VA Rating Criteria — DC 5302
The VA rates Muscle group II injury under Diagnostic Code 5302, with separate ratings for the dominant and non-dominant arm: 0% to 40% for the dominant arm and 0% to 30% for the non-dominant arm. The applicable level depends on the full criteria below and the evidence for the condition.
Catalog name: Group II.Depression of arm from vertical overhead to hanging at side (1, 2); downward rotation of scapula (3, 4); 1 and 2 act with Group III in forward and backward swing of arm. Function: Extrinsic muscles of shoulder girdle: (1) Pectoralis major II (costosternal); (2) latissimus dorsi and teres major (teres major, although technically an intrinsic muscle, is included with latissimus dorsi); (3) pectoralis minor; (4) rhomboid.
Rating schedule · DC 5302 at a glance
- Dominant arm
- 0% to 40%
- Non-dominant arm
- 0% to 30%
- CFR section
- § 4.73
- Body system
- Musculoskeletal System
- Secondary conditions
- 0
Dominant column of the published table
Nondominant column of the published table
Where this code is published
None mapped
This diagnostic code covers a muscle group or general rating formula rather than a specific medical condition. The rating criteria below apply when the VA evaluates injuries to this muscle group.
What are the VA rating criteria for Muscle group II injury?
DC 5302 is rated separately for your dominant arm and your non-dominant arm. 38 CFR § 4.69 decides which arm is dominant.
Source: 38 CFR § 4.73, eCFR as of .
What other musculoskeletal conditions does the VA rate?
These diagnostic codes sit next to Muscle group II injury in 38 CFR Part 4. The rating schedule is ordered anatomically, so neighbouring codes usually cover the same joint, organ, or system, and a claim often involves more than one of them.
- 5278Claw foot (pes cavus), acquired
- 5279Metatarsalgia, anterior (Morton's disease), unilateral, or bilateral
- 5280Hallux valgus, unilateral
- 5281Hallux rigidus, unilateral, severe
- 5282Hammer toe
- 5283Tarsal, or metatarsal bones, malunion of, or nonunion of
- 5284Foot injuries, other
- 5296Skull, loss of part of, both inner and outer tables
- 5297Ribs, removal of
- 5298Coccyx, removal of
What to do with a Muscle group II injury rating
The tools, regulations and guides that pick up where the criteria above leave off.
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- The VA C&P Exam Explained: Before, During, and AfterA VA C&P exam helps VA decide service connection and your rating. Here is what happens before, during, and after, plus how to request your exam report.
- VA Service Connection Evidence 101: The Three-Legged StoolFor an original claim tied to active-duty service, VA needs a current disability, an in-service event, and a link between them. Here is what each part takes.
- VA Math Explained: How Combined Disability Ratings Really WorkVA ratings do not add. Learn how 38 CFR 4.25 combines disabilities using whole-person efficiency, why 50 and 30 round to 70, and how the bilateral factor works.
Common Questions About Muscle group II injury VA Ratings
What is the VA rating range for Muscle group II injury?
Dominant arm: 0% to 40%; non-dominant arm: 0% to 30%, under DC 5302, 38 CFR § 4.73. The applicable column depends on which arm is dominant under 38 CFR § 4.69.
Which 38 CFR diagnostic code does the VA use for Muscle group II injury?
The VA rates Muscle group II injury under Diagnostic Code (DC) 5302, published in 38 CFR § 4.73. The diagnostic code establishes the specific rating tiers and severity criteria the VA examiner applies.
What is the difference between a 0% and a 40% dominant-arm rating for Muscle group II injury?
These figures are the dominant-arm column of DC 5302. A 0% dominant-arm rating is published for: Slight. A 40% dominant-arm rating is published for: Severe. The non-dominant arm is rated on its own column, 0% to 30%.
Can Muscle group II injury qualify for TDIU?
Using the dominant-arm maximum: DC 5302 publishes up to 40% for the dominant arm and up to 30% for the non-dominant arm. That alone does not meet the single-disability TDIU threshold of 60%. With other service-connected disabilities combining to 70% or more, one of them at 40% or more, TDIU under 38 CFR § 4.16(a) may apply, and extraschedular TDIU under § 4.16(b) is available if the condition alone prevents work regardless of rating.
What evidence supports a higher rating for Muscle group II injury?
The key evidence for Muscle group II injury is documentation of how the condition affects daily functioning. For musculoskeletal conditions, range of motion measurements (active, passive, weight-bearing, and non-weight-bearing per Correia v. McDonald) and flare-up documentation are critical. A nexus letter from a qualified medical professional linking the current severity to service is essential for contested claims.
What happens at the C&P exam for Muscle group II injury?
The C&P examiner uses a Musculoskeletal System DBQ and evaluates your condition against the DC 5302 rating criteria. Expect range of motion testing in multiple positions. Under Correia v. McDonald, the examiner must test active, passive, weight-bearing, and non-weight-bearing range of motion. Report your worst flare-up symptoms. If you cannot attend during a flare, request the exam be rescheduled.
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