Rotator Cuff Injury (Tear or Tendinopathy)
There is no dedicated diagnostic code for rotator cuff injuries, so VA rates them analogously - usually as limitation of arm motion (5201), sometimes as a muscle injury (5304) or tenosynovitis (5024).
How the VA rates it
Rotator cuff tears and tendinopathy are rated by analogy: VA picks the code that best matches the disability picture, shown as a hyphenated code (for example 5299-5201). Most cuff injuries are rated under 5201 on how high you can raise the arm (20 to 40 percent depending on severity and dominant side). Where the injury is primarily muscle/tendon damage, VA may instead rate under DC 5304 (Muscle Group IV) using the muscle-injury criteria in 38 CFR 4.73. Painful cuff disease with motion above shoulder level is commonly rated 10 percent via 5024/5003 and the painful-motion rule (38 CFR 4.59). Only one of these paths applies at a time; VA should use whichever rates highest.
Rating criteria by percentage
Rated up to 40%Via 5201, dominant arm: motion limited to 25 degrees from the side (30 percent for non-dominant arm).
Via 5201, dominant arm limited to midway between side and shoulder level (20 percent non-dominant).
Via 5201, either arm limited to shoulder level (90 degrees).
Common outcome via 5024/5003 with 38 CFR 4.59: painful shoulder motion (or painful arthritis) that does not restrict motion to shoulder level.
Secondary condition strategy
Commonly claimed secondary to this
Conditions veterans often develop from this one — each can be its own rating under 38 CFR 3.310.
- Limited Motion of the Shoulder (opposite side) — Overusing the opposite shoulder to spare the injured one can cause contralateral shoulder problems.
- Major Depressive Disorder — Chronic shoulder pain, sleep disruption from being unable to lie on the affected side, and lost function commonly support secondary depression.
- Cervical Strain — Compensatory posture and guarding from cuff dysfunction can aggravate the neck.
Evidence that strengthens this claim
- Get the MRI or operative report showing the tear (partial versus full thickness, which tendons) into the file; it anchors the analogous-code choice.
- Painful arc matters: report where in the range pain begins and whether you can raise the arm above shoulder level, since 5201 tiers turn on that.
- Document dominant hand and post-surgical residuals (weakness, guarding, scar) - surgical scars can be separately rated under the skin codes if painful.
- If VA rated you 0 percent, ask about 38 CFR 4.59: objectively painful motion from a healed cuff injury generally warrants at least 10 percent.
Rating rules to know
The same shoulder cannot be rated under both 5201 (limitation of motion) and 5304 (muscle injury) for the same functional impairment; VA uses the more favorable path. A painful surgical scar can be a separate skin rating. The bilateral factor applies if both shoulders end up compensably rated.
Related diagnostic codes
More musculoskeletal conditions
Lumbosacral Strain (Low Back Strain)
Chronic strain of the low back muscles and ligaments, one of the most commonly claimed VA disabilities. VA rates it on how far you can bend and move your low back, not on how much it hurts.
Rated up to 100%
Limitation of Knee Flexion
The most commonly rated knee disability: how far you can bend the knee. Ratings run 0 to 30 percent based on measured flexion, with a 10 percent floor for a painful knee under the painful-motion rule.
Rated up to 30%
Degenerative Arthritis (Osteoarthritis)
Wear-and-tear arthritis confirmed by X-ray. VA rates it through the motion limits of each affected joint, with a 10 percent floor for a painful arthritic joint even when motion is nearly normal.
Rated up to 20%
Cervical Strain (Neck Strain)
Chronic strain of the neck muscles and ligaments. VA rates it on how far you can move your neck under the same spine formula used for the low back, with neck-specific degree thresholds.
Rated up to 100%
Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD)
Wear-and-tear breakdown of the spinal discs and joints, in the low back or neck. VA rates it on measured spinal motion under the same formula used for back and neck strain.
Rated up to 100%
Plantar Fasciitis
Inflammation of the tissue band supporting the arch, causing heel and arch pain. VA gave it its own diagnostic code in 2021, rated 10 to 30 percent based mainly on whether treatment provides relief.
Rated up to 40%
Disclaimer: Valor Rating is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Always review your documents carefully before submitting to the VA. For official guidance, consult an accredited VSO, claims agent, or attorney.