VA Diagnostic Code 5052Elbow replacement (prosthesis)
Rated from 30% to 100% under § 4.71a. Here is what the VA requires at each level.
Not the right code?
Summary
Prosthetic replacement of the elbow joint. With intermediate degrees of residual weakness, pain or limitation of motion rate by analogy to diagnostic codes 5205 through 5208.
What each rating requires
The VA assigns the highest level your evidence actually supports. Read up the stack until your records stop matching.
- 100%100% non-dominant
For 1 year following implantation of prosthesis
- 50%40% non-dominant
With chronic residuals consisting of severe painful motion or weakness in the affected extremity
- 30%20% non-dominant
Minimum evaluation
Notes on this code
These notes are part of the regulation. They change how the levels above are applied.
- Note (1): When an evaluation is assigned for joint resurfacing or the prosthetic replacement of a joint under diagnostic codes 5051-5056, an additional rating under § 4.71a may not also be assigned for that joint, unless otherwise directed.
- Note (2): Only evaluate a revision procedure in the same manner as the original procedure under diagnostic codes 5051-5056 if all the original components are replaced.
- Note (3): The term âprosthetic replacementâ in diagnostic codes 5051-5053 and 5055-5056 means a total replacement of the named joint. However, in DC 5054, âprosthetic replacementâ means a total replacement of the head of the femur or of the acetabulum.
- Note (4): The 100 percent rating for 1 year following implantation of prosthesis will commence after initial grant of the 1-month total rating assigned under § 4.30 following hospital discharge.
- Note (5): The 100 percent rating for 4 months following implantation of prosthesis or resurfacing under DCs 5054 and 5055 will commence after initial grant of the 1-month total rating assigned under § 4.30 following hospital discharge.
- Note (6): Special monthly compensation is assignable during the 100 percent rating period the earliest date permanent use of crutches is established.
Elbow Replacement (Prosthesis) — VA Disability Rating
Diagnostic Code 5052 · 38 CFR § 4.71a · Musculoskeletal System
What This Condition Covers
Diagnostic Code 5052 applies to the prosthetic replacement of the elbow joint — a total replacement of the named joint. The VA rates this condition based on how much time has passed since the implantation and what residual symptoms remain in the affected arm afterward.
Importantly, the VA distinguishes between your dominant (major) and non-dominant (minor) arm. The arm you use most is generally rated at a higher percentage than the arm you use less, because of the greater impact on daily function.
Available Rating Levels
The rating levels for elbow replacement differ depending on whether the affected arm is dominant or non-dominant:
| Rating (Dominant Arm) | Rating (Non-Dominant Arm) | What It Reflects |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | 100% | For 1 year following implantation of the prosthesis |
| 50% | 40% | Chronic residuals consisting of severe painful motion or weakness in the affected extremity |
| 30% | 20% | Minimum evaluation |
Rating by Analogy for Intermediate Cases
When there are intermediate degrees of residual weakness, pain, or limitation of motion, the condition is rated by analogy to Diagnostic Codes 5205 through 5208 (other elbow and forearm conditions).
What the VA Looks For
When evaluating an elbow replacement, the VA considers:
- Time since implantation — A 100% rating applies for 1 year following implantation of the prosthesis. This 100% period begins after the initial 1-month total rating assigned under § 4.30 following hospital discharge (Note 4).
- Chronic residuals — After the initial period, the VA looks at whether there is severe painful motion or weakness in the affected extremity, which supports the 50% (dominant) / 40% (non-dominant) level.
- Minimum evaluation — Even without severe residuals, a minimum rating of 30% (dominant) / 20% (non-dominant) applies.
- Which arm is affected — Dominant versus non-dominant, as this changes the assigned percentage.
Important Rules to Know
- One rating per joint (Note 1): When a rating is assigned for prosthetic replacement of a joint under Diagnostic Codes 5051–5056, an additional rating under § 4.71a may not also be assigned for that same joint, unless otherwise directed.
- Revision procedures (Note 2): A revision procedure is only evaluated the same way as the original procedure under DCs 5051–5056 if all the original components are replaced.
- Meaning of "prosthetic replacement" (Note 3): For DC 5052, this means a total replacement of the named joint.
- Special Monthly Compensation (Note 6): Special monthly compensation is assignable during the 100 percent rating period as of the earliest date permanent use of crutches is established.
This information is drawn directly from the VA rating schedule (38 CFR § 4.71a, Diagnostic Code 5052) and is provided for general educational purposes.
These criteria are a rendering of § 4.71a, diagnostic code 5052. The official version is the one that governs your rating.
View official sourceHow to claim this
Knowing the criteria is the first half. Getting your file to show them is the second.
Find your level in the stack
Read each rung against what your medical records already say. The level your records document today is the one the VA can support today.
Name the gap
Look at the rung above yours and write down exactly what it asks for that your file does not show yet — a diagnosis, a measurement, a prescribed brace, a doctor’s opinion linking it to service.
Claim it by code
File under diagnostic code 5052 and attach the evidence for the level you are asking for. Other Musculoskeletal System codes may cover your secondary conditions.
Find out which rating your evidence supports.
Six reads your records against these exact criteria and tells you what the VA is still missing.
Start for freeAll 159 Musculoskeletal System codes →