YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula under diagnostic code 5203, in 38 CFR § 4.71a (musculoskeletal system), and the schedule provides two evaluation levels for it: 20% and 10%.
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A CLEARER PATH FORWARD
Make sense of your next step.
01Understand the rating02Know what to gather03Plan your preparationTHE ESSENTIALS
How the VA rates Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula
Damage to the collarbone or shoulder blade that affects shoulder function and stability.
Diagnostic code 5203 rates impairment of the clavicle or scapula, and both of its evaluations are the same in the major (dominant) and the minor (non-dominant) column. Dislocation of the clavicle or scapula is 20 percent, and so is nonunion with loose movement. Nonunion without loose movement is 10 percent, and so is malunion. The code carries one further instruction: the disability may instead be rated on impairment of function of the contiguous joint, which for the clavicle and scapula means the shoulder codes.
- Diagnostic code
- 5203
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.71a
- Schedule levels
- 20% and 10%
How does the VA choose a rating level?
Which level applies is set by the criteria the evidence meets, not by the diagnosis. Where there is a question as to which of two evaluations applies, 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher one if the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating.
This code prints no 0% row. Under 38 CFR § 4.31, a 0% evaluation is assigned where the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met.
EXPLORE THE PERCENTAGES
Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula VA rating criteria (DC 5203)
Choose a percentage to see what that level means. Open the full comparison to read all the criteria in one place.
These are published rating criteria. Selecting a level does not predict your VA decision.
BUILD YOUR EVIDENCE, ONE PIECE AT A TIME
Evidence for your Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula claim
A long list feels easier when you have a place to start. Use this checklist to see what you have and what still needs gathering.
Check off what you’ve gathered. Progress stays on this page until you leave or refresh.
THE EXAM FORM
Which DBQ is used for Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula?
VA's page says: “You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers.”
Source: VA: Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs), read September 18, 2026.
THE EVERYDAY PICTURE
What the Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula examination has to record
The criteria above are read off an examination, and three sections of Part 4 govern what that examination has to contain. None of them is a diagnostic code, so none of them appears in the 5203 table, and all three apply to it. 38 CFR § 4.40: “Weakness is as important as limitation of motion, and a part which becomes painful on use must be regarded as seriously disabled.”
38 CFR § 4.45 lists what an examination of a joint is directed to consider:
- Less movement than normal (due to ankylosis, limitation or blocking, adhesions, tendon-tie-up, contracted scars, etc.).
- More movement than normal (from flail joint, resections, nonunion of fracture, relaxation of ligaments, etc.).
- Weakened movement (due to muscle injury, disease or injury of peripheral nerves, divided or lengthened tendons, etc.).
- Excess fatigability.
- Incoordination, impaired ability to execute skilled movements smoothly.
- Pain on movement, swelling, deformity or atrophy of disuse.
38 CFR § 4.59: “It is the intention to recognize actually painful, unstable, or malaligned joints, due to healed injury, as entitled to at least the minimum compensable rating for the joint.” So a joint that is painful on use is not a finding of nothing, even where the measured motion is close to normal.
The same section says how the joint is to be tested: “The joints involved should be tested for pain on both active and passive motion, in weight-bearing and nonweight-bearing and, if possible, with the range of the opposite undamaged joint.” An examination that records one measurement, taken once, sitting down, has not done what the section asks, and that is worth reading the exam report for.
SMALL DETAILS. BETTER PREPARATION.
Preparing your Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula claim
Start with the practical tips, then explore the common oversights. You don’t need to work through everything at once.
Practical tips for your claim2 tips
- 01
Submit detailed imaging with a full report, since confirming which specific impairment (dislocation, malunion, or nonunion) applies is central to the rating.
- 02
Use orthopedic notes that describe the functional impact, especially whether the joint shows loose or abnormal movement.
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind2 tips
- 01
Failing to note whether the joint has 'loose movement,' which is the specific factor separating the two rating tiers.
- 02
Missing a comparison with the uninjured side.
Common filing mistakes2 tips
- 01
No imaging to support a claimed dislocation or deformity.
- 02
Filing based only on shoulder pain without the structural findings this code requires.
When symptoms may first appear1 tips
- 01
Clavicle or scapula impairment commonly follows falls, vehicle accidents, or sports injuries during service.
THE BROADER PICTURE
Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- Moderate – depends on confirming imaging and shoulder function loss.
- Veterans service-connected
- ~2,200 veterans
- Typical rating awarded
- ~10%
Vetrify editorial estimates informed by VA published claims data (VBA Annual Benefits Report) and the VA rating schedule, not official VA statistics.
LET’S CLEAR A FEW THINGS UP
Common questions about Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula
Is Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula under VASRD diagnostic code 5203 (Musculoskeletal System). Damage to the collarbone or shoulder blade that affects shoulder function and stability.
What VA disability rating can I get for Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula?
Possible VA ratings for Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula are 20%, 10%, 0%. The 0% level comes from 38 CFR 4.31, which assigns it wherever no compensable level is met. Examples: 20%: Dislocation of the clavicle or scapula; or nonunion of the clavicle or scapula with loose movement. The schedule assigns 20 percent in both the major (dominant) and the minor (non-dominant) column; 10%: Nonunion of the clavicle or scapula without loose movement; or malunion of the clavicle or scapula. The schedule assigns 10 percent in both columns.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula at around 10%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 2,200 veterans are service-connected for Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula. Estimated approval outlook: Moderate – depends on confirming imaging and shoulder function loss.
What evidence helps prove Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula claim includes: Imaging showing the clavicle or scapula fracture or dislocation; A VA exam specifically documenting joint instability or movement limits; An orthopedic specialist's report.
Which DBQ is used for Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula?
VA's Shoulder and/or Arm Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) is on its public list of DBQs. VA's page says: "You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers."
What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula?
Common pitfalls when filing for Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula: No imaging to support a claimed dislocation or deformity; Filing based only on shoulder pain without the structural findings this code requires.
What conditions can be secondary to Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula?
Conditions that can be service-connected as secondary to Impairment of the Clavicle or Scapula, when a medical opinion links them, include: Shoulder Arthritis. A secondary condition gets its own rating, which VA combines with the veteran's other ratings under 38 CFR 4.25.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.71a, Schedule of ratings, musculoskeletal system (Diagnostic Code 5203)
- 38 CFR § 4.7, higher of two evaluations
- 38 CFR § 4.31, zero percent evaluations
- 38 CFR § 4.40, functional loss
- 38 CFR § 4.45, the joints
- 38 CFR § 4.59, painful motion
Criteria in quotation marks are the regulation’s own words; everything else on this page is Vetrify’s summary of it. The eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.
How these figures are checked: our methodology and the open dataset.
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