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Elbow Osteoarthritis
DC 5003 | 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003 |
Elbow Osteoarthritis is rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under DC 5003 of 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003 across 6 severity tiers (50% / 40% / 30% / 20% / 10%…). 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
Degenerative joint disease of the elbow with cartilage loss, bone spurs, and progressive stiffness reducing forearm motion
RATING CRITERIA (6 LEVELS)
50%
Rate under joint-specific DC: DC 5206 Major arm "Forearm, limitation of flexion to 45°" = 50%; DC 5207 Major arm "Forearm, limitation of extension to 90° or 100°" = 50%; DC 5205 Major arm "Elbow ankylosis, unfavorable at angle less than 50° or with complete loss of supination/pronation" = 60%. Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5205-5208. Most severe elbow-arthritis cases reach this tier through structural ankylosis or near-complete flexion/extension loss.
40%
Rate under joint-specific DC: DC 5206 Major arm "Forearm, flexion limited to 55°" = 40%; DC 5206 Minor arm "flexion limited to 45°" = 40%; DC 5205 Major arm "Elbow ankylosis, intermediate between 90° and 70° or 50°" = 50%; DC 5207 Major arm "Extension limited to 75°" = 40%. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5205-5207.)
30%
Rate under joint-specific DC: DC 5206 Major arm "Flexion limited to 70°" = 30%; DC 5206 Minor arm "Flexion limited to 55°" = 30%; DC 5207 Major arm "Extension limited to 60°" = 30%; DC 5205 Major arm "Elbow ankylosis, favorable at angle between 90° and 70°" = 50% (Major) / 40% (Minor). (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5205-5207.)
20%
Rate under joint-specific DC: DC 5206 Major arm "Flexion limited to 90°" = 20%; DC 5206 Minor arm "Flexion limited to 70°" = 20%; DC 5207 Major arm "Extension limited to 45°" = 20%; DC 5208 "Forearm flexion limited to 100° and extension to 45°" = 20%; OR — DC 5003 X-ray-only: "With X-ray evidence of involvement of 2 or more major joints or 2 or more minor joint groups, with occasional incapacitating exacerbations" = 20% (verbatim § 4.71a DC 5003). Per NOTE 1, X-ray-only 20% does NOT combine with ROM-based ratings.
10%
Rate under joint-specific DC: DC 5206 "Flexion limited to 100°" = 10% (Major or Minor); DC 5206 "Flexion limited to 110°" = 10% (Major or Minor — 10/10); DC 5207 "Extension limited to 45°" = 10% / "Extension limited to 60°" = 10%; OR — DC 5003 single-joint ROM fallback: "a rating of 10 pct is for application for each such major joint or group of minor joints affected by limitation of motion" when joint-specific ROM is noncompensable but limitation is "objectively confirmed by findings such as swelling, muscle spasm, or satisfactory evidence of painful motion"; OR — DC 5003 X-ray-only "With X-ray evidence of involvement of 2 or more major joints or 2 or more minor joint groups" = 10% (verbatim § 4.71a DC 5003). The 10% DC 5003 fallback applies once per major joint — the elbow is ONE major joint per § 4.45.
0%
X-ray-confirmed degenerative arthritis with ROM that is compensable under no applicable DC AND no objectively-confirmed painful-motion findings. (DC 5003 requires limitation of motion to be objectively confirmed by swelling, muscle spasm, or satisfactory evidence of painful motion — without these, the 10% fallback is not available.)
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.
SOURCES & EDITORIAL
Rating criteria reference 38 C.F.R. Part 4 (Schedule for Rating Disabilities). This entry has not yet undergone editorial review against the live regulation text — consult the authoritative source directly before relying on the criteria shown.
EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. NOT LEGAL OR MEDICAL ADVICE.
NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
CLAIM RECON 2026