38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.124a

Brain, new growth of, benign — VA Diagnostic Code 8003

Neurological

Diagnostic code

8003

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38 CFR § 4.124a prints “Brain, new growth of:” with an empty rating cell, then Diagnostic Code 8002, then Diagnostic Code 8003 as “Benign, minimum” at 60. The next cell is “Rate residuals, minimum” at 10. Appendix B to Part 4 says “Benign.” The catalog name is “Brain, benign new growth.”

Reviewed 2026-10-05. Text checked against the eCFR versioner full-text XML for 2026-10-01 on 2026-10-05. Title 38 was up to date as of 2026-10-01 and last amended on 2026-08-27. The § 4.124a source note prints 29 FR 6718, May 22, 1964, as amended at 40 FR 42540, Sept. 15, 1975; 41 FR 11302, Mar. 18, 1976; 43 FR 45362, Oct. 2, 1978; 54 FR 4282, Jan. 30, 1989; 54 FR 49755, Dec. 1, 1989; 55 FR 154, Jan. 3, 1990; 56 FR 51653, Oct. 15, 1991; 57 FR 24364, June 9, 1992; 70 FR 75399, Dec. 20, 2005; 73 FR 54705, Sept. 23, 2008; 73 FR 69554, Nov. 19, 2008; 76 FR 78824, Dec. 20, 2011; 79 FR 2100, Jan. 13, 2014.

The rating criteria at each level

Brain, new growth of — 8003 Benign

Rating %: 60

Criteria (verbatim). Benign, minimum

Rating %: 10

Criteria (verbatim). Rate residuals, minimum

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
60	Benign, minimum
10	Rate residuals, minimum

The “Brain, new growth of:” line is indented in this XML, as are other parent headings in the organic-disease table. “8003 Benign, minimum” is the row at 60. “Rate residuals, minimum” at 10 is indented under it.

Note (diagnostic codes 8000-8025), printed after the minimum-rating row of DC 8025: It is required for the minimum ratings for residuals under diagnostic codes 8000-8025, that there be ascertainable residuals. Determinations as to the presence of residuals not capable of objective verification, i.e., headaches, dizziness, fatigability, must be approached on the basis of the diagnosis recorded; subjective residuals will be accepted when consistent with the disease and not more likely attributable to other disease or no disease. It is of exceptional importance that when ratings in excess of the prescribed minimum ratings are assigned, the diagnostic codes utilized as bases of evaluation be cited, in addition to the codes identifying the diagnoses.

DC 8003 does not print the two-year note. That note is on DC 8002 and says the rating in code 8002 will be continued for 2 years following cessation of surgical, chemotherapeutic or other treatment modality.

The opening of § 4.124a, in brackets, says: “With the exceptions noted, disability from the following diseases and their residuals may be rated from 10 percent to 100 percent in proportion to the impairment of motor, sensory, or mental function. Consider especially psychotic manifestations, complete or partial loss of use of one or more extremities, speech disturbances, impairment of vision, disturbances of gait, tremors, visceral manifestations, etc., referring to the appropriate bodily system of the schedule. With partial loss of use of one or more extremities from neurological lesions, rate by comparison with the mild, moderate, severe, or complete paralysis of peripheral nerves.” The DC 8003 lines are “Benign, minimum” at 60 and “Rate residuals, minimum” at 10. The ascertainable-residual note is printed after DC 8025, myasthenia gravis, and its words cover minimum ratings for residuals under diagnostic codes 8000-8025. 38 CFR § 4.31 says that in every instance where the schedule does not provide a zero percent evaluation for a diagnostic code, a zero percent evaluation shall be assigned when the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met. DC 8003 does not print a 0 percent line. 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher rating when the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating. Otherwise, the lower rating will be assigned. 38 CFR § 4.6 requires each element affecting the evidence to be studied so that decisions will be equitable and just.

DC 8002 is “Malignant” at 100, with the two-year note and a minimum rating of 30. Those are not the DC 8003 lines. The two-year note says “code 8002.” It does not say code 8003.

38 CFR § 3.309(a) lists “Tumors, malignant, or of the brain or spinal cord or peripheral nerves.” That entry does not assign DC 8003. 38 CFR § 3.311(b)(2) includes “(xx) Tumors of the brain and central nervous system” in the radiogenic-disease list. That item does not assign DC 8003. A separate question, when a presumption does not decide it, is a medical question on the facts under 38 CFR § 3.310. Paragraph (a) covers disability proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury. Paragraph (b) covers increase in severity and requires a medical baseline.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.124a, Diagnostic Code 8003, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

Benign, minimum, at 60

The percentage cell on “8003 Benign, minimum” is 60. The parent line “Brain, new growth of:” has no percentage of its own. Appendix B’s index word is “Benign.”

