VASRD 5010 · Musculoskeletal System
Post-Traumatic Arthritis VA Disability Rating
Post-traumatic arthritis is joint degeneration that follows a specific injury — a fracture, dislocation or major ligament tear — rather than ordinary wear. Since February 7, 2021 DC 5010 has had no ladder of its own: the schedule reads "Rate as limitation of motion, dislocation, or other specified instability under the affected joint", so the percentage comes entirely from the injured joint's own diagnostic code and differs joint by joint.
VA Rating Tiers
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 10% | The injured joint is painful or unstable but its limitation of motion is mild — the minimum compensable rating for that joint |
| 0% | Service-connected, but the joint does not meet a compensable level |
How the VA Evaluates Post-Traumatic Arthritis
THE X-RAY RULE THIS CODE USED TO CARRY WAS REMOVED. Until February 7, 2021 DC 5010 read "Arthritis, due to trauma, substantiated by X-ray findings: Rate as degenerative arthritis", which routed it into DC 5003 and its 10 percent floor for noncompensable limitation of motion. The current code reads: "Rate as limitation of motion, dislocation, or other specified instability under the affected joint. If there are 2 or more joints affected, each rating shall be combined in accordance with § 4.25." So there is no single ladder, no X-ray-based percentage, and no DC 5003 floor. The evaluation is whatever the injured joint's own code provides — for example DC 5260 or 5261 for the knee, DC 5271 for the ankle, DC 5201 for the shoulder, DC 5257 for knee instability — and where more than one joint is involved each is rated separately and combined under 38 CFR 4.25 rather than added. Two provisions still supply a floor. 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", language written for exactly this situation. 38 CFR 4.40 treats weakness, fatigability and incoordination as "as important as limitation of motion". Because the evaluation is assigned on the affected joint, a decision letter normally shows a hyphenated code such as 5010-5260 rather than a bare 5010 (38 CFR 4.27).
Approval outlook
High – especially if injury occurred during service.
Veterans service-connected
~200,000 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.
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Best Evidence to Gather
- •Service medical records documenting the original fracture, dislocation or ligament tear — this is the evidence that separates DC 5010 from ordinary degenerative arthritis under DC 5003.
- •Goniometer range-of-motion measurements for the injured joint, in degrees, since February 7, 2021 the percentage comes from the joint's own limitation-of-motion code and nothing else.
- •Examination findings recording objective painful motion, instability, subluxation or malalignment — 38 CFR 4.59's minimum-compensable floor is written around "actually painful, unstable, or malaligned joints, due to healed injury".
- •Imaging confirming degenerative change in that specific joint, which establishes the diagnosis even though it no longer sets the percentage.
- •A treatment history showing continuity of symptoms from the original injury to the current arthritis, plus a separate measurement for every joint involved, since each is rated and combined under 38 CFR 4.25.
Strategy Tips
- •Build a clear injury timeline connecting the original trauma (the fracture, dislocation, or injury event) to the current arthritis diagnosis - this causal chain is the entire basis of this diagnostic code.
- •Submit both imaging showing degenerative changes and a functional report describing current limitations, since the rating itself follows the same criteria as degenerative arthritis once the traumatic origin is established.
- •Emphasize the history of trauma explicitly in your statement - an examiner needs to see the link between the original injury and today's arthritis, not just a current diagnosis.
C&P Exam Pitfalls
- •Presenting current arthritis findings without connecting them back to a specific documented in-service injury, which can lead an examiner to treat the claim as ordinary age-related arthritis instead.
- •Missing imaging evidence of the degenerative changes themselves - a diagnosis history alone isn't enough without current X-ray or MRI confirmation.
Common Filing Mistakes
- •Not explicitly linking today's arthritis to the original service injury in your statement and evidence - this connection is the entire basis for a post-traumatic arthritis claim rather than a standard degenerative arthritis one.
- •Submitting a diagnosis without imaging, since X-ray evidence of joint involvement is required regardless of how clear the traumatic history is.
Onset Patterns
- •Post-traumatic arthritis typically develops slowly in the months or years after the original injury, as repeated stress on a joint that was never quite the same after trauma gradually wears down cartilage.
- •Pain and stiffness tend to worsen with age, which is why documenting the original in-service injury is important - without it, later-life arthritis can look indistinguishable from ordinary degenerative arthritis unrelated to service.
Secondary Conditions
Conditions commonly linked to Post-Traumatic Arthritis. Service-connecting a secondary condition can increase your combined rating.
Common questions about Post-Traumatic Arthritis
- Is Post-Traumatic Arthritis a VA-rated disability?
- Yes. The VA rates Post-Traumatic Arthritis under VASRD diagnostic code 5010 (Musculoskeletal System). Post-traumatic arthritis is joint degeneration that follows a specific injury — a fracture, dislocation or major ligament tear — rather than ordinary wear. Since February 7, 2021 DC 5010 has had no ladder of its own:…
- What VA disability rating can I get for Post-Traumatic Arthritis?
- Possible VA ratings for Post-Traumatic Arthritis are 10%, 0%. Examples: 10%: The injured joint is painful or unstable but its limitation of motion is mild — the minimum compensable rating for that joint; 0%: Service-connected, but the joint does not meet a compensable level.
- What's the typical VA rating awarded for Post-Traumatic Arthritis?
- Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Post-Traumatic Arthritis at around 10%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 200,000 veterans are service-connected for Post-Traumatic Arthritis. Estimated approval outlook: High – especially if injury occurred during service.
- What evidence helps prove Post-Traumatic Arthritis for VA disability?
- Strong evidence for a Post-Traumatic Arthritis claim includes: Service medical records documenting the original fracture, dislocation or ligament tear — this is the evidence that separates DC 5010 from ordinary degenerative arthritis under DC 5003.; Goniometer range-of-motion measurements for the injured joint, in deg…
- What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Post-Traumatic Arthritis?
- Common pitfalls when filing for Post-Traumatic Arthritis: Not explicitly linking today's arthritis to the original service injury in your statement and evidence - this connection is the entire basis for a post-traumatic arthritis claim rather than a standard degenerative arthritis one.; Submitting a diagnosis without…
- What conditions are commonly secondary to Post-Traumatic Arthritis?
- Conditions often service-connected as secondary to Post-Traumatic Arthritis include: Joint Instability, Chronic Pain. Filing for secondary conditions can increase a veteran's combined VA rating.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.71a — Schedule of ratings — musculoskeletal system (Diagnostic Code 5010)
Rating criteria on this page are an educational summary of the cited regulation — the eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.
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