Question 1

What is 80 and 40% VA disability combined?

Accepted Answer

80 and 40% combines to a 90% VA disability rating (88% before rounding to the nearest 10%), not 120%. The VA uses whole-person math: each rating only applies to the portion still healthy after the previous one. A 90% rating pays $2,362/month in 2026 for a veteran alone.

Question 2

Why isn't 80 and 40 equal to 120%?

Accepted Answer

Because the VA never adds ratings. After a 80% rating, only 20% of the "whole person" is left, so the next rating applies to that smaller amount. This always yields less than the simple sum, capped at 100%.

80 and 40% VA Disability = 90%

Other common combinations

Get the 90% VA rate when it changes

Rating	Healthy before	Adds	Running total
80%	100%	+80	80%
40%	20%	+8	88%
Combined (88%, rounded to nearest 10%)			90%