Methodology
Short, structured explanations of how the VBN tools work. The goal is verifiability: a CVSO, journalist, or researcher should be able to read these and check the math, the data sources, and the editorial rules without having to read the source.
How combined disability ratings are calculated
VA does not add disability ratings together. Instead, ratings are combined under a "whole person" formula in 38 CFR § 4.25. VBN’s combined-rating tool implements that exact formula, applies the bilateral factor under § 4.26 where applicable, and rounds to the nearest 10% in the final step only.
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How the gap-analysis engine chooses next steps
The plan view runs a deterministic, rules-based gap analysis over the user’s saved profile. It does not use machine learning. Each finding is produced by a small TypeScript rule that reads specific profile fields and emits a typed BenefitFinding with a citation back to the rule that produced it.
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How VBN cites the law
Every substantive page on VBN ties to a primary source: the United States Code, the Code of Federal Regulations, VA.gov official guidance, the M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual, or precedential decisions of the BVA and CAVC. Aggregator sites, blog posts, and AI-generated summaries are not cited.
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