YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae) VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae) under diagnostic code 5301, in 38 CFR § 4.73 (muscle injuries), and the schedule provides five evaluation levels for it: 40%, 30%, 20%, 10% and 0%.
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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 Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae)
Injury to the muscles that rotate the shoulder blade upward and raise the arm above shoulder level — the trapezius, levator scapulae and serratus magnus.
Under 38 CFR 4.73, DC 5301 rates injury of Muscle Group I: the extrinsic muscles of the shoulder girdle, which the schedule lists as the trapezius, the levator scapulae and the serratus magnus. Their stated function is upward rotation of the scapula and elevation of the arm above shoulder level. The code grades the injury on a four-step scale — slight, moderate, moderately severe and severe — and prints two columns, one for the dominant (major) upper extremity and one for the non-dominant (minor). Severe is 40 percent major and 30 percent minor. Moderately severe is 30 percent major and 20 percent minor. Moderate is 10 percent in both columns, and slight is 0 percent in both. Which arm is dominant therefore changes the evaluation at the two most serious steps, and the record should state it.
- Diagnostic code
- 5301
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.73
- Schedule levels
- 40%, 30%, 20%, 10% and 0%
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.
EXPLORE THE PERCENTAGES
Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae) VA rating criteria (DC 5301)
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 Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae) 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 Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae)?
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 Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae) 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
Use strength test logs tracking your shoulder over time, since objective muscle testing is what distinguishes this rating from a general shoulder pain claim.
- 02
Provide range-of-motion tracking alongside the strength data, since both dimensions factor into how the severity is graded.
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind2 tips
- 01
No range of motion documented during the exam.
- 02
Lack of muscle strength grading, which is central to how this rating is determined.
Common filing mistakes2 tips
- 01
No imaging included to confirm the muscle injury.
- 02
Vague complaints that don't specifically identify the shoulder girdle muscle group involved.
When symptoms may first appear1 tips
- 01
Shoulder girdle muscle injuries are often injury-related from a specific trauma, or degenerative, developing gradually from repetitive strain over time.
THE BROADER PICTURE
Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae) by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- Moderate
- Veterans service-connected
- ~3,900 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 Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae)
Is Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae) a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae) under VASRD diagnostic code 5301 (Muscle Injuries). Injury to the muscles that rotate the shoulder blade upward and raise the arm above shoulder level — the trapezius, levator scapulae and serratus magnus.
What VA disability rating can I get for Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae)?
Possible VA ratings for Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae) are 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%, 0%. Examples: 40%: Severe disability of Muscle Group I in the dominant (major) upper extremity; 30%: Severe disability of Muscle Group I in the non-dominant (minor) upper extremity; or moderately severe disability in the dominant (major) upper extremity; 20%: Moderately severe disability of Muscle Group I in the non-dominant (minor) upper extremity.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae)?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae) at around 20%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 3,900 veterans are service-connected for Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae). Estimated approval outlook: Moderate.
What evidence helps prove Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae) for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae) claim includes: An orthopedic report documenting the muscle injury and its severity; Physical therapy records tracking strength and function; An MRI showing the extent of the muscle damage.
Which DBQ is used for Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae)?
VA's Muscle Injuries 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 Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae)?
Common pitfalls when filing for Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae): No imaging included to confirm the muscle injury; Vague complaints that don't specifically identify the shoulder girdle muscle group involved.
What conditions can be secondary to Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae)?
Conditions that can be service-connected as secondary to Muscle Group I - Shoulder Girdle Muscles (Trapezius, Levator Scapulae), when a medical opinion links them, include: Neck strain. 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 § 4.73, Schedule of ratings, muscle injuries (Diagnostic Code 5301)
- 38 CFR § 4.7, higher of two 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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