Crohn's disease VA Rating
How VA rates Crohn's disease under diagnostic code 7326, what evidence decides the percentage, and the reasons these claims get denied or under-rated.
Crohn's disease is rated under diagnostic code 7326. In the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities it appears as Crohn's disease or undifferentiated form of inflammatory bowel disease, within the Digestive System section of 38 CFR Part 4.
The essentials
| Diagnostic code | 7326 |
|---|---|
| Rating schedule name | Crohn's disease or undifferentiated form of inflammatory bowel disease |
| Body system | Digestive System |
| Examination form | GI Intestinal conditions |
Other names for this condition
VA and treating providers may use different terms for the same condition. If your records use any of these, they may still support a claim for Crohn's disease:
- Necrotizing enteritis
- Enterocolitis, chronic
What evidence decides the rating
For digestive system conditions, these are the findings VA weighs when assigning a percentage. If your examination did not address them, the examination may be inadequate for rating purposes — which is itself an argument on appeal.
- Frequency and severity of episodes, and any weight loss or malnutrition
- Endoscopy, imaging or biopsy confirming the diagnosis
- For GERD: whether symptoms persist despite treatment, and the presence of any hiatal hernia
- Anemia, dehydration, or the need for hospitalisation
Why these claims get denied or under-rated
These are the failure patterns we see most often on crohn's disease and related digestive system claims:
- GERD denied as secondary to a mental health condition without addressing the medication side-effect pathway
- Symptom frequency was recorded during a period of good control, understating the severity
- IBS and another digestive condition were merged as pyramiding when they warranted separate evaluations
If your claim was denied or under-rated
A denial is not the end of the claim. Which route is right depends on why VA decided the way it did:
- Higher-Level Review — when the evidence already in the file supports a grant and VA got the decision wrong, or the examination was inadequate.
- Supplemental Claim — when you have new and relevant evidence, such as a private nexus opinion.
- Board Appeal — when you need a Veterans Law Judge to decide, or want a hearing.
- Clear and Unmistakable Error — when a decision more than a year old contains an undebatable error, which can recover retroactive pay.
Effective dates matter as much as the percentage. See effective dates and back pay for how far back an award can reach.
Sources
Related conditions
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This page is educational information, not legal advice. VA rules and deadlines change — always confirm details with the official source (38 CFR, M21-1) or your accredited claims agent. Borne Accredited Claims is an accredited VA claims agent under 38 CFR §14.629 and is not part of, or endorsed by, the Department of Veterans Affairs. We do not guarantee any specific outcome.