Va Rating For Knee Arthritis

VA joint pain ratings are funny.

Va rating for knee arthritis. Ankylosis of the Knee Diagnostic Code 5256. Rheumatoid arthritis as an active condition may receive a 100 VA disability rating if you experience constitutional manifestations associated with active joint involvement and is totally incapacitating. VA disability ratings for rheumatoid arthritis start at 20 for one or two painful flareups per year. 5003 Arthritis degenerative hypertrophic or osteoarthritis.

VA assigns a 0 10 20 or 30 percent disability rating for this knee pain condition based on the amount of instability present in the knee. The different percentages available are 0 10 20 and 30. If you cant bend your leg at all without experiencing pain youll have a higher rating. The VA has 3 ways to categorize this aspect when rating arthritis of the knee.

The VA official site states that 20 and 10 ratings mentioned above cannot be combined with ratings based on limitation of motion. If you can bend your knee all of the way to 90 youll get a lower rating. VA requires that limitation of motion be confirmed by observations such as swelling muscle spasms or evidence of painful motion. Have your doctor specifically use this language when heshe explains your limitations due to knee arthritis.

In order to get the highest evaluation the knee must be so unstable that it gives out or dislocates on a regular basis. A knee instability VA rating can be related to arthritis but doesnt have to be. Knee instability or crepitation creeking and clicking sounds coming from your joints can help you get a higher rating too. If you can show evidence of any kind of strenuous work put on your knee you can get closer to service-connected arthritis.

So the less the knee can bend the higher the rating will be. The disability rating increases based on how many flareups you experience annually and how they affect your daily life. The VA uses the rules of the VASRD to rate knee and lower leg conditions based on pain limited motion damage to the bones diseases like arthritis etc. Check out our Knee and Lower Leg Conditions Ratings page for the exact codes and ratings.

Important Information On Combined Ratings For The Degenerative Arthritis Condition. Under the schedule of ratings in the VA regulations arthritis may be rated under degenerative arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Zero percent is considered a straight leg. Slight 10 moderate 20 or severe 30 under Diagnostic Code 5257.

Three episodes of rheumatoid arthritis flareups each year can increase your disability rating to 40. Degenerative arthritis will be rated at 10 or 20 percent based upon the number of jointsjoint groups affected and the level of incapacitation. The VA policy in this area includes a prohibition on combining ratings. Separating ratings into separate joints can also help you get closer to the bilateral factor which will add on another 10 rating.

According to the rating criteria if the knee can straighten but cant bend all the way it is rated under 5260. VA Ratings for Arthritis Degenerative arthritis can receive the following disability compensation ratings from the VA. However both are still rated under the musculoskeletal system conditions. Several rating criteria affect the total rating decision.

These will be combined not added to determine the rating for arthritis. Degenerative arthritis established by X-ray findings will be rated on the basis of limitation of motion under the appropriate diagnostic codes for the specific joint or joints involved DC 5200 etc. 10- If two or more joint groups major or minor have arthritis but are never incapacitating 20- If two or more joint groups major or minor have arthritis and are occasionally incapacitating. Degenerative arthritis also known as osteoarthritis is given a disability rating of 10-20.