How the VA Rates Arthritis

The VA rates most arthritis under one of three diagnostic codes in 38 CFR §4.71a: DC 5003 (degenerative arthritis, also called osteoarthritis or DJD), DC 5002 (rheumatoid or atrophic arthritis), and DC 5017 (gout, rated using the DC 5002 criteria during an active process). Which code applies depends on the type of arthritis and which joint is affected. This page covers joint pain and arthritis in the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and other joints that don't have their own dedicated rating page on this site, plus gout and two commonly missed diagnoses: acromioclavicular (AC) joint osteoarthritis and De Quervain's tenosynovitis.

Degenerative Arthritis (DC 5003): The Default Code

DC 5003 is rated first under the limitation-of-motion code for the specific joint involved: DC 5201 for the shoulder, or DC 5215 for the wrist. If that limitation of motion is not itself compensable (i.e., it doesn't reach the 10% threshold on its own), degenerative arthritis confirmed by X-ray still earns a minimum 10% rating for one or two affected major joints or minor joint groups. A 20% rating applies when X-rays show involvement of two or more major joints or two or more minor joint groups, with occasional incapacitating exacerbations. The VA combines ratings for multiple arthritic joints using its combined ratings table rather than adding them together.

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Gout (DC 5002/5017)

Rheumatoid arthritis and gout are rated together under DC 5002 while the disease is an active process: ratings run from 20% (one or two exacerbations a year) up to 100% (constitutional symptoms with active joint involvement that is totally incapacitating), based on exacerbation frequency, weight loss, anemia, and how much the flares limit daily function. Once the active process resolves, the VA switches to rating the chronic residuals: the specific joint's limitation-of-motion or ankylosis rating, with a guaranteed minimum equivalent to the DC 5003 joint-group minimum. Many gout veterans are rated too low because only the joint pain is evaluated after a flare, without ever documenting the active-process history that supports the higher DC 5002 tier.

VA Rating for Shoulder and Elbow Arthritis

Arthritis in the shoulder or elbow is rated under DC 5003 combined with that joint's own limitation-of-motion code. The VA does not rate it as a separate "shoulder arthritis" diagnosis. For a full breakdown of the shoulder limitation-of-motion tiers (DC 5200-5203) and the elbow/forearm tiers (DC 5205-5210), see our dedicated shoulder disability rating and elbow disability rating pages. The arthritis angle simply adds the X-ray-confirmed DC 5003 minimum on top of whatever the joint's motion loss already supports, and it can be the difference between 0% and a compensable rating when motion loss alone falls just short.

VA Rating for Wrist Arthritis and De Quervain's Tenosynovitis

Wrist arthritis is rated under DC 5003 combined with DC 5215 (limitation of motion of the wrist), which caps at 10% for either the major or minor extremity, or under DC 5214 (ankylosis of the wrist) if motion is fused, which can reach 50%. De Quervain's tenosynovitis (inflammation of the tendons at the base of the thumb, common after repetitive gripping, carrying, or weapons handling in service) has no standalone diagnostic code. The VA rates it by analogy under DC 5024 (tenosynovitis), which directs the examiner to apply the degenerative arthritis criteria of DC 5003 based on how much the condition limits wrist and thumb motion. Because DC 5024 borrows its numbers from DC 5003, documenting X-ray or ultrasound findings and a measured range-of-motion loss at the C&P exam matters just as much for De Quervain's as it does for classic osteoarthritis.

VA Rating for Acromioclavicular (AC) Joint Osteoarthritis

AC joint osteoarthritis (degeneration of the small joint where the collarbone meets the top of the shoulder blade) is not broken out as its own diagnostic code in 38 CFR §4.71a. Instead, it is rated as part of the shoulder under DC 5003 combined with the shoulder limitation-of-motion codes (DC 5200-5203), since the AC joint is anatomically part of the shoulder girdle. This distinction matters for evidence: a shoulder MRI or X-ray report that specifically identifies AC joint arthritis (rather than just "shoulder pain" or a rotator cuff finding) gives the rater the X-ray confirmation DC 5003 requires, and separates AC joint degeneration from a rotator cuff tear that might otherwise be rated purely on motion loss.

VA Rating for Gout

Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis caused by uric acid crystal buildup in a joint, most often the big toe, ankle, or knee, and it is rated under DC 5017 using the same DC 5002 rheumatoid-arthritis criteria described above. A veteran with frequent, well-documented gout flares (redness, swelling, and joint pain confirmed by a provider or ER visit, ideally with a uric acid lab value) can support a higher active-process rating than a single flare would suggest. Between flares, gout is rated on the affected joint's residual limitation of motion, so a veteran whose gout has caused lasting joint damage should also be evaluated for the chronic DC 5003-style minimum on that joint.

Evidence for an Arthritis or Joint Pain Claim

Secondary Service Connection for Joint Arthritis

Arthritis in one joint often develops because of how a veteran compensates for a different service-connected condition. A veteran with a service-connected knee condition who favors that leg for years can develop secondary hip or back arthritis from the altered gait; a veteran with a service-connected dominant-arm shoulder injury can develop secondary elbow or wrist arthritis from overusing the other arm. Filing arthritis as secondary to an already-connected joint requires a nexus opinion linking the biomechanical strain to the original condition, but it is one of the most commonly missed claims because veterans assume only the original joint counts.

What to Expect at Your C&P Exam

How Arthritis Ratings Combine With Other Joint Conditions

Arthritis rarely shows up alone on a rating decision, so understanding how it stacks with related joint claims changes how you should file. A veteran with arthritis in both knees rated under our knee arthritis guidance, plus a separate wrist or shoulder arthritis claim from this page, will have each joint rated on its own diagnostic code. The VA then combines those ratings using its combined ratings table rather than adding the percentages together, which means a second or third joint claim always adds less to your combined percentage than the first one did. That's still worth filing: even a 10% wrist-arthritis addition on top of an existing 40% combined rating can be the difference that pushes your overall rating into the next 10-point bracket, and each individually rated joint remains separately documented if your arthritis later worsens and needs a higher evaluation.

Use our VA disability rating calculator to see how arthritis in multiple joints combines with your other conditions, or browse every rated condition at VA disability.