VA Disability Compensation is a cash benefit intended to compensate veterans for certain service-connected impairments. The amount of the cash benefit is dependent on the severity of the impairment and its functional limitations. The VA rates disability from 0% to 100% in 10% increments. VA Disability is paid regardless of whether the impairment actually causes earnings loss for the veteran. The VA Disability evaluation regulations have numerous "pro-Veteran" policies, which require the VA to resolve certain issues by granting the Veteran the benefit of any reasonable doubt. On the other hand, Social Security Disability (SSD) is a cash benefit intended to replace a portion of lost earnings caused by a total disability. The claimant must be unable to work (or engage in “substantial gainful activity”) as a result of medical impairments. The amount of the payment is dependent on the claimant’s work history (how long and how much they paid into Social Security). A veteran can have a 100% rating and still be capable of working, or they could have a 10% rating and be unable to work. As a result, In Social Security terms, this means the SSA can find the person capable or incapable of working, without regard to their disability rating. In 2017, SSD evaluation criteria underwent a major overhaul, that changed the SSA regulations such that SSA no longer has to even consider or analyze the VA rating at all (aside from granting expedited processing of claims for certain veterans). A person can have a 100% VA Disability Compensation rating and still be found capable of working and therefore “not disabled” by Social Security. Historical data shows that totally disabled veterans (100% rating and/or designated as Individual Unemployability) have higher Social Security Disability allowance rates than the general population at the initial application level. However, they have the same allowance rates at all levels of appeal.