Residuals, minimum, at 10

The next cell is “Rate residuals, minimum” at 10. The note after DC 8025 requires ascertainable residuals for minimum ratings for residuals under diagnostic codes 8000-8025. The examples in that note are headaches, dizziness, and fatigability.

The two-year sentence names code 8002

DC 8002’s note continues the rating in code 8002 for 2 years after the treatment it names ceases. DC 8003 does not print that note.

Evidence that speaks to each level

60 — benign, minimum

What the rater needs to see. A benign new growth of the brain. The schedule cell is “Benign, minimum.”

Where that usually lives. The diagnosis that places the growth under “Brain, new growth of:” and under DC 8003 rather than DC 8002.

10 — rate residuals, minimum

What the rater needs to see. Residuals, with ascertainable residuals as the note requires for a minimum rating for residuals under diagnostic codes 8000-8025. A rating above a prescribed minimum cites the diagnostic codes used as the bases of evaluation, in addition to the code that identifies the diagnosis.

Where that usually lives. The examination of residuals and the codes the decision cites.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
60 — benign, minimum	A benign new growth of the brain. The schedule cell is “Benign, minimum.”	The diagnosis that places the growth under “Brain, new growth of:” and under DC 8003 rather than DC 8002.
10 — rate residuals, minimum	Residuals, with ascertainable residuals as the note requires for a minimum rating for residuals under diagnostic codes 8000-8025. A rating above a prescribed minimum cites the diagnostic codes used as the bases of evaluation, in addition to the code that identifies the diagnosis.	The examination of residuals and the codes the decision cites.

VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Central Nervous System and Neuromuscular Diseases” under Neurological. The file is Central Nervous System and Neuromuscular Diseases.

The exam form

DC 8003 prints 60 and 10. This page does not say the form replaces those lines.

Related codes and how they interact

Malignant new growth of the brain is DC 8002.

DC 8002 is 100, with a two-year note and a minimum of 30. DC 8003 is “Benign, minimum” at 60 and “Rate residuals, minimum” at 10.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

Section 3.309(a)’s tumors entry does not assign DC 8003. Section 3.311(b)(2) lists tumors of the brain and central nervous system and does not assign DC 8003.

A separate question, when a presumption does not decide it, is a medical question on the facts under 38 CFR § 3.310. Paragraph (a) covers disability proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury. Paragraph (b) covers increase in severity and requires a medical baseline.

Short answers

What is the VA rating for a benign new growth of the brain?

Under 38 CFR § 4.124a, Diagnostic Code 8003 is “Benign, minimum” at 60 and “Rate residuals, minimum” at 10. The note after DC 8025 addresses minimum ratings for residuals under diagnostic codes 8000-8025. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Does the two-year malignant note apply to DC 8003?

The two-year note says the rating in code 8002 will be continued for 2 years. It names code 8002. DC 8003’s own lines are 60 and 10.

FAQ

What does DC 8003 print?

“Benign, minimum” at 60 and “Rate residuals, minimum” at 10, under “Brain, new growth of:”. The two-year note is on DC 8002. Education only.

Where is the minimum-rating note for codes 8000 through 8025?

It is printed after the minimum-rating row of DC 8025. It requires ascertainable residuals for minimum ratings for residuals under those codes. The written examples are headaches, dizziness, and fatigability.

What does Appendix B call this code?

Appendix B says “Benign.” The rating table places that under “Brain, new growth of:” as “8003 Benign, minimum.” The catalog name is “Brain, benign new growth.”

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 8003 and whether it used 60, the residual minimum of 10, or another diagnostic code cited above that minimum.
The free worksheet is a place to write the code, the findings, and the records you already have. It does not file a claim or protect a filing date. An accredited representative is at find a VSO.
Other neurological codes are on the neurological diagnostic-code index. The category page is neurological conditions.

Education only. Not legal or medical advice. My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative and does not file claims. VA decides every claim on its own evidence.

Other codes in this body system

Nearby catalog entries in Neurological, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Neurological codes

Also: DC code lookup (tools) lists the same index in a compact layout.

Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 8003 • va.gov

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This page provides general educational information based on public VA regulations and VA.gov resources. It is not legal or medical advice, and My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative. Any worksheets or draft documents produced by the tools must be reviewed for accuracy and are not filed with VA for you. Ratings and service connection are decided case-by-case from the individual record. Consult a VA-accredited VSO, claims agent, attorney, or qualified clinician for help with your situation, and verify current rules using the linked official source.