Shoulder Impingement — 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 Shoulder Impingement
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960M-12 (Shoulder and Arm Conditions) — the form that decides your rating. You can have your own doctor complete the same DBQ and submit it as evidence.
What the examiner measures
- Which arm is dominant (major) vs. non-dominant (minor) — the criteria differ by side
- Flexion and abduction in degrees (normal is 0–180°) — limitation of arm motion is the DC 5201 driver
- Whether motion is limited at shoulder level (90°), midway (45°), or to 25° from the side
- Objective painful motion and additional loss after repetitive use / flare-ups (DeLuca / Correia)
- History of recurrent dislocation/subluxation with guarding of movement (DC 5202)
- Ankylosis of the scapulohumeral joint, or impairment of the humerus/clavicle/scapula, if present
Have a C&P exam coming up? See exactly what the examiner will ask about Shoulder Impingement — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Shoulder Impingement, 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 Musculoskeletal
General rating schedule for musculoskeletalconditions. Your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
Painful motion or limitation of motion that is compensable
Moderate limitation of motion or functional impairment
Severe limitation of motion or significant functional loss
Unfavorable ankylosis or severe impairment
Extremely unfavorable ankylosis
Will adding Shoulder Impingement 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 Shoulder Impingement 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.
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2017 · PMID 28490661
Finding: In a nationwide Danish nested case-control study of 3,000 first-time surgeries for subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS), cumulative occupational mechanical exposures raised the adjusted odds of SIS surgery, with adjusted ORs from 1.9 (hand-arm vibration) to 2.5 (forceful shoulder exertion) in men, even after accounting for BMI, smoking and diabetes. Diabetes mellitus independently showed an adjusted OR of 1.5 (95% CI 1.1-2.2) in men and 2.2 (95% CI 1.4-3.4) in women.
Why it helps: Supports an association between physically demanding work involving overhead arm elevation, repetitive shoulder motion, force, and vibration and the development of shoulder impingement requiring surgery, an exposure profile common to many military occupational specialties. Also supports diabetes as an independent contributing factor.
Zeitschrift fur Orthopadie und Unfallchirurgie, 2024 · PMID 36473486
Finding: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 13 studies found significant dose-response associations between occupational shoulder load and rotator cuff disease: overhead work pooled OR 2.23 (95% CI 1.98-2.52), repetitive movements OR 2.17 (95% CI 1.92-2.46), hand-arm vibration OR 1.59 (95% CI 1.13-2.23), and carrying/lifting heavy loads OR 1.57 (95% CI 1.15-2.15).
Why it helps: Supports an association between sustained overhead work, repetitive arm motion, vibration, and heavy lifting and rotator cuff pathology that drives impingement, mirroring tasks performed across many military jobs (load carriage, equipment handling, overhead maintenance).
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 2019 · PMID 30696437
Finding: Among 104 helicopter pilots and 117 crewmembers (including armed-forces aircrew), the 12-month prevalence of shoulder pain was 43.3% in pilots and 30.8% in crewmembers, and shoulder pain was strongly associated with neck pain (OR 4.9, 95% CI 2.48-9.55).
Why it helps: Supports a high burden of shoulder pain in a military/uniformed aircrew population exposed to vibration, sustained postures, and head-supported weight, and documents the tight neck-shoulder link relevant to musculoskeletal claims.
World Journal of Orthopedics, 2012 · PMID 22470844
Finding: In a case-control study of 111 patients with subacromial impingement and 191 controls, independent risk factors were current smoking (OR 6.8, 95% CI 1.2-39), occupation (government officer vs rubber tapper OR 6.3), hook-type acromion (OR 6.2), and decubitus sleeping position (OR 3.7).
Why it helps: Supports occupation, smoking, and individual anatomy as independent risk factors for shoulder impingement, helping explain how service-related occupational demands and tobacco use (common in service members) can contribute to the condition.
- Diabetes as a risk factor for the onset of frozen shoulder: a systematic review and meta-analysisSecondary
BMJ Open, 2023 · nexus to diabetes mellitus · PMID 36599641
Finding: A meta-analysis of six case-control studies (5,388 people) found the odds of developing frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) were 3.69 times higher (95% CI 2.99-4.56) in people with diabetes, with supporting cohort data (HRs 1.32 and 1.67).
Why it helps: Supports an association between diabetes and disabling shoulder conditions; relevant for veterans claiming a shoulder condition as secondary to service-connected diabetes (note this study addresses adhesive capsulitis specifically, a frequent companion to impingement-type shoulder pain).
Pain Medicine, 2020 · nexus to PTSD · PMID 32150258
Finding: Among 222 Iraq/Afghanistan veterans with chronic musculoskeletal pain, those with comorbid PTSD (PTSD Checklist-Civilian score >=41) had significantly worse pain severity, pain catastrophizing, and psychological outcomes than those with pain alone.
Why it helps: Supports an association between PTSD and more severe chronic musculoskeletal pain in veterans, relevant when a shoulder condition is claimed as aggravated by or secondary to service-connected PTSD.
EFORT Open Reviews, 2024 · nexus to cervical spine condition (neck pain) · PMID 39087493
Finding: This systematic review of 17 studies reported neck pain 1-year prevalence as high as 83% in military personnel and identified shoulder pain as a significant correlate of neck pain (OR 4.9), alongside other service-related load factors.
Why it helps: Supports the close, often bidirectional relationship between neck and shoulder conditions in service members, relevant when shoulder impingement is claimed as secondary to a service-connected cervical spine condition (or vice versa).
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 Shoulder Impingement
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Shoulder Impingement. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
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Related Guides
Shoulder Impingement as a Secondary Condition
Shoulder Impingement is commonly claimed secondary to these primary conditions:
Filing a Shoulder Impingementclaim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Shoulder Impingement should also be looking at:
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Draft your Shoulder Impingement personal statement
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Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to Shoulder Impingement.
Shoulder Impingement 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.