Musculoskeletal System§ 4.71aUpdated
Rating criteria

VA Diagnostic Code 5106Anatomical loss of both hands

A single 100% rating under § 4.71a. Here is what the VA requires for it.

View official source

Not the right code?

The ladder

What each rating requires

The VA assigns the highest level your evidence actually supports. Read up the stack until your records stop matching.

  1. 100%

    Anatomical loss of both hands

From the schedule

Notes on this code

These notes are part of the regulation. They change how the levels above are applied.

  • 1 Also entitled to special monthly compensation.

Anatomical Loss of Both Hands (VA Diagnostic Code 5106)

Understanding This Rating

Body system: Musculoskeletal System Regulation: 38 CFR § 4.71a Diagnostic Code: 5106

Diagnostic Code 5106 addresses the anatomical loss of both hands. "Anatomical loss" refers to the physical loss of the hands. This condition falls under the VA's rating schedule for the musculoskeletal system.

Available Rating Level

Under this diagnostic code, the VA provides a single rating level:

RatingCriteria
100%Anatomical loss of both hands

What the VA Looks For

When rating under Diagnostic Code 5106, the VA evaluates whether there is anatomical loss of both hands. Meeting this criterion corresponds to the 100% rating level shown above.

Additional Note

  • A veteran evaluated under this diagnostic code is also entitled to special monthly compensation.

This information is drawn directly from the VA rating schedule under 38 CFR § 4.71a. It is provided for general educational purposes and describes how the VA rates this condition. It does not guarantee any particular outcome. For questions about your individual situation, consult the applicable VA regulations or a qualified representative.

These criteria are a rendering of § 4.71a, diagnostic code 5106. The official version is the one that governs your rating.

View official source
What next

How to claim this

Knowing the criteria is the first half. Getting your file to show them is the second.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. Claim it by code

    File under diagnostic code 5106 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