VA Diagnostic Code 5109Loss of use of both hands
A single 100% rating under § 4.71a. Here is what the VA requires for it.
Not the right code?
What each rating requires
The VA assigns the highest level your evidence actually supports. Read up the stack until your records stop matching.
- 100%
Loss of use of both hands
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.
Loss of Use of Both Hands (Diagnostic Code 5109)
Understanding This VA Disability Rating
Body System: Musculoskeletal System Regulation: 38 CFR § 4.71a Diagnostic Code: 5109
What This Condition Covers
This diagnostic code applies to the loss of use of both hands. It falls under the VA's evaluation of the musculoskeletal system.
Because this condition significantly affects a veteran's ability to function, it is recognized at the highest disability rating level under this code.
Available Rating Level
Under Diagnostic Code 5109, there is one rating level:
| Rating | What It Reflects |
|---|---|
| 100% | Loss of use of both hands |
What the VA Looks For
When evaluating a claim under this diagnostic code, the VA looks at whether there is loss of use of both hands. Meeting this criterion corresponds to the 100% rating level shown above.
Important Note
- Veterans rated under this condition are also entitled to special monthly compensation.
This information is provided for general educational purposes and is drawn directly from the VA rating schedule under 38 CFR § 4.71a. Individual eligibility and rating determinations are made by the VA based on the specifics of each case.
These criteria are a rendering of § 4.71a, diagnostic code 5109. 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 5109 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 →