YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot under diagnostic code 5111, in 38 CFR § 4.71a (musculoskeletal system), and the schedule provides a single evaluation under it: 100%.
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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 Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot
This is 38 CFR 4.71a DC 5111, "Loss of use of one hand and one foot" — one row in the combinations-of-disabilities table, paying a single evaluation of 100 percent when one hand and one foot have both lost all effective function. The limbs are still present; the test is functional. Anatomical loss of one hand together with loss of use of one foot is a different entry (DC 5104), as is anatomical loss of one hand and one foot (DC 5108).
DC 5111 prints a single row in 38 CFR 4.71a's "combinations of disabilities" table: "Loss of use of one hand and one foot" at 100 percent. There is no lower tier under this code. The loss-of-use standard is stated in 4.71a's notes to the amputation ratings, note (f): "Loss of use of the hand will be held to exist when no effective function remains other than that which would be equally well served by an amputation stump with a suitable prosthetic appliance." Both limbs must meet it. Taken alone, the hand is DC 5125 (70 percent dominant, 60 percent non-dominant) and the foot is DC 5167 (40 percent) — 4.71a's notes to DC 5283 and DC 5284 state "With actual loss of use of the foot, rate 40 percent."
- Diagnostic code
- 5111
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.71a
- Schedule levels
- 100%
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
Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot VA rating criteria (DC 5111)
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 Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot 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 Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot?
VA publishes its questionnaires by body system; find the one for this condition on VA's list.
Source: VA: Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs), read September 18, 2026.
SMALL DETAILS. BETTER PREPARATION.
Preparing your Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot 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 VA rehabilitation assessments covering both the affected hand and foot, since this combination needs to be documented together, not as two separate, unrelated claims.
- 02
Use lay statements describing your physical limitations, since combined upper- and lower-body loss has daily-life effects that clinical notes alone may not fully capture.
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind2 tips
- 01
Failure to document the specific limitations in both the hand and foot.
- 02
Inconsistent functionality reports between the two affected limbs.
Common filing mistakes2 tips
- 01
Claiming this rating without a prosthetic evaluation.
- 02
Lack of evidence showing the occupational impact of losing both limbs' function.
When symptoms may first appear1 tips
- 01
This combination typically results from significant service-related trauma or a late-stage neurological disease affecting multiple limbs.
THE BROADER PICTURE
Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- Moderate – hinges on severity and functional limitation proof.
- Veterans service-connected
- ~90 veterans
- Typical rating awarded
- ~100%
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 Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot
Is Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot under VASRD diagnostic code 5111 (Musculoskeletal System). This is 38 CFR 4.71a DC 5111, "Loss of use of one hand and one foot" — one row in the combinations-of-disabilities table, paying a single evaluation of 100 percent when one hand and one foot have both lost all effective function. The limbs are still present; the test is functional. Anatomical loss of one hand together with loss of use of one foot is a different entry (DC 5104), as is anatomical loss of one hand and one foot (DC 5108).
What VA disability rating can I get for Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot?
Possible VA ratings for Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot are 100%, 0%. The 0% level comes from 38 CFR 4.31, which assigns it wherever no compensable level is met. Examples: 100%: Loss of use of one hand and one foot.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot at around 100%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 90 veterans are service-connected for Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot. Estimated approval outlook: Moderate – hinges on severity and functional limitation proof.
What evidence helps prove Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot claim includes: Functional assessments from VA rehabilitation specialists; Physician statements addressing the inability to use both limbs; Documentation of assistive devices or prosthetics in use.
What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot?
Common pitfalls when filing for Loss of Use of One Hand and One Foot: Claiming this rating without a prosthetic evaluation; Lack of evidence showing the occupational impact of losing both limbs' function.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.71a, Schedule of ratings, musculoskeletal system (Diagnostic Code 5111)
- 38 CFR § 4.31, zero percent evaluations
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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