EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. Not legal or medical advice. Not affiliated with the VA.
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Enchondroma (Benign Cartilage Tumor)
✓ VERIFIED AGAINST 38 C.F.R.§ 4.71a (Musculoskeletal system) · reviewed 2026-05-27 · ClaimRecon Editorial Team
Enchondroma (Benign Cartilage Tumor) is rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under DC 5015 of 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5015 across 2 severity tiers (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
Benign cartilage tumor growing within the medullary cavity of bone, commonly in the hand, potentially causing pathologic fractures
RATING CRITERIA (2 LEVELS)
10%
Per § 4.59 with X-ray-confirmed enchondroma and objectively-documented painful motion, OR limitation of motion compensable under the joint-specific DC. For pathologic fracture through an enchondroma, rate the residual fracture under the appropriate bone DC (DC 5275 lower extremity shortening; DC 5283 tarsal/metatarsal malunion; or joint-specific LOM).
0%
Asymptomatic X-ray-confirmed enchondroma without compensable joint LOM and without § 4.59 painful-motion findings — schedularly noncompensable.
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 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.
EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. NOT LEGAL OR MEDICAL ADVICE.
NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
CLAIM RECON 2026