VA Ratings for Loss of Use of Limbs or Other Body Parts
CCK Law: Our Vital Role in Veterans Law
If you suffer from an amputation or loss of use of a part of your body as a result of your military service, you may be entitled to significant VA disability benefits, ranging from a VA rating and regular monthly compensation to additional VA disability benefits in the form of Special Monthly Compensation (SMC).
SMC is a monthly benefit for veterans who have service-connected conditions that result in severe impairment, including the loss of use of extremities, blindness, the need for regular aid and attendance, and more.
Key points of this article include:
- According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), “loss of use” is when a part of the body would function equally as well as an amputation with a prosthesis.
- Veterans can receive disability ratings of 10 to 100 percent for amputations or loss of use, depending on the affected limbs and severity of functional loss.
- Amputation and loss of use often qualify veterans for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC), a form of enhanced compensation intended for veterans whose conditions are particularly severe or complex.
What Are the VA Disability Ratings for Amputation?
VA disability ratings for amputation, loss of limbs or organs, or loss of use, range between 70 and 100 percent for the upper extremities and between 10 and 100 percent for the lower extremities.
Upper Extremities
VA categorizes amputation in terms of traumatic amputation or amputation by surgical removal. There are different VA disability ratings based on the different types of amputations. For example, VA rates amputations of the arms and hands under 38 CFR § 4.71a (Diagnostic Codes 5120 – 5125) as follows:
- 100 percent–amputation of entire arm, including the shoulder, scapula, clavicle, and/or ribs, either arm
- 90 percent–amputation of the entire arm from the shoulder down, either arm
- 90 percent–amputation below the shoulder but above the elbow for the dominant arm (80 percent for the non-dominant arm)
- 80 percent–amputation for below the deltoid but above the elbow for the dominant arm (70 percent for the non-dominant arm)
- 80 percent–amputation above the pronator teres for the dominant arm (70 percent for the non-dominant arm)
- 70 percent–amputation below the insertion of pronator teres for the dominant arm (60 percent for the non-dominant arm)
- 70 percent–amputation of the dominant hand (60 percent for the non-dominant hand)
For amputation of both arms or both hands, VA should award a 100 percent disability rating.
Lower Extremities
For amputations of the legs and feet, VA uses the same regulation (i.e., 38 CFR § 4.71a, Schedule of Ratings – Musculoskeletal System, but Diagnostic Codes 5160–5170 range for leg amputations, DC 5110 for loss of use of both feet) to issue the following ratings:
- 100 percent–amputation of the leg, including any part of the pelvic bone
- 90 percent–for amputation of the leg at the hip
- 80 percent–for amputation of the leg at the upper thigh
- 60 percent–for amputation of the leg at the mid- to lower thigh
- 60 percent–for cases where a second amputation has been required due to complications from the first amputation
- 60 percent–for amputations that render the knee joint unstable
- 40 percent–for amputation of the leg below the knee
- 40 percent–for amputation that renders the foot or ankle unusable
- 10–40 percent–various rankings for different levels of foot amputations
For amputation of both legs or both feet, VA should award a 100 percent disability rating. VA does not make a distinction between the dominant and non-dominant extremities when rating amputations of the legs and feet.
Want to learn more about conditions related to the feet and lower extremities? Watch this video featuring Kayla Rogers and Jacob Nadreau, two VA-accredited claims agents with CCK Law:
Temporary Total Ratings Due to Convalescence
If a veteran’s amputation requires extensive periods of hospitalization or convalescence, it can be rated at 100 percent disabling for a certain period of time. Per 38 CFR § 4.30, the minimum period is three months, but the actual period varies based on severity and VA’s evaluation.
What Is Bilateral Factor?
Per 38 CFR § 4.68, if you have lost limbs on both sides of your body — for example, both legs or both arms — VA may apply what is called the “bilateral factor” when calculating your combined disability rating. This is a small additional percentage (10 percent of your combined bilateral rating) that VA adds to account for the extra burden of having disabilities on both sides of your body. It is established in VA’s rating regulations and applies to amputations the same way it applies to other paired-limb disabilities.
However, if your amputations are severe enough, VA may award Special Monthly Compensation (SMC). SMC is calculated differently and does not use the standard combined ratings table, so the bilateral factor does not factor into that calculation. That said, you can receive both SMC and a combined rating that includes the bilateral factor at the same time, depending on your situation.
Because these calculations can interact in complex ways, it is worth speaking with a VA-accredited attorney or claims agent if you believe you may be entitled to either benefit.
What Is Loss of Use?
“Loss of use refers to a limb or body part being nonfunctional to the extent that it cannot perform its normal purpose,” says Brittani Howell, attorney at CCK Law. “This can apply even if it’s not physically amputated.”
VA determines loss of use based on the actual remaining function of the upper or lower extremities (e.g., hand or foot). VA may have the veteran undergo a Compensation and Pension (C&P) exam to test for such loss of use and measure how much function remains in a veteran’s affected limbs.
For instance, during a C&P exam to determine the loss of use of one or both hands, VA may examine a veteran’s ability to carry out acts of grasping, manipulation, and other such actions. In terms of loss of use of one or both feet, VA considers acts of balance, propulsion, and more.
What Body Parts Are Eligible For “Loss Or Loss Of Use” Compensation?
The most common examples include:
- Missing hands, arms, feet, and legs
- Any immobilized joint or paralyzed limb
- Loss of use of a reproductive organ
- Loss of sight in one eye
- Deafness in both ears
- Inability to communicate by speech
- Loss of a breast, or both breasts, from mastectomy or radiation treatment
- Loss of use of both buttocks
Check out this video on SMC-K, featuring Brandon Paiva, a VA-accredited claims agent with CCK Law:
How Much Is Standard VA Compensation for an Amputation Rating?
If a veteran is granted a disability rating of 10 percent or higher for the amputation or loss of use of their limb, then they may be awarded monthly financial compensation from VA.
As of 2026, the VA disability rate benefit amounts are as follows:
- 0 percent disability rating: $0.00 per month
- 10 percent disability rating: $180.42 per month
- 20 percent disability rating: $356.66 per month
- 30 percent disability rating: $552.47 per month
- 40 percent disability rating: $795.84 per month
- 50 percent disability rating: $1,132.90 per month
- 60 percent disability rating: $1,435.02 per month
- 70 percent disability rating: $1,808.45 per month
- 80 percent disability rating: $2,102.15 per month
- 90 percent disability rating: $2,362.30 per month
- 100 percent disability rating: $3,938.58 per month
As seen above, these compensation rates increase as the veteran’s disability percentage rating goes higher. Additionally, if a veteran has qualifying dependents like a spouse, children, or dependent parents, they may be entitled to extra monthly compensation.
It is important to keep in mind is that VA offers other significant benefits in addition to financial compensation. These include hiring preferences for certain jobs, no-cost healthcare, and a VA clothing allowance to allow veterans with amputated limbs to purchase clothing adapted to their needs.
How Much Is Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) for Amputation/Loss of Use?
SMC is a form of financial compensation usually granted in place of standard VA compensation rates. It is also divided into several different levels depending on the specifics of a veteran’s condition.
For veterans suffering from amputation or loss of use, the 2026 SMC rates they could receive are as follows:
- SMC-L–$4,900.83 per month
- SMC-L ½–$5,154.18 per month
- SMC-M–$5,408.55 per month
- SMC-M ½–$5,780.19 per month
- SMC-N–$6,152.64 per month
- SMC-N ½–$6,514.55 per month
- SMC-O–$6,876.52 per month
In addition to these SMC rates, there are several others that may also apply to veterans who have experienced the loss of use or amputation of a limb. These include:
- SMC-R-1 – $9,826.88 per month–This level of SMC is reserved for veterans who require the aid and attendance of another person to perform the daily activities of living.
- SMC-R-2 – $11,271.67 per month–This level of SMC is reserved for veterans who require the aid and attendance of a medical professional to perform the daily activities of living.
- SMC-S – $4,408.53 per month–This level of SMC is reserved for veterans who are permanently housebound, and therefore unable to leave their home or care facility.
- SMC-K – $139.87 per month–This level of SMC is reserved for veterans who have experienced the amputation or loss of use of an extremity or “creative” (reproduction) organ. Unlike other forms of SMC, SMC-K is added on top of a veteran’s standard disability compensation, instead of replacing it entirely.
Importantly, veterans do not have to apply for SMC in order to raise the issue before VA. Rather, when reviewing a veteran’s claim for benefits, VA should consider if the veteran is entitled to SMC and grant the benefit if it is warranted.
Can I Earn Total Disability for Amputation/Loss of Use?
Yes, there are multiple ways to earn total disability for amputation or loss of use, including through a 100 percent schedular rating, as well as Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU).
If a veteran has lost use of their entire arm or leg, or otherwise had one of these limbs fully amputated, they may be awarded a 100 percent schedular rating. If both arms, both legs, or a combination of one arm and one leg is lost, VA will typically assign the veteran a 100 percent rating.
Through TDIU, it is also possible for veterans to earn total disability even if they have not received a 100 percent schedular rating. TDIU is awarded to veterans whose disabilities are severe enough to prevent them from maintaining gainful employment.
In other words, if a veteran’s amputation or loss of use is sufficient to prevent them from achieving a certain level of income, VA may find it necessary to grant them TDIU, even if the veteran would not otherwise have earned a 100 percent rating.
TDIU claims can often be complex and difficult for veterans to navigate on their own. If you believe you might be a good fit for TDIU due to your condition, consider contacting CCK Law for a free evaluation of your case and the chance to enlist the help of a VA-accredited attorney.
Can I Earn a Permanent and Total (P&T) Rating for Amputation/Loss of Use?
Yes, it is definitely possible for veterans to earn Permanent and Total (P&T) ratings for either amputation or the loss of use of a limb or pair of limbs.
P&T ratings are usually assigned when a veteran’s condition is both 100 percent disabling and unlikely to improve for the rest of the veteran’s life. Amputations and loss of use of limbs frequently fall in these categories.
Was Your Loss of Use or Amputation VA Claim Denied?
If your amputation or loss of use claim was denied by VA, the experienced attorneys at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick may be able to assist. Our dedicated team has represented over 36,000 veterans and dependents before VA or the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, helping to secure over $1 billion dollars in wrongfully denied compensation for our clients.
Call CCK Law at 800-544-9144 or contact us online for a free case evaluation with a member of our team.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does VA define loss of use?
VA defines loss of use as when a limb or body part has been rendered completely nonfunctional to the point where there would be no difference if it were amputated and replaced with a prosthesis.
Some conditions that may render a limb totally nonfunctional include paralysis and foot drop.
Is foot drop considered loss of use?
Yes, if a veteran’s foot drop is severe enough that they lose complete function in the foot, then it may qualify for loss of use. Typically, this would be the case if the foot loses the ability to aid in balance or propulsion.
What is the VA loss of limb payment?
VA will pay different amounts of compensation depending on the particular limb that has been lost, with percentage ratings ranging from 10 to 100 percent for this condition.
As of 2026, the VA disability rate benefit amounts are as follows:
- 0 percent disability rating: $0.00 per month
- 10 percent disability rating: $180.42 per month
- 20 percent disability rating: $356.66 per month
- 30 percent disability rating: $552.47 per month
- 40 percent disability rating: $795.84 per month
- 50 percent disability rating: $1,132.90 per month
- 60 percent disability rating: $1,435.02 per month
- 70 percent disability rating: $1,808.45 per month
- 80 percent disability rating: $2,102.15 per month
- 90 percent disability rating: $2,362.30 per month
- 100 percent disability rating: $3,938.58 per month
Additionally, qualifying veterans who have suffered an amputation or the loss of a limb may become eligible for Special Monthly Compensation, which