VASRD 5283 · Musculoskeletal
Tarsal or Metatarsal Bones, Malunion or Nonunion of VA Disability Rating
One of the small bones of the midfoot or forefoot healed out of position after a fracture, or never healed at all, and the resulting foot disability is graded as moderate, moderately severe, or severe.
VA Rating Tiers
How the VA Evaluates Tarsal or Metatarsal Bones, Malunion or Nonunion of
DC 5283 is the schedule's code for malunion or nonunion of the tarsal or metatarsal bones, and it has exactly three steps: moderate (10 percent), moderately severe (20 percent), and severe (30 percent). Part 4 does not define those three words with degrees or measurements for this code, so the evaluation turns on how the examiner characterizes the overall foot disability rather than on a range-of-motion threshold. A note closing the code directs that where there is actual loss of use of the foot, the evaluation is 40 percent; loss of use of the foot is rated under DC 5167. A tarsal or metatarsal fracture that united in good position is not rated here at all — its residuals go under DC 5284 (Foot injuries, other) or under the code for whatever the fracture left behind.
Approval outlook
Moderate to high – especially if pain or structural deformity present.
Veterans service-connected
~5,200 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.
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Best Evidence to Gather
- •Foot X-rays or CT identifying which tarsal or metatarsal bones are involved and stating whether they are malunited or ununited, since this code rates the malunion or nonunion itself rather than the original fracture.
- •A VA or private foot examination that characterizes the resulting disability as moderate, moderately severe, or severe, because those three words are the entire ladder.
- •The treatment record for the original fracture, including any fixation, fusion, or bone grafting attempted.
- •Weight-bearing tolerance documented over time, together with any orthotics, casts, or assistive devices prescribed for the foot.
Strategy Tips
- •Get the record to characterize the malunion or nonunion in the schedule's own words — moderate, moderately severe, or severe — because those three words are the whole of DC 5283 and the rater has nothing else to grade.
- •Submit the treatment history for the bone itself, including any fixation, bone grafting, fusion, casting, or orthotics, since it documents how far from a normal union the foot ended up.
C&P Exam Pitfalls
- •An examination that records pain and standing tolerance but never states whether the tarsal or metatarsal bones are malunited or ununited, which is the thing DC 5283 rates.
- •No overall characterization of the foot disability as moderate, moderately severe, or severe, leaving the rater without the term the code turns on.
Common Filing Mistakes
- •No post-fracture treatment records showing ongoing issues.
- •Overreliance on self-reported pain without objective imaging or functional testing to support it.
Onset Patterns
- •These fractures often follow overuse, a crush injury, or direct trauma to the foot; DC 5283 applies where the bone then healed out of position or never united, rather than to a fracture that united in good position.
Secondary Conditions
Conditions commonly linked to Tarsal or Metatarsal Bones, Malunion or Nonunion of. Service-connecting a secondary condition can increase your combined rating.
Common questions about Tarsal or Metatarsal Bones, Malunion or Nonunion of
- Is Tarsal or Metatarsal Bones, Malunion or Nonunion of a VA-rated disability?
- Yes. The VA rates Tarsal or Metatarsal Bones, Malunion or Nonunion of under VASRD diagnostic code 5283 (Musculoskeletal). One of the small bones of the midfoot or forefoot healed out of position after a fracture, or never healed at all, and the resulting foot disability is graded as moderate, moderately severe, or sev…
- What VA disability rating can I get for Tarsal or Metatarsal Bones, Malunion or Nonunion of?
- Possible VA ratings for Tarsal or Metatarsal Bones, Malunion or Nonunion of are 30%, 20%, 10%. Examples: 30%: The badly healed or unhealed midfoot or forefoot bones leave severe foot disability.; 20%: The healing problem in the foot bones sits between moderate and severe.; 10%: The foot bones healed out of position or…
- What's the typical VA rating awarded for Tarsal or Metatarsal Bones, Malunion or Nonunion of?
- Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Tarsal or Metatarsal Bones, Malunion or Nonunion of at around 20%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 5,200 veterans are service-connected for Tarsal or Metatarsal Bones, Malunion or Nonunion of. Estimated approval outlook: Moderate to high –…
- What evidence helps prove Tarsal or Metatarsal Bones, Malunion or Nonunion of for VA disability?
- Strong evidence for a Tarsal or Metatarsal Bones, Malunion or Nonunion of claim includes: Foot X-rays or CT identifying which tarsal or metatarsal bones are involved and stating whether they are malunited or ununited, since this code rates the malunion or nonunion itself rather than the original fracture.; A VA or pri…
- What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Tarsal or Metatarsal Bones, Malunion or Nonunion of?
- Common pitfalls when filing for Tarsal or Metatarsal Bones, Malunion or Nonunion of: No post-fracture treatment records showing ongoing issues.; Overreliance on self-reported pain without objective imaging or functional testing to support it..
- What conditions are commonly secondary to Tarsal or Metatarsal Bones, Malunion or Nonunion of?
- Conditions often service-connected as secondary to Tarsal or Metatarsal Bones, Malunion or Nonunion of include: Plantar Fasciitis. 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 5283)
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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