Arthritis (General) — 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 Arthritis (General)
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960M-3 (Non-Degenerative Arthritis) — 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 Arthritis (General) — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Arthritis (General), 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 Arthritis (General)
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.71a, DC 5003 (degenerative arthritis). Where limitation of motion of the affected joint is compensable, rate under the diagnostic code for that joint (e.g., DC 5260/5261 for the knee), which can be higher.. Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
Noncompensable limitation of motion of an affected joint confirmed by objective findings (swelling, muscle spasm, or painful motion): 10 percent for each major joint or group of minor joints affected; or, absent limitation of motion, X-ray evidence of involvement of 2 or more major joints or 2 or more minor joint groups.
Absent compensable limitation of motion, X-ray evidence of involvement of 2 or more major joints or 2 or more minor joint groups with occasional incapacitating exacerbations. (This is the ceiling under DC 5003 itself; compensable limitation of motion is rated higher under the specific joint code.)
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding Arthritis (General) 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 Arthritis (General) 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.
Arthritis & Rheumatology, 2021 · PMID 33058561
Finding: In the VA Rheumatoid Arthritis (VARA) registry (797 veteran respondents), military inhalant exposures were independently associated with RA-related autoantibodies: burn pit exposure carried an anti-CCP positivity OR of 1.66 (95% CI 1.02-2.69) and military waste disposal an OR of 1.74 (95% CI 1.04-2.93). Among veterans positive for the HLA-DRB1 shared epitope, burn pit exposure was far more strongly associated with anti-CCP positivity (OR 5.69, 95% CI 2.73-11.87).
Why it helps: Supports an association between recognized military airborne/burn pit exposures and rheumatoid arthritis autoimmunity in a veteran population, directly relevant to a direct service-connection or exposure-based arthritis claim.
Military Medicine, 2022 · PMID 35389483
Finding: This military-focused review reports that a service member is roughly 10 times more likely to suffer an ACL injury than a civilian counterpart, and that up to 50% of those with ACL injury develop post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) within 15 years despite surgical stabilization.
Why it helps: Supports an association between service-related knee/ligament injury, which is markedly more common in military members, and later development of osteoarthritis, helpful for a direct in-service-injury arthritis claim.
Arthritis Research & Therapy, 2020 · nexus to ACL injury / prior knee joint injury (service-connected musculoskeletal injury) · PMID 32209130
Finding: This review documents that patients with anterior cruciate ligament injury have a high risk of developing post-traumatic osteoarthritis, noting a clear 'start point' (the joint injury) and that the incidence of PTOA after ACL injury remains high regardless of whether the injury is managed surgically or conservatively.
Why it helps: Supports an association where osteoarthritis develops as a downstream consequence of an earlier joint injury, useful for arguing arthritis secondary to a service-connected knee or ligament injury.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 2015 · nexus to obesity/overweight and prior knee injury (e.g., secondary to service-connected conditions causing weight gain or to in-service injury) · PMID 25447976
Finding: In a meta-analysis of 46 cohort studies, the strongest factors for new knee pain/OA were previous knee injury (pooled OR 2.83, 95% CI 1.91-4.19) and obesity (pooled OR 2.66, 95% CI 2.15-3.28; overweight OR 1.98). Roughly 24.6% of new knee pain cases were attributable to being overweight/obese and 5.1% to prior knee injury.
Why it helps: Supports an association between obesity (often weight gain tied to service-connected conditions or medications) and prior joint injury and the onset of knee osteoarthritis, useful for a secondary-nexus argument.
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 2022 · nexus to depression / PTSD (and depression as a condition secondary to osteoarthritis) · PMID 35248017
Finding: In a nationwide longitudinal cohort, the link between knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and depressive symptoms (DS) was bidirectional: people with KOA were more likely to develop DS (adjusted HR 1.38, 95% CI 1.23-1.83), and people with baseline DS were more likely to develop KOA (adjusted HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.26-1.81).
Why it helps: Supports a two-way association useful both ways: arthritis arising in the setting of a service-connected mental health condition, and depression developing as a consequence of chronic arthritis pain.
PM&R, 2019 · PMID 30925199
Finding: Among 318 US service members injured in Iraq/Afghanistan, those with above-elbow amputation had significantly higher adjusted odds of several physical diagnoses including osteoarthritis (along with obesity and cervical pain) relative to below-elbow amputation or serious injury without amputation.
Why it helps: Supports an association between severe combat-related limb injury/amputation and increased osteoarthritis burden in veterans, relevant to direct and altered-biomechanics arthritis claims.
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 Arthritis (General)
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Arthritis (General). A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
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Related Guides
Arthritis (General) as a Secondary Condition
Arthritis (General) is commonly claimed secondary to these primary conditions:
Filing a Arthritis (General)claim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Arthritis (General) should also be looking at:
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Draft your Arthritis (General) 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 Arthritis (General) VA Claim
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Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to Arthritis (General).
Arthritis (General) 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.