VA Diagnostic Code 5160Complete amputation, lower extremity:
Rated from 90% to 100% 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.
- 100%
Trans-pelvic amputation (involving complete removal of the femur and intrinsic pelvic musculature along with any portion of the pelvic bones)
- 90%
Disarticulation (involving complete removal of the femur and intrinsic pelvic musculature only)
Notes on this code
These notes are part of the regulation. They change how the levels above are applied.
- Note: Separately evaluate residuals involving other body systems (e.g., bowel impairment, bladder impairment) under the appropriate diagnostic code.
- 2 Also entitled to special monthly compensation.
Complete Amputation of the Lower Extremity (VA Diagnostic Code 5160)
Musculoskeletal System · 38 CFR § 4.71a
Understanding This Condition
Diagnostic Code 5160 addresses complete amputation of the lower extremity — the highest-level amputations of the leg, where the femur and surrounding tissue are entirely removed. Because these amputations involve the loss of the entire limb at or near the pelvis, the VA rates them at the top of the disability schedule.
This code is part of the VA's musculoskeletal rating system and is evaluated under § 4.71a.
Available Rating Levels
The VA recognizes two rating levels for this condition:
| Rating | What It Reflects |
|---|---|
| 100% | Trans-pelvic amputation — involving complete removal of the femur and intrinsic pelvic musculature along with any portion of the pelvic bones. |
| 90% | Disarticulation — involving complete removal of the femur and intrinsic pelvic musculature only. |
What the VA Looks For
When rating an amputation under Diagnostic Code 5160, the VA distinguishes between two situations based on the extent of tissue and bone removed:
- A 100% rating applies to a trans-pelvic amputation, where the femur and intrinsic pelvic musculature are completely removed along with any portion of the pelvic bones.
- A 90% rating applies to a disarticulation, where the femur and intrinsic pelvic musculature are completely removed, but the pelvic bones are not involved.
Additional Considerations
- Related residuals are rated separately. Any residuals involving other body systems — for example, bowel impairment or bladder impairment — are evaluated separately under the appropriate diagnostic code.
- Special monthly compensation. Amputations rated under this code may also entitle the veteran to special monthly compensation.
This information is drawn from the VA rating schedule for Diagnostic Code 5160. It is provided for general educational purposes and does not guarantee any particular rating or outcome.
These criteria are a rendering of § 4.71a, diagnostic code 5160. 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 5160 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 →