YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage under diagnostic code 5258, in 38 CFR § 4.71a (musculoskeletal system), and the schedule provides a single evaluation under it: 20%.
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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 Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage
This code covers a torn or dislocated meniscus (semilunar cartilage) in the knee that causes recurring episodes of the joint locking, catching, or swelling. Unlike general knee arthritis, the rating here depends specifically on how often these locking and swelling episodes occur, not on imaging alone.
The rating requires evidence of frequent episodes of joint locking, pain, and effusion (fluid buildup or swelling) in the knee - a single MRI finding of meniscus damage without a documented pattern of these episodes may not fully support this rating.
- Diagnostic code
- 5258
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.71a
- Schedule levels
- 20%
How does the VA choose a rating level?
There is no higher or lower step inside this code: a rating decision either finds its criteria met or it does not. Where they are not met, 38 CFR § 4.31 assigns a 0% evaluation: service connection granted, at a level that does not pay.
EXPLORE THE PERCENTAGES
Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage VA rating criteria (DC 5258)
This condition has one published rating level. Read the criteria, then explore the details and monthly pay.
These are published rating criteria. Selecting a level does not predict your VA decision.
Every knee code on one page, each one's criteria quotedBUILD YOUR EVIDENCE, ONE PIECE AT A TIME
Evidence for your Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage 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 Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage?
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 Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage 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 5258 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 Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage 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 claim3 tips
- 01
Document each episode of locking or swelling as it happens, including what triggered it and how long it lasted, since frequency is central to this rating.
- 02
Get a nexus letter connecting the meniscus damage to a specific in-service injury or repetitive stress, especially if the condition wasn't formally diagnosed until after separation.
- 03
Make sure an MRI is part of your evidence, since it's the imaging study that actually visualizes meniscus damage - X-rays alone often don't show it.
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind2 tips
- 01
Symptoms that aren't present or demonstrable at the moment of the C&P exam, since locking and swelling are often episodic rather than constant.
- 02
Relying on a general knee X-ray instead of an MRI, since X-rays typically don't show soft-tissue meniscus damage.
Common filing mistakes2 tips
- 01
Not submitting an MRI, since this is the specific imaging that confirms meniscus damage.
- 02
Not documenting how often locking or swelling episodes occur, since frequency is the specific criterion this rating is based on.
When symptoms may first appear1 tips
- 01
This condition most often develops after a twisting knee injury or repetitive stress during service, such as running, jumping, or carrying heavy loads.
THE BROADER PICTURE
Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- Moderate
- Veterans service-connected
- ~42,000 veterans
- Typical rating awarded
- ~20%
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 Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage
Is Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage under VASRD diagnostic code 5258 (Musculoskeletal System). This code covers a torn or dislocated meniscus (semilunar cartilage) in the knee that causes recurring episodes of the joint locking, catching, or swelling. Unlike general knee arthritis, the rating here depends specifically on how often these locking and swelling episodes occur, not on imaging alone.
What VA disability rating can I get for Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage?
Possible VA ratings for Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage are 20%, 0%. The 0% level comes from 38 CFR 4.31, which assigns it wherever no compensable level is met. Examples: 20%: Dislocated semilunar cartilage, with frequent episodes of "locking," pain, and effusion into the joint.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage at around 20%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 42,000 veterans are service-connected for Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage. Estimated approval outlook: Moderate.
What evidence helps prove Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage claim includes: An MRI, since this is the imaging study that can actually visualize a torn or dislocated meniscus; An orthopedic examination documenting locking, catching, or effusion findings; Service medical records showing a knee injury or repetitive stress consistent with meniscus damage.
Which DBQ is used for Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage?
VA's Knee and Lower Leg 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 Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage?
Common pitfalls when filing for Knee, dislocated semilunar cartilage: Not submitting an MRI, since this is the specific imaging that confirms meniscus damage; Not documenting how often locking or swelling episodes occur, since frequency is the specific criterion this rating is based on.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.71a, Schedule of ratings, musculoskeletal system (Diagnostic Code 5258)
- 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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