[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 38, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 38CFR4.14]

[Page 365]
 
            TITLE 38--PENSIONS, BONUSES, AND VETERANS' RELIEF
 
                CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
 
PART 4_SCHEDULE FOR RATING DISABILITIES--Table of Contents
 
                   Subpart A_General Policy in Rating
 
Sec. 4.14  Avoidance of pyramiding.

    The evaluation of the same disability under various diagnoses is to 
be avoided. Disability from injuries to the muscles, nerves, and joints 
of an extremity may overlap to a great extent, so that special rules are 
included in the appropriate bodily system for their evaluation. Dyspnea, 
tachycardia, nervousness, fatigability, etc., may result from many 
causes; some may be service connected, others, not. Both the use of 
manifestations not resulting from service-connected disease or injury in 
establishing the service-connected evaluation, and the evaluation of the 
same manifestation under different diagnoses are to be avoided.