Brain, abscess of — VA Diagnostic Code 8020

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.” DC 8020’s 100 percent line does not say the later rating is subject to § 3.105(e). The minimum of 10 is a minimum rating for residuals under diagnostic codes 8000-8025, so the ascertainable-residual note applies to that minimum. The note is printed after DC 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 8020 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 8019 is “Meningitis, cerebrospinal, epidemic:”. Its 100 percent line is “As active febrile disease,” and its residual line is also “Rate residuals, minimum” at 10. The word “febrile” is on DC 8019. It is not on the DC 8020 active-disease line. DC 8021 is malignant new growth of the spinal cord, with its own two-year note. That note says “code 8021.”

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “abscess.” It lists “Other organic diseases of the nervous system.” That family name is not assigned to DC 8020. 38 CFR § 3.311(b)(2) includes tumors of the brain and central nervous system. That item does not say abscess and does not assign DC 8020. 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 8020, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.