Shoulder (limited motion) DC 5201
Listed in the rating schedule as “Arm, limitation of motion of”. VA rates it under diagnostic code 5201 in 38 CFR 4.71a. Body system: Arms & hands.
Also searched as: shoulder pain, bad shoulder, rotator cuff, shoulder impingement.
How VA rates it
The schedule allows 3 rating levels for this code: 20%, 30%, and 40%. VA picks the level whose criteria best match your symptoms and records.
It affects one arm, so each side is rated on its own. When both sides are rated, VA adds the bilateral factor (38 CFR 4.26).
Source: 38 CFR 4.71a on eCFR. Read the full criteria there before you file.
Rating levels and criteria
| Rating | What the schedule says |
|---|---|
| 40%30% minor | Flexion and/or abduction limited to 25° from side |
| 30%20% minor | Midway between side and shoulder level (flexion and/or abduction limited to 45°) |
| 20% | At shoulder level (flexion and/or abduction limited to 90°) |
Where two ratings are shown, the first is for your major (dominant) arm and the second for the minor arm (38 CFR 4.69).
Criteria text from 38 CFR 4.71a, eCFR as of November 10, 2026. The eCFR is the official source if anything here differs.
Conditions it can lead to
If this condition is service connected, these conditions are often claimed as secondary to it (38 CFR 3.310). Each one still needs its own diagnosis.
Major depressive disorder DC 9434 Established link
Living with chronic shoulder pain is strongly linked with depression and anxiety. VA rates all mental health conditions together under one rating.
What to gather: A mental health diagnosis and a medical opinion that your pain condition caused it or made it worse.
Sources: 38 CFR 3.310 (secondary service connection); Bair et al., Depression and pain comorbidity: a literature review (Arch Intern Med, 2003); Prevalence of depression and anxiety among adults with chronic pain: systematic review and meta-analysis (JAMA Netw Open, 2025)
Painful or unstable scars DC 7804 Established link
If you had surgery on your shoulder, a painful or unstable surgical scar can get its own rating.
What to gather: Ask the examiner to look at and measure every surgical scar and note any pain or skin breakdown.
Sources: 38 CFR 3.310 (secondary service connection); 38 CFR 4.118 (scar ratings)
Check your claim
The claim finder asks about your service and current ratings, then lists conditions you may be able to claim. The calculator shows what a new rating does to your combined rating and monthly pay.
Open the claim finderOpen the VA rating calculator
Free help: an accredited VSO representative can file and track your claim at no cost. Find one near you by ZIP code.
Rating schedule data as of November 10, 2026. Secondary and presumptive links checked November 13, 2026.
Not affiliated with the VA. VA decides ratings. Free help from an accredited VSO is available at no cost.