VA Diagnostic Code 5296Skull, loss of part of, both inner and outer tables
Rated from 10% to 80% 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.
- 80%
With brain hernia
- 50%
Without brain hernia: Area larger than size of a 50-cent piece or 1.140 in 2 (7.355 cm 2)
- 30%
Without brain hernia: Area intermediate
- 10%
Without brain hernia: Area smaller than the size of a 25-cent piece or 0.716 in 2 (4.619 cm 2)
Notes on this code
These notes are part of the regulation. They change how the levels above are applied.
- Note: Rate separately for intracranial complications.
Skull — Loss of Part of Both Inner and Outer Tables (Diagnostic Code 5296)
VA Disability Rating Schedule · § 4.71a · Musculoskeletal System
What This Condition Involves
The skull is made up of layers of bone, including an inner table and an outer table. Diagnostic Code 5296 addresses the loss of part of the skull where both the inner and outer tables are affected.
Under the VA rating schedule, this condition is evaluated based on two main factors:
- Whether a brain hernia is present, and
- The size of the affected area of skull loss (when no brain hernia is present).
Available Rating Levels
| Rating | What It Reflects |
|---|---|
| 80% | With brain hernia |
| 50% | Without brain hernia — area larger than the size of a 50-cent piece, or 1.140 in² (7.355 cm²) |
| 30% | Without brain hernia — area of intermediate size |
| 10% | Without brain hernia — area smaller than the size of a 25-cent piece, or 0.716 in² (4.619 cm²) |
What the VA Looks For
When rating this condition, the VA considers:
- The presence or absence of a brain hernia. A brain hernia corresponds to the highest listed rating of 80%.
- The measured size of the affected area when no brain hernia is present. The rating steps down from 50% to 10% depending on whether the area is larger than a 50-cent piece, of intermediate size, or smaller than a 25-cent piece, using the specific measurements listed above.
Important Note
- Intracranial complications are rated separately. According to the rating schedule, any intracranial complications associated with this condition are evaluated on their own, in addition to the rating assigned under Diagnostic Code 5296.
This information is drawn from the VA rating schedule under § 4.71a, Diagnostic Code 5296. Individual evaluations depend on the specific facts and medical evidence in each case.
These criteria are a rendering of § 4.71a, diagnostic code 5296. 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 5296 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 →