.R. § 404.909 |
| Request ALJ hearing after reconsideration | 60 days from reconsideration denial | 20 C.F.R. § 404.933 |
| Appeals Council review | 60 days from ALJ decision | 20 C.F.R. § 404.968 |
| Federal court appeal | 60 days from Appeals Council action | 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) |
| SSI application | Benefits begin month after filing (no retroactivity) | 20 C.F.R. § 416.330 |
| SSDI 5-month waiting period | 5 full calendar months after established onset | 42 U.S.C. § 423(c)(2) |
| Medicare eligibility | 24 months after SSDI entitlement begins | 42 U.S.C. § 426(b) |
| Continuing Disability Review (CDR) | Every 3 or 7 years depending on medical category | 20 C.F.R. § 404.1590 |
| Adult disabled child (DAC) | Disability must have onset before age 22 | 42 U.S.C. § 402(d) |
| Disabled widow(er) benefit | Disability within 7 years of spouse's death | 42 U.S.C. § 402(e)(1)(B)(ii) |
| State SSI supplement application | Varies by state — usually concurrent with federal SSI | State human-services code |
SSA approves about 36% of initial SSDI applications and around 13% of SSI applications, per the SSA Annual Statistical Report. After ALJ hearing, approval rates rise to roughly 52%. Representation correlates strongly with approval at the hearing stage. Federal law caps SSDI attorney fees at the lesser of 25% of back-pay or $9,200 (as of 2025, indexed periodically under 42 U.S.C. § 406(a)(2)). Fees are paid from back-pay, not from ongoing benefits, so there is no out-of-pocket cost. If your initial claim is denied and you have a strong medical record, hiring a representative for the hearing stage is usually the highest-ROI decision. This is an informational calculator, not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney or accredited disability representative in your state before relying on any estimate.
Initial decisions average 6–8 months in 2026 per SSA processing-time data. Reconsideration adds 3–6 months. ALJ hearings add 8–15 months. Total time from filing to hearing decision is often 18–24 months — file early.
Yes, within limits. The 2026 Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) threshold is $1,620/month for non-blind workers and $2,700/month for blind workers. The Trial Work Period lets you test work for 9 months (any month earning over $1,160) without losing benefits.
Yes, up to 85% may be federally taxable if your combined income exceeds the IRC § 86 thresholds. The lump-sum election method (IRS Pub 915) lets you spread back-pay across the years it covers to reduce taxable amounts.
SSDI is insurance — based on your work history and FICA taxes paid. SSI is welfare — based on financial need with a $2,000 individual resource limit. You can qualify for both ("concurrent benefits") if your SSDI is low enough.
Spouses age 62+ or caring for your child under 16, and unmarried children under 18 (or under 19 if still in high school, or any age if disabled before 22), may receive up to 50% of your PIA each. The family maximum caps total household benefits at 150–180% of PIA.
Conditions on the SSA Compassionate Allowances list (~280 conditions including ALS, pancreatic cancer, early-onset Alzheimer's) are flagged for expedited processing, often approved within weeks.
Not for the initial application. Attorneys add the most value at the reconsideration and ALJ-hearing stages. Federal law caps SSDI fees at 25% of back-pay or $9,200, whichever is less.
SGA evaluation for self-employed claimants uses three tests (Significant Services and Substantial Income, Comparability, Worth of Work) rather than a flat earnings threshold. Document hours and net profit carefully.
Yes — a lump-sum settlement counts as a resource and can disqualify you from SSI if it pushes you over $2,000. A first-party Special Needs Trust under 42 U.S.C. § 1396p(d)(4)(A) can shelter the proceeds and preserve eligibility.
SSDI recipients are eligible for Medicare 24 months after the first month of entitlement. ALS and ESRD recipients are exempt from the wait.
About 30 states add a State Supplementary Payment (SSP) on top of federal SSI. California adds approximately $200–$240/month for a single adult; New York adds about $87. Check your state human-services agency.
SSA periodically reviews whether your condition has improved. The "medical improvement" standard (20 C.F.R. § 404.1594) places the burden on SSA to prove improvement — not on you to re-prove disability.