YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action under diagnostic code 5164, in 38 CFR § 4.71a (musculoskeletal system), and the schedule provides a single evaluation under it: 60%.
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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 Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action
This code covers a below-knee amputation that a prosthesis controlled by the veteran's own knee action cannot improve — most often because the residual stump is too short to drive one. It carries a single evaluation. An amputation through the thigh itself is a different level and is rated under the thigh codes, not here.
Requires surgical documentation of the amputation level and stump length together with a prosthetics assessment showing that a prosthesis controlled by natural knee action does not improve function. DC 5164 states one evaluation for that finding.
- Diagnostic code
- 5164
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.71a
- Schedule levels
- 60%
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
Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action VA rating criteria (DC 5164)
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.
BUILD YOUR EVIDENCE, ONE PIECE AT A TIME
Evidence for your Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action 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 Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action?
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.
SMALL DETAILS. BETTER PREPARATION.
Preparing your Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action 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
Include the prosthetics assessment stating that a knee-controlled prosthesis does not improve function, since that finding is the criterion this code states.
- 02
Attach caregiver or buddy statements about daily function, since these provide real-world context for how severely this level of amputation affects independence.
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind2 tips
- 01
Failing to measure the stump length precisely.
- 02
Assuming basic mobility is sufficient without properly documenting the need for assistive devices.
Common filing mistakes2 tips
- 01
Not including physical therapy results.
- 02
Omitting the impact on daily life from the prosthetic's inability to function.
When symptoms may first appear1 tips
- 01
This level of amputation usually results from catastrophic trauma or a severe infection that required removing nearly the entire thigh.
WHEN VA HOLDS THE LINK
Cardiovascular disease after a lower-extremity amputation
38 CFR 3.310(c): “Ischemic heart disease or other cardiovascular disease developing in a veteran who has a service-connected amputation of one lower extremity at or above the knee or service-connected amputations of both lower extremities at or above the ankles, shall be held to be the proximate result of the service-connected amputation or amputations.”
One amputation at this level does not meet 38 CFR 3.310(c) by itself. The paragraph covers a service-connected amputation of one lower extremity at or above the knee, or service-connected amputations of both lower extremities at or above the ankles.
THE BROADER PICTURE
Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- Very High – clearly visible, severe disability with few functional alternatives.
- Veterans service-connected
- ~600 veterans
- Typical rating awarded
- ~60%
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 Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action
Is Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action under VASRD diagnostic code 5164 (Musculoskeletal System). This code covers a below-knee amputation that a prosthesis controlled by the veteran's own knee action cannot improve — most often because the residual stump is too short to drive one. It carries a single evaluation. An amputation through the thigh itself is a different level and is rated under the thigh codes, not here.
What VA disability rating can I get for Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action?
Possible VA ratings for Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action are 60%, 0%. The 0% level comes from 38 CFR 4.31, which assigns it wherever no compensable level is met. Examples: 60%: Leg, amputation of: amputation not improvable by prosthesis controlled by natural knee action.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action at around 60%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 600 veterans are service-connected for Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action. Estimated approval outlook: Very High – clearly visible, severe disability with few functional alternatives.
What evidence helps prove Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action claim includes: The surgical amputation report; A VA prosthetics assessment confirming that fitting isn't feasible; Photos and stump measurements.
Which DBQ is used for Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action?
VA's Amputations 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 Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action?
Common pitfalls when filing for Leg Amputation Not Improvable by Prosthesis Controlled by Natural Knee Action: Not including physical therapy results; Omitting the impact on daily life from the prosthetic's inability to function.
When does VA hold cardiovascular disease to be the result of a service-connected lower-extremity amputation?
38 CFR 3.310(c): "Ischemic heart disease or other cardiovascular disease developing in a veteran who has a service-connected amputation of one lower extremity at or above the knee or service-connected amputations of both lower extremities at or above the ankles, shall be held to be the proximate result of the service-connected amputation or amputations." One amputation at this level does not meet 38 CFR 3.310(c) by itself. The paragraph covers a service-connected amputation of one lower extremity at or above the knee, or service-connected amputations of both lower extremities at or above the ankles.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.71a, Schedule of ratings, musculoskeletal system (Diagnostic Code 5164)
- 38 CFR § 4.31, zero percent evaluations
- 38 CFR § 3.310(c), cardiovascular disease after a service-connected lower-extremity amputation
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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