Knee Meniscus 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 Knee Meniscus 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 Knee Meniscus Tear — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Knee Meniscus 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 Knee Meniscus Tear
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.71a, DC 5258 (dislocated semilunar cartilage) / DC 5259 (symptomatic removal of cartilage). Maximum 20 percent; associated limitation of motion or instability is rated separately under DC 5260/5261 or DC 5257.. Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
Semilunar (meniscal) cartilage, removal of, symptomatic (DC 5259).
Semilunar (meniscal) cartilage, dislocated, with frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion into the joint (DC 5258). This is the maximum schedular rating under these codes.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding Knee Meniscus 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 Knee Meniscus 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.
The Journal of Knee Surgery, 2022 · PMID 35259766
Finding: Among 2,969 meniscus injuries in the U.S. Military Health System (2010-2011), the authors note meniscus injuries occur at a higher rate in the military than the general population; 52.8% required arthroscopic surgery and an adjacent ligament injury occurred in 30.3% of cases. Bilateral meniscus injuries had 4.57 greater odds of undergoing knee arthroscopy.
Why it helps: Supports an association between military service and meniscus injury by documenting a higher injury rate and substantial surgical burden within the active-duty/MHS population, helping establish that this is a service-relevant condition.
Frontiers in Surgery, 2023 · PMID 37693639
Finding: In 73 active-duty military aircrew undergoing ACLR, 24.7% of injuries occurred during military training; failure to return to flight duty was significantly higher in those with combined ACL plus meniscal injuries than isolated ACL injuries (21.4% vs 0.0%, P = 0.017).
Why it helps: Supports an association between military duties and combined knee/meniscus injury and shows meniscal involvement worsens functional/occupational outcomes, relevant to documenting service connection and severity.
The Journal of Knee Surgery, 2017 · PMID 27880969
Finding: In 825,187 young pre-recruits to mandatory military service, increased BMI was associated with higher knee injury prevalence (overweight/obese females had odds ratios of 1.41 and 1.52 for concomitant meniscal/ligament injury), and higher body height was associated with isolated meniscal injury in both genders.
Why it helps: Supports an association between modifiable risk factors (elevated BMI, height) and meniscal injury in a large military-eligible cohort, useful context for service-connected risk and for secondary obesity arguments.
British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2022 · nexus to knee osteoarthritis · PMID 36455966
Finding: Across 66 studies, meta-analysis found increased odds of structural OA for ACLR plus partial meniscectomy (OR 1.87; 95% CI 1.45-2.42) and ACLR plus total medial meniscectomy (OR 3.14; 95% CI 2.20-4.48); moderate-certainty evidence indicated meniscal and other knee injuries increase the odds of symptomatic OA.
Why it helps: Supports an association linking a meniscus tear (and its surgical treatment) to later knee osteoarthritis, useful for a secondary claim of OA developing from a service-connected meniscus injury.
Life (Basel), 2022 · nexus to knee osteoarthritis · PMID 35455094
Finding: This review describes how meniscal tears can initiate and progress knee osteoarthritis by impairing load distribution, shock absorption, and joint stability, and notes meniscal extrusion further decreases hoop function and increases OA risk; meniscal repair shows better long-term outcomes and less degenerative change than partial meniscectomy.
Why it helps: Supports an association between meniscus tears and the development/progression of knee osteoarthritis, providing a mechanistic basis for claiming OA secondary to a service-connected meniscus tear.
Obesity Reviews, 2024 · nexus to obesity, high body mass index · PMID 38616612
Finding: Combining a meta-analysis (4 studies, 826,383 participants) with Mendelian randomization, a one standard deviation increase in genetically predicted BMI was associated with meniscus derangement (chronic meniscal tear subtype) with an odds ratio of 1.36 (95% CI 1.17-1.59).
Why it helps: Supports a causal-direction association between higher BMI/obesity and chronic meniscal tears, useful for arguing a meniscus condition secondary to service-connected obesity or weight gain.
Arthroscopy, 2022 · nexus to obesity, high body mass index · PMID 35660518
Finding: In a systematic review of 11 studies, patients with elevated BMI had higher rates of concomitant meniscal injuries after ACL tear, with one finding 1.6 times greater odds of requiring meniscectomy (P < .01), and greater overweight/obesity-related cartilage breakdown contributing to post-traumatic osteoarthritis.
Why it helps: Supports an association between elevated body weight and meniscal injury (and downstream cartilage damage), reinforcing a secondary-to-obesity nexus argument.
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 2024 · nexus to limb amputation, altered gait biomechanics · PMID 38539152
Finding: This PRISMA scoping review of 40 studies notes that altered gait biomechanics after lower limb amputation can lead to increased rates of osteoarthritis; the main indication for joint replacement was OA (77.1%), occurring more frequently in the contralateral limb (66.7%).
Why it helps: Supports an association between amputation-related altered biomechanics and degenerative knee disease in the opposite limb, relevant to a secondary claim for a knee/meniscus condition aggravated by service-connected amputation or abnormal gait.
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 Knee Meniscus Tear
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Knee Meniscus Tear. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
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Related Guides
Knee Meniscus Tear as a Secondary Condition
Knee Meniscus Tear is commonly claimed secondary to these primary conditions:
Filing a Knee Meniscus Tearclaim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Knee Meniscus Tear should also be looking at:
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Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to Knee Meniscus Tear.
Knee Meniscus Tear Claim Guide by State
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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.