Rating Arthritis for Military Disability

Rating Arthritis for Military Disability

Rating Arthritis for Military Disability can be tricky.

There are all sorts of rules in the VASRD that must be considered when rating arthritis for military disability. And having other conditions affecting a joint in addition to arthritis just complicates things even more. If you are a disabled American veteran with arthritis, we will do our best to help you understand how your arthritis should be rated.

The First Rule in Rating Arthritis for Military Disability

The first rule that you MUST understand when rating arthritis for military disability: All joints will only receive ONE rating for the overall condition of that joint, regardless of the number of conditions that affect it.

So, if you have arthritis and a meniscus condition in your knee, you can only receive a rating for one of the two conditions, whichever gives the higher rating. Basically, if your arthritis gives a higher rating than the meniscus condition, then it is rated, and the other is ignored.

Only one rating per joint.

There are a couple of conditions that are an exception to this rule, but if you have one of these conditions, our discussion about that condition on our site will clearly say that you can rate it in addition to other conditions that affect that joint. If it doesn’t clearly state this, then it doesn’t apply. Only one rating for the entire joint.

Rating Arthritis for Military Disability

Now let’s discuss rating arthritis for military disability.

The VASRD rates two main types of arthritis: Degenerative Arthritis (code 5003), and Systemic Arthritis (code 5002). All other types of arthritis or similar conditions are rated analogously as degenerative or systemic, whichever best rates the disability.

If your condition is Systemic Arthritis or is rated as Systemic Arthritis, it’s your lucky day! The ratings for Systemic Arthritis are fairly straightforward. To get a rating for systemic arthritis, there must be a definite diagnosis, the arthritis must be active, and at least 2 joints must be affected. If you meet these requirements, then just click the link and find your ratings based on your symptoms, and you’ll be good to go. Woo-hoo!

If your condition is Degenerative Arthritis or is rated as Degenerative Arthritis (by far the most common), it is not your lucky day. You have to hang in there with us as we explain things step-by-step. Sorry.

Rating Arthritis for Military Disability

There are three different rating options for Degenerative Arthritis: Limited motion, painful motion, and incapacitating episodes.

If there is any limited motion in the affected joint, then the condition MUST be rated on limited motion of that joint. So, if you have arthritis in your elbow, and you cannot bend it all the way, then it is rated once on limited motion of the elbow, code 5206. That is the one and only rating, and you are done.

Side Note: Because limited motion is so vital to rating arthritis for military disability, it is essential that your physicians record the exact range of motion measurements for your affected joints. If these measurements are not properly recorded, you will not receive the correct ratings you deserve. It is vital for both your DoD Disability and your VA Disability. 

Now, if you do not have limited motion, but there is pain with motion, then a 10% rating can be given for the joint based on the painful motion principle.

If your condition does not qualify for limited or painful motion, then it is rated as Degenerative Arthritis under code 5003 based on incapacitating episodes.

The ratings for incapacitating episodes combines all of the affected joints together when assigning a rating. So if you have degenerative arthritis in the ankle, wrist, and shoulder (and none qualify for limited or painful motion ratings), then they are all given a single rating together based on incapacitating episodes.

Let’s do an example to see this in action.

Example of Rating Arthritis for Military Disability

Joe has four joints that have Degenerative Arthritis, his right elbow, his right wrist, his left knee, and his left ankle.

We first must identify if any of the joints qualify for a limited motion or painful motion rating.

His elbow can only bend to 90°, so that qualifies for a 20% rating under code 5206.

His left ankle does not have limited motion, but does have painful motion, so that qualifies for a 10% rating under code 5271.

His wrist and knee do not have any limited or painful motion, so they are both rated together under code 5003. Since they are both major joints and do not cause incapacitating episodes, they are given a single 10% rating. (Check out the code to understand exactly how this works.)

And that’s it. Even though Joe has four separate conditions, he ultimately will receive only three ratings.

Hopefully this has clarified the complexities of rating degenerative arthritis. More details can be found in our discussions of Degenerative Arthritis and Systemic Arthritis.

375 Comments

  • Rheumatoid Arthritis is only ratable if you have symptoms of some sort. No symptoms = no disability. Without incapacitating episodes, then the symptoms can be rated separately. So if you have limited motion, then it would be rated on limited motion of the affected joint. As long as you have pain with motion, each joint affected qualifies for a 10% rating. Check out our discussion of rating rheumatoid arthritis on our site:

    http://www.militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/diseasesofthemusculoskeletalsystem.html#d

  • I have started the process and I have exams of all of my issues and they show degenerative arthritis. They also add the limitation of thigh. Will the limitation of thigh be rated differently? From what I read I have both knees and right/Left Hip. Will these all be combined and it will rate at 20%? Or do you get 20% for each joint?

  • Hi Erica –

    Arthritis is rated first on limited motion of the affected joint, so if you have limited motion in your knees and hips, then each joint will be rated separately as limited motion. I think that is what you were referring to as "limitation of the thigh", correct?

    For any of the joints that do not have limited motion, then those are combined and given a single rating under the degenerative arthritis code. So if you have limited motion in one hip, but none in the other three, then you would get one rating for the limited motion, and then one other rating of 20% for the three remaining joints combined. Two total ratings. The 20% rating is NOT for each joint.

    Does this answer your question?

  • I am wondering if you could clarify something? With the limited motion, if I had pain on movements would I get the painful motion rule first and then arthritis? Also, if so would they give 10% to both knees, and then both hip's?