What rates 30% for Diabetic Foot Complications under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5284?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5284 (DC 5284), a 30% rating for Diabetic Foot Complications requires: Severe foot injury / diabetic foot residuals. Per the Note: With actual loss of use of the foot, rate 40 percent (shift to loss-of-use rating).

What rates 20% for Diabetic Foot Complications under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5284?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5284 (DC 5284), a 20% rating for Diabetic Foot Complications requires: Moderately severe.

What rates 10% for Diabetic Foot Complications under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5284?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5284 (DC 5284), a 10% rating for Diabetic Foot Complications requires: Moderate.

What rates 0% for Diabetic Foot Complications under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5284?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5284 (DC 5284), a 0% rating for Diabetic Foot Complications requires: Slight — schedularly noncompensable; service connection preserved.

What happens during a C&P exam for Diabetic Foot Complications?

Do NOT stretch, warm up, or take pain medication before your exam. The VA needs your baseline limitation. Report your WORST day. DeLuca v. Brown requires documentation of functional loss during flare-ups.

EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. Not legal or medical advice. Not affiliated with the VA.

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Diabetic Foot Complications

Q: What are the VA rating percentages for Diabetic Foot Complications?

Diabetic Foot Complications (DC 5284) is rated at 30%, 20%, 10%, 0% under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5284. Severe foot injury / diabetic foot residuals. Per the Note: With actual loss of use of the foot, rate 40 percent (shift to loss-of-use rating).

Q: What evidence do I need for a Diabetic Foot Complications VA claim?

Key evidence for a Diabetic Foot Complications claim includes: Service treatment records showing injury or complaints; Imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT); Range of motion measurements; Flare-up documentation per Sharp v. Shulkin; Buddy statements describing limitations. All evidence should document both the condition and its impact on daily functioning.

DC 5284 | 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5284 | 

✓ VERIFIED AGAINST 38 C.F.R.§ 4.71a (Musculoskeletal system) · reviewed 2026-05-27 · ClaimRecon Editorial Team

Diabetic Foot Complications is rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under DC 5284 of 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5284 across 4 severity tiers (30% / 20% / 10% / 0%). Service connection requires (1) a current diagnosis, (2) an in-service event, injury, or exposure, and (3) a medical nexus opinion linking the two under 38 C.F.R. § 3.303.

OVERVIEW

Foot complications from diabetes mellitus including chronic ulcers, Charcot arthropathy, deformity, and risk of amputation

RATING CRITERIA (4 LEVELS)

30%

Severe foot injury / diabetic foot residuals. Per the Note: With actual loss of use of the foot, rate 40 percent (shift to loss-of-use rating).

20%

Moderately severe.

10%

Moderate.

Slight — schedularly noncompensable; service connection preserved.

KEY EVIDENCE TO GATHER

-Service treatment records showing injury or complaints

-Imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT)

-Range of motion measurements

-Flare-up documentation per Sharp v. Shulkin

-Buddy statements describing limitations

-Prescription history

-Physical therapy records

-Employment impact documentation

C&P EXAM TIPS (6)

1.Do NOT stretch, warm up, or take pain medication before your exam. The VA needs your baseline limitation.

2.Report your WORST day. DeLuca v. Brown requires documentation of functional loss during flare-ups.

3.Tell the examiner about flare-ups: frequency, duration, estimated ROM loss. Sharp v. Shulkin (2017) requires estimates.

4.Request active, passive, weight-bearing, and non-weight-bearing ROM testing per Correia v. McDonald (2016).

5.If you use assistive devices (brace, cane), bring them.

6.Describe daily activity impact: work, sleep, household tasks.

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SOURCES & EDITORIAL

Rating criteria text quoted verbatim from 38 C.F.R. § 4.71a (Musculoskeletal system). Source verified 2026-05-27 by ClaimRecon Editorial Team during a regulation-text comparison against the Cornell Law CFR mirror; eCFR.gov is the authoritative government source.

→ View § 4.71a on eCFR → Cornell Law mirror → Editorial Standards → Suggest a correction

EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. NOT LEGAL OR MEDICAL ADVICE.
NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
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