Arthritis affects millions of veterans, often as a result of years of physical strain, injuries, or exposure to hazardous environments during military service. Thankfully, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) acknowledges arthritis as an eligible condition for disability compensation. However, understanding how the VA disability rating for arthritis is granted can be complex, especially given the variety of types and the multiple joints it can impact.
To help veterans and their families navigate the VA claims process, this blog breaks down the various VA rating criteria for arthritis, offering valuable guidance on how to establish a service connection and secure fair compensation.
Table of Contents
What is Arthritis in Veterans?
The VA’s 2023 Annual Benefits Report shows that arthritis-related conditions are among the most compensated disabilities. Nearly 5.99 million veterans are receiving VA benefits for service-connected issues, many of which involve joint problems like limited motion in the knees, ankles, arms, and spine.
In Veterans, arthritis is commonly caused by repetitive joint stress, traumatic injuries, overuse during physical training, exposure to cold environments, and contact with toxins such as burn pits or industrial chemicals during military service.
Veterans experience two major forms of arthritis: Degenerative (Osteoarthritis) and Rheumatoid. Other types of arthritis that may affect veterans include psoriatic and reactive arthritis, gout, ankylosing spondylitis, post-traumatic arthritis, and arthritis affecting the shoulders, fingers, wrists, and feet, each varying in cause but potentially linked to service-related factors.
Common Symptoms of Arthritis
- Persistent or recurring joint pain
- Swelling in one or more joints
- Morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes
- Decreased range of motion
- Joint instability or “giving out”
- Fatigue and low-grade fevers (especially in autoimmune types)
Arthritis is typically managed with medications, physical therapy, and in severe cases, surgical interventions such as joint replacement.
According to the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, nearly 35.2% of U.S. veterans (about 6.8 million) have a diagnosed form of arthritis, which is significantly higher than the general population. Given the prevalence of this condition among military veterans, understanding how the VA assigns disability ratings for arthritis is crucial for securing rightful benefits.
Degenerative Arthritis VA Ratings
Degenerative arthritis, also known as osteoarthritis, is the most frequently diagnosed form among U.S. veterans. It results from the gradual wearing away of cartilage that cushions the joints. While aging is a natural risk factor, military service often accelerates this process due to repetitive use, heavy lifting, or physical trauma.
Approximately 28% of veterans develop osteoarthritis after suffering combat-related injuries.
Veterans frequently experience degenerative arthritis in the back, knees, hips, shoulders, and hands. Under VA Diagnostic Code 5003, degenerative arthritis is rated at 10% or 20% based on X-ray evidence in two or more joints and the presence of limited motion or occasional flare-ups.
VA Rating Criteria for Degenerative Arthritis
- 10% Rating: If X-rays show arthritis in two or more major joints (e.g., knees, shoulders) or groups of minor joints (e.g., fingers, toes), even without painful motion.
- 20% Rating: When X-ray evidence is present, with occasional incapacitating episodes.
Ratings may also be based on a limited range of motion under joint-specific diagnostic codes like Code 5260 for knees or Code 5201 for shoulders.
The VA rating for arthritis in the back or spine often includes stiffness, crepitus, and difficulty in flexion or extension. For degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, medical examiners conduct a range of motion test using a goniometer to determine limitations in movement.
Understanding the Painful Motion Rule
Veterans may not realize that joint pain alone, even without limited motion, can earn a 10% arthritis VA rating under the “painful motion rule,” which recognizes functional limitations due to pain.
During the VA C&P examination, the examiner may evaluate both active and passive range of motion, assess movement under both weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing conditions, or compare the affected joint to the unaffected one to test painful motion. If they don’t evaluate your painful motion, you have grounds to challenge the adequacy of the examination.
Rheumatoid Arthritis VA Ratings
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks joint linings, leading to chronic inflammation and joint destruction. Around 5.3% of U.S. military veterans, or one in every 20, have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Unlike degenerative arthritis, RA may affect multiple joints like hands, ankles, knees, and wrists symmetrically and can also impair other organs such as the lungs, heart, and eyes.
The VA evaluates rheumatoid arthritis under Diagnostic Code 5002, with ratings ranging from 20% to 100%, depending on the frequency of incapacitating episodes, weight loss, anemia, and overall health deterioration.
Criteria for Rheumatoid Arthritis VA Ratings:
- 100% Rating: Totally incapacitating symptoms with systemic involvement.
- 60% Rating: Severe symptoms with four or more flare-ups per year, weight loss, or anemia.
- 40% Rating: Three or more incapacitating episodes per year or significant health impairment.
- 20% Rating: One or two incapacitating episodes every year with a confirmed diagnosis.
Rheumatoid arthritis does not require X-ray evidence like degenerative arthritis does. Instead, diagnosis and VA rating for arthritis in multiple joints depend on clinical findings during your C&P exam, including joint swelling, motion testing, and fatigue or systemic issues.
When veterans have service-connected rheumatoid arthritis in both arms or both legs, the VA applies a “bilateral factor” to compensate for the added functional limitations. This factor adds 10% of the combined rating of both limbs, which can increase the overall disability rating and result in higher monthly compensation.
Presumptive Claim for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Veterans often struggle with proving RA as service-connected, especially when there is an absence of a combat injury. Although not yet presumptively linked to burn pit exposure, veterans with rheumatoid arthritis may have a service connection if they served in regions like Iraq or Afghanistan. Legal efforts continue to include this arthritis type in the presumptive list under the PACT Act.
Joint-Specific Arthritis VA Ratings
The VA has joint-specific criteria for rating arthritis, especially when it affects functional mobility. Let’s explore how various joints are assessed:
VA Rating for Arthritis in the Hands and Fingers
Arthritis in the fingers or hands can severely limit grip strength and dexterity. Veterans may receive a VA rating for arthritis in the fingers or hand arthritis depending on the level of pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion. These VA arthritis types are evaluated under Diagnostic Codes 5216–5230.
Knee Arthritis and Bilateral Considerations
VA rating for arthritis in the knee is one of the most frequently awarded ratings for veterans. The bilateral knee arthritis VA rating allows for bilateral factor adjustments, which slightly increase the overall disability percentage when both knees are involved.
- Ratings typically fall under Diagnostic Codes 5260 (flexion limitation) and 5261 (extension limitation).
- Arthritis in both knees, VA rating often includes crepitus, buckling, or instability, which may qualify for separate ratings.
Ankle and Foot Arthritis
The VA rating for arthritis in the ankle or arthritis in the feet depends on how much it impairs walking and balance. When post-traumatic arthritis results from a service-connected injury, it is evaluated under Diagnostic Code 5010, which considers pain, stiffness, and limited joint movement.
Shoulder and Wrist Ratings
For shoulder arthritis, particularly ac joint arthritis, the VA uses Diagnostic Code 5201. The VA rating for arthritis in the wrist considers radial deviation and extension ranges, which can be profoundly affected by joint pain.
Joint replacements, especially of the hips and knees, may trigger temporary 100% ratings for 1 year post-surgery under specific codes like Diagnostic Code 5055 (knee replacement) or 5054 (hip replacement).
Multi-Joint and Psoriatic Arthritis VA Ratings
Multi-joint arthritis, such as psoriatic arthritis, spondyloarthropathies, and Marie-Strumpell disease, occurs when two or more joints are affected by inflammation or degeneration. Rated under Diagnostic Code 5002, these are evaluated based on systemic involvement or chronic residuals.
While psoriatic arthritis VA rating is not as common, it’s increasingly being recognized due to rising autoimmune diagnoses among veterans. Conditions like ankylosing spondylitis also fall under this category but are distinct from RA in their clinical progression.
VA rating criteria for veterans suffering from multiple joint pain are as follows:
- 100% Rating for totally incapacitating conditions.
- 60% Rating for severe, frequent flare-ups (four or more/year), weight loss, or anemia.
- 40% Rating for three or more annual flare-ups or confirmed systemic decline.
- 20% Rating for one to two documented exacerbations per year.
Veterans with multi-joint arthritis often experience joint stiffness, pain, fatigue, and swelling across both major (e.g., shoulders, knees) and minor joints (e.g., fingers, spine). These conditions have the potential to earn VA disability ratings as high as 100%, depending on the frequency and intensity of symptoms.
Remember, the VA does not “pyramid” ratings for active arthritis and residual limitations. For example, if you are rated 40% for active rheumatoid arthritis, you cannot also receive a rating for limited motion in your wrists in most cases. Instead, VA must assign the higher rating between the two.
How to Establish a Service Connection for Arthritis VA Rating
To receive VA arthritis compensation, the most crucial requirement is proving that your condition is service-connected. This means showing that your joint pain was either caused or aggravated by your time in the military service. Here’s how each type of service connection works and what you need to successfully support your claim:
1. Direct Service Connection
This is established by showing that arthritis began during or shortly after your active-duty service. To prove a direct service connection, you need evidence of:
- A current diagnosis of arthritis (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid, psoriatic, etc.)
- Evidence of joint symptoms or treatment during active duty (e.g., medical records, sick call logs, duty limitations)
- A medical nexus between your arthritis and your service (doctor’s opinion or nexus letter stating it’s “at least as likely as not” your service caused or worsened the joint condition)
2. Presumptive Service Connection
Under 38 CFR § 3.309 (Disease subject to presumptive service connection), arthritis is considered a chronic disease. If symptoms develop within one year of discharge to a degree of at least 10%, the VA automatically presumes service connection.
Arthritis may be presumptively connected if a veteran served in conditions that strain the joints, for example, cold weather, repetitive stress, airborne hazards, or injuries from combat or training. Veterans who were POWs, served in the Gulf War, or were exposed to toxins like Agent Orange may also qualify for arthritis-related VA claims.
Proving a VA presumptive claim doesn’t always need you to prove a direct link, which can be especially helpful if you lack complete service treatment records.
3. Secondary Service Connection
If arthritis develops as a result of another service-connected disability, VA may grant benefits under secondary connection. For example:
- A veteran with a knee injury may develop hip arthritis due to gait changes.
- A service-connected back injury could lead to arthritis in the ankles or hips from altered posture.
To support your secondary claim for joint pain, you may provide evidence for:
- A current diagnosis of your secondary condition
- Evidence of your primary service-connected condition and
- A medical nexus opinion stating that your joint condition is “at least as likely as not” due to the primary service-connected disability
Supporting documents like imaging studies, treatment records, and lay statements support your claim and improve approval chances.
Don’t underestimate the power of a well-documented medical history. If you have experienced joint pain, stiffness, or limited mobility since discharge, continuity of symptoms can be critical, even in the absence of a formal in-service diagnosis.
How the VA Conducts C&P Exams for Arthritis Claims
The Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam is an important step in the VA claims process. During this evaluation, VA-contracted physicians:
- Use goniometers to assess joint range of motion.
- Test for painful motion, instability, and functional loss.
- Confirm X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans for evidence of arthritis as applicable.
- Inquire about flare-ups and how symptoms impact daily activities.
It’s crucial that veterans describe their worst symptoms, not just how they feel on exam day. For example, a VA rating for arthritis in the neck hinges on how well the cervical spine flexes and rotates, and if you experience this, be honest if it causes daily migraines or affects sleep.
The examiner will document both objective findings and the veteran’s self-reported limitations to determine the severity and impact of the condition. Additionally, the VA may consider repeated range-of-motion tests or functional assessments after physical exertion to evaluate how joint pain symptoms worsen with use.
Failing to attend this exam may lead to unfavorable results or even claim denial, as it directly influences the VA’s decision on your claim and the disability rating you may receive.
Temporary and Total Disability Ratings for Arthritis Surgeries
If your service-connected arthritis leads you to undergo joint replacement surgery, such as knee replacement, hip replacement, or spinal fusions, you may qualify for a temporary 100% VA disability rating. This rating compensates you at the full disability rate during your recovery period, recognizing the serious impact of surgery on your daily life.
There are two types of temporary total ratings:
- Hospitalization Rating
If you are hospitalized for more than 21 consecutive days due to a surgery related to your arthritis, you may receive 100% compensation during that time. - Convalescence Rating (under 38 CFR § 4.30)
After surgery, if you need time to recover at home, especially if a major joint is immobilized, or you are housebound or require crutches/wheelchair, you can receive full benefits for a minimum of one month, extendable up to three or more months based on medical evidence.
For instance, if a veteran undergoes a knee replacement for degenerative arthritis, they may receive 100% benefits for up to one year post-surgery, followed by a reevaluation based on residual function.
This benefit ensures veterans aren’t financially burdened while recovering from service-connected procedures. Veterans applying can submit medical records and surgical reports to support their temporary total disability claim.
TDIU and Arthritis: When Joint Pain Prevents Employment
Veterans whose service-connected arthritis (alone or in combination with other disabilities) prevents substantially gainful employment may qualify for TDIU (Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability).
TDIU Eligibility Requirements:
- You must have at least one service-connected disability rated at 60% or higher,
or - Have a combined disability rating of 70% or more, with at least one of those service-connected disabilities rated at 40% or higher.
Even if your rheumatoid arthritis VA rating is 60%, and you have other joint conditions related to the shoulder or wrist, you may qualify for VA benefits at the 100% rate under TDIU.
Lay statements from former employers, family, or co-workers can strengthen your TDIU claim by showing how arthritis impacts your job performance or ability to work.
Considerations for Filing a Successful VA Claim for Arthritis
Filing a VA disability claim for arthritis involves more than submitting a form. To improve your chances of success and avoid delays or denials, consider these items tailored specifically for joint-related claims:
1. Gather Comprehensive Medical Evidence
The VA needs to see clear proof of a current arthritis diagnosis, and ideally, imaging evidence showing joint degeneration or inflammation. Submit medical records from VA facilities, private physicians, and even chiropractors if relevant.
Documentation of ongoing treatment, like physical therapy, pain management, or joint injections, can help prove the persistent severity of your condition. If you have undergone joint replacement surgery, be sure to include your surgical notes as well.
2. Consider Supporting Your Claim with a Detailed Nexus Letter
Include a well-written nexus letter from a qualified medical professional that clearly links your arthritis-related condition to your military service. Ensure it includes a thorough rationale, references your service history, and uses phrases like “more likely than not” to meet VA standards.
For expert assistance with independent medical nexus opinions, consider Prestige Veteran. Our qualified team of healthcare professionals help veterans build stronger, service-connected claims.
3. Understand Your Diagnostic Code
Arthritis is rated under different VA diagnostic codes depending on the type and severity:
- Code 5003 outlining VA ratings for degenerative arthritis
- Code 5002 specifying disability ratings for rheumatoid or inflammatory arthritis
- Code 5010 rating post-traumatic arthritis
Knowing which code applies ensures your arthritis VA claim is processed under the right rating criteria.
4. Be Specific About Joints Involved
If you have arthritis affecting multiple joints (e.g., back, hips, fingers), list each joint separately in your application. Each may be eligible for a separate rating or contribute to a higher combined disability percentage.
5. Keep a Symptom Journal
Track your symptoms over time. Note flare-ups, stiffness, mobility issues, and how your joint pain affects your daily activities and job duties. This real-world context helps the VA understand your level of functional loss.
6. Prepare for the C&P Exam
Your Compensation & Pension exam will play a major role in influencing your arthritis VA rating. Make sure to:
- Describe your worst symptoms, even if the pain feels manageable that day. You can give statements like, “Some days, the pain and stiffness in my joints are so severe that I can barely move without a cane.”
- Explain how arthritis limits you in performing daily activities, for example, difficulty climbing stairs, gripping objects.
- Mention the frequency of flare-ups and any assistive devices you are using for movement (e.g., cane, braces).
7. Use Lay Statements
Ask family members, friends, or fellow service members to write statements explaining how your arthritis impacts your daily life. These lay or buddy statements help fill in evidentiary gaps in VA disability claims and offer a personal perspective.
8. Don’t Wait Too Long to File
Arthritis can get worse over time, so it’s important to file your claim as early as possible. Filing early protects your effective date and helps you access benefits sooner if your symptoms progress.
If your arthritis VA claim is denied or rated too low, you can still review your decision letter, gather new evidence, and consider an appeal. To appeal for favorable results, you can request a Higher-Level Review, file a Supplemental Claim, or seek help from a VA-accredited representative.
Conclusion
Arthritis is a common yet disabling condition for many veterans, and understanding how the VA rates it is key to receiving fair compensation. Whether you have rheumatoid or degenerative arthritis, properly documenting symptoms, submitting medical and service records, and being thoroughly prepared for your C&P exam can lead to a successful claim. Besides, a strong medical nexus letter from a qualified healthcare provider is crucial to prove a service connection.
Whether you are just starting the disability claims process or appealing an unfair decision, taking the right steps can improve your chances. Filing a complete claim early protects your rights and supports your long-term care. For guidance with your claim, consider reaching out to a qualified VA representative.
FAQs
What is the average VA rating for arthritis?
Most veterans with arthritis receive a 10% or 20% VA rating, though higher ratings are possible with systemic or multi-joint involvement.
How much compensation can I receive for my arthritis VA disability?
The amount of VA disability compensation for arthritis depends on your final rating. For example, you will get VA disability compensation of $171.23 per month for a 10% rating and $731.86 per month for a 40% rating (as of 2025, for a veteran with no dependents).
How do you prove arthritis in VA?
You prove arthritis by submitting a current diagnosis, medical or service records showing in-service symptoms or injury, and a medical nexus linking your existing condition to military service.
Does arthritis qualify as a disability?
Yes, arthritis qualifies as a VA-recognized disability. Additionally, degenerative (osteoarthritis), rheumatoid, psoriatic, post-traumatic, and multi-joint arthritis all qualify if they impair function and are service-connected.
Is arthritis a VA presumptive condition?
Yes, arthritis is a presumptive condition if it becomes compensable (rated 10% or more) within one year of discharge under 38 CFR § 3.309.
How to prove arthritis is service-connected?
You can prove service connection directly (in-service evidence), presumptively (within one year post-service), or secondarily (caused by another service-connected condition) with medical and lay evidence.
How much disability will I get for arthritis?
VA ratings for arthritis range from 10% to 100% depending on type (e.g., degenerative or rheumatoid), joint involvement, flare-ups, and motion limitations.
What is a C&P exam for arthritis?
A C&P exam evaluates joint motion, pain, flare-ups, and function using tools like goniometers and imaging to determine your arthritis rating.
Also read: Considerations for Securing VA Knee Disability Compensation
At Prestige Veteran Medical Consulting, a veteran-owned company, we specialize in Independent Medical Opinions (IMOs) known as Nexus letters.
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Leveraging an extensive network of licensed independent medical professionals, all well-versed in the medical professional aspects of the VA claims process, we review the necessary medical evidence to incorporate in our reports related to your VA Disability Claim.
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