Can veterans get service connected disability for Erectile Dysunction (“ED”)? Yes. Many veterans who have diabetes or take certain types of medication, also suffer from some degree of Erectile Dysfunction. If your diabetes is service connected (because of exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam, for example) or you take medication for service-connected depression or PTSD, you can get rated for your ED on a secondary service connection basis (the ED condition should be rated as secondary to your already-rated directly service connected condition). Other medical conditions may also cause erectile dysfunction and can be the basis for a secondary service-connection claim.
In its regulations, the Department of Veterans Affairs classifies erectile dysfunction (also known as impotence) under a category called “loss of a creative organ.” When the VA grants service connection for ED, it often rates it at 0%, but pays the claim under a separate category called Special Monthly Compensation (“SMC”). SMC benefits for conditions like ED are paid in addition to any service connected compensation you may have. The SMC rating will be designated as “SMC-k,” and will compensate you at about $100.00 per month.
The 0% rating described above will apply unless you suffer from some type of deformity to your penis. The diagnostic codes that would be applied in that situation are DC 7520, 7521, or 7522, and they provide:
DC 7520
Penis, removal of half or more……30% (0r rate as voiding dysfunction)
DC 7521
Penis, removal of glans……20% (or rate as voiding dysfunction).
DC 7522
Penis, deformity, with loss of erectile power……20%
Proving Your Service Connection For My Erectile Dysfunction?
Most veterans do not suffer from a deformity problem though. When you make your claim for erectile dysfunction, be sure to explain what you (or better yet, your doctor) believes the ED is related to. VA raters often will not address secondary service connection to other conditions or medication side effects unless you give them a specific explanation of why they should consider anything other than direct service connection.
