VA Diagnostic Code 5155Ring finger, amputation of:
Rated from 10% to 20% under § 4.71a. Here is what the VA requires at each level.
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.
- 20%20% non-dominant
With metacarpal resection (more than one-half the bone lost)
- 10%10% non-dominant
Without metacarpal resection, at proximal interphalangeal joint or proximal thereto
Notes on this code
These notes are part of the regulation. They change how the levels above are applied.
- Note: The single finger amputation ratings are the only applicable ratings for amputations of whole or part of single fingers.
Ring Finger Amputation — VA Disability Rating (Diagnostic Code 5155)
Musculoskeletal System · 38 CFR § 4.71a
Understanding This Rating
Diagnostic Code 5155 covers the amputation of the ring finger, whether it involves the whole finger or part of it. It falls under the VA's rating schedule for the musculoskeletal system.
Important: Under VA rules, the single finger amputation ratings are the only applicable ratings for amputations of a whole or part of a single finger.
Available Rating Levels
The VA assigns a rating based on how much of the finger and surrounding bone is involved. For the ring finger, the ratings are the same whether the affected hand is your dominant (major) or non-dominant (minor) extremity.
| Rating | Criteria | Dominant Hand | Non-Dominant Hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20% | With metacarpal resection (more than one-half the bone lost) | 20% | 20% |
| 10% | Without metacarpal resection, at the proximal interphalangeal joint or proximal thereto | 10% | 10% |
What the VA Looks For
When evaluating a ring finger amputation under this code, the VA considers:
- Whether there is a metacarpal resection — specifically, whether more than one-half of the metacarpal bone has been lost. This distinguishes the 20% rating from the 10% rating.
- The location of the amputation — for the 10% level, the amputation is at the proximal interphalangeal joint or proximal thereto (without metacarpal resection).
These distinctions in bone loss and amputation location determine which rating level applies to your claim.
This information is drawn directly from the VA rating schedule for Diagnostic Code 5155 and is provided for general educational purposes.
These criteria are a rendering of § 4.71a, diagnostic code 5155. 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 5155 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 →