ACL/PCL/MCL/LCL Tear — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
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The DBQ for ACL/PCL/MCL/LCL Tear
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960M-9 (Knee and Lower Leg Conditions) — the form that decides your rating. You can have your own doctor complete the same DBQ and submit it as evidence.
Have a C&P exam coming up? See exactly what the examiner will ask about ACL/PCL/MCL/LCL Tear — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for ACL/PCL/MCL/LCL Tear, based on your overall combined VA disability rating.
| Rating | Monthly (Alone) | Monthly (w/ Spouse) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $6,629.64 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $9,550.08 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $13,594.80 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $17,220.24 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $21,701.40 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $25,225.80 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $28,347.60 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $47,262.96 |
Common Symptoms
Document these symptoms in your claim. The more thoroughly you describe how they affect your daily life, the stronger your claim.
Functional Limitations
VA rates disabilities based on how they limit your ability to function. Describe these limitations in your personal statement.
Rating Criteria for ACL/PCL/MCL/LCL Tear
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.71a, DC 5257 (knee, recurrent subluxation or instability; rev. Feb 7, 2021). Associated limitation of motion is rated separately under DC 5260/5261.. Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
Sprain, incomplete ligament tear, or complete ligament tear (repaired, unrepaired, or failed repair) causing persistent instability, without a medical prescription for an assistive device or bracing for ambulation.
Sprain, incomplete tear, or repaired complete tear causing persistent instability with a prescribed brace and/or assistive device; or an unrepaired or failed-repair complete tear causing persistent instability with a prescribed assistive device or bracing.
Unrepaired or failed repair of a complete ligament tear causing persistent instability, with a medical provider prescribing both an assistive device and bracing for ambulation.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding ACL/PCL/MCL/LCL Tear raise your rating?
Enter your current combined rating and the level this condition would rate at. We'll do the VA math.
New combined
10%
New monthly
$180
Change
+$180
Rates shown are the 2026 veteran-alone amounts (no dependents). VA combines ratings with "whole-person" math and rounds to the nearest 10, so adding a condition does not simply add its percentage. Full combined-rating calculator with dependents →
Peer-Reviewed Medical Evidence
Real, verified studies from PubMed/NIH that support a ACL/PCL/MCL/LCL Tear claim. Bring these citations to your accredited VSO or C&P exam — they help show your condition is recognized in the medical literature and, where noted, linked to other service-connected conditions.
Military Medicine, 2007 · PMID 17274274
Finding: Using the Defense Medical Epidemiology Database (1997-2003), ACL disruption (ICD-9 717.83) occurred at 3.09 cases per 1,000 person-years in men and 2.29 in women, and cruciate sprain/strain (844.2) at 3.79 (men) and 2.95 (women) per 1,000 person-years, controlling for age and race.
Why it helps: Documents that ACL injuries occur at a measurable, elevated rate across the active-duty force, supporting an association between military service and ACL injury for service members tracing this condition to active duty.
American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2000 · PMID 10653551
Finding: Among Naval Academy midshipmen (1991-1997), ACL injuries occurred during intercollegiate athletics, intramural athletics, and required military training (obstacle course, instructional wrestling); women had a relative ACL injury risk of 9.74 versus men during military training and 2.44 overall across their academy career.
Why it helps: Shows ACL tears arising directly from mandatory military training activities (obstacle course, combatives), supporting an association between required service duties and ACL injury, with notably higher risk for women.
Injury, 2017 · PMID 28268001
Finding: Among 46 service members who sustained a combat-related multi-ligament knee injury, the return-to-duty rate was only 41% (19/46); the most common pattern (20%) was combined ACL, PCL, posterolateral corner, and MCL disruption, often with associated neurovascular injury, compartment syndrome, or fracture.
Why it helps: Directly links combat activity to severe multi-ligament (ACL/PCL/MCL/LCL) knee tears with frequent inability to return to duty, supporting an association between combat-related trauma and these injuries and their functional impact.
Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 2022 · nexus to knee osteoarthritis · PMID 33852440
Finding: Pooling 13 systematic reviews, the odds of developing knee osteoarthritis were nearly 7-fold higher after ACL injury (OR 6.81, 95% CI 5.70-8.13) and roughly 8-fold higher after ACL reconstruction (OR 7.7, 95% CI 6.05-9.79), with OA present in about 36% of patients near 10 years after reconstruction; surgery did not reduce long-term OA prevalence.
Why it helps: Supports an association between a service-connected ACL tear and later knee osteoarthritis, helpful for claiming knee OA as secondary to a prior ACL/ligament injury.
British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2022 · nexus to knee osteoarthritis · PMID 36455966
Finding: Across 66 studies, moderate-certainty evidence indicated that cruciate ligament, collateral ligament, meniscal, chondral, dislocation, fracture, and multistructure knee injuries increase the odds of symptomatic OA; combined ACL reconstruction with cartilage injury (OR 2.31), partial meniscectomy (OR 1.87), or total medial meniscectomy (OR 3.14) raised structural OA odds.
Why it helps: Supports an association between cruciate and collateral (ACL/PCL/MCL/LCL) ligament tears and subsequent symptomatic knee osteoarthritis, useful for a secondary OA claim and showing combined cartilage/meniscus damage further increases risk.
Every citation is real and verified against PubMed. This is general information, not medical or legal advice — your accredited VSO or representative can advise on your specific claim.
Evidence Checklist
Gather these types of evidence before filing your claim. The strongest claims include multiple evidence types.
Common Treatments
Documenting ongoing treatment strengthens your claim and supports higher ratings.
Secondary Conditions Linked to ACL/PCL/MCL/LCL Tear
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to ACL/PCL/MCL/LCL Tear. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
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Filing a ACL/PCL/MCL/LCL Tearclaim? Don't skip these.
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Draft your ACL/PCL/MCL/LCL Tear personal statement
7-step wizard that builds your VA claim personal statement using your own words. Detects presumptive eligibility, cites 38 CFR + DBQ, includes federal-crime disclosure. You review and edit before filing.
Start draftingNot legal or medical advice. Always have a VSO or accredited rep review before filing.
Start Your ACL/PCL/MCL/LCL Tear VA Claim
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Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to ACL/PCL/MCL/LCL Tear.
ACL/PCL/MCL/LCL Tear Claim Guide by State
Find state-specific VA facilities, veteran benefits, and filing resources.
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Educational content, not professional advice
This article is published by Military Transition Toolkit for educational and planning purposes. It is not legal, medical, or financial advice. VA rating criteria, benefits, and regulations change — verify anything benefits-affecting against VA.gov, 38 CFR Part 4, or a VA-accredited representative (VSO, agent, or attorney) before filing.
MTT is a veteran-owned planning tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or any military branch.