Body system: Musculoskeletal SystemRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.71aDBQ: DBQ MUSC Elbow and forearm
This diagnostic code covers veterans who have had their elbow joint replaced with an artificial joint (prosthesis). The VA automatically gives you a 100% rating for the first year after your elbow replacement surgery to allow for healing and recovery. After that year, your rating drops to either 40% if you have severe pain or weakness, or 20% as the minimum rating - you'll never go below 20% once you've had an elbow replacement.
Rating levels
- 100% — If you have had your elbow joint surgically replaced with an artificial joint (prosthesis), you automatically qualify for this rating for the entire first year after the surgery. During this one-year period, you receive this rating regardless of how well your elbow is functioning or what symptoms you may or may not have.
- 100% — If you have had your elbow joint surgically replaced with an artificial joint (prosthesis), you automatically qualify for this rating for the entire first year after the surgery. During this one-year period, you receive this rating regardless of how well your elbow is functioning or what symptoms you may or may not have.
- 50% — You qualify for this rating if you have an artificial elbow joint that causes severe ongoing pain when you move your arm or significant weakness in that arm. The pain must be chronic (long-lasting) and happen regularly when you try to bend, straighten, or use your elbow, or your arm must be noticeably weak compared to normal function.
- 40% — You qualify for this rating if you have an artificial elbow joint that causes ongoing severe pain when you move your arm or significant weakness in that arm. The pain must be chronic (long-lasting) and happen regularly when you try to bend, straighten, or rotate your elbow, or the weakness must noticeably limit your ability to use that arm for daily activities.
- 30% — If you have had your elbow joint surgically replaced with an artificial joint (prosthesis), you automatically qualify for this rating level as the minimum evaluation. This rating applies regardless of how well your artificial elbow functions, because having any elbow replacement surgery is considered significant enough to warrant at least this level of disability compensation.
- 20% — If you have had your elbow joint surgically replaced with an artificial joint (prosthesis), you automatically qualify for this rating level as the minimum evaluation. This applies regardless of how well your artificial elbow functions, because the VA recognizes that having any joint replacement represents a significant permanent change to your body that deserves compensation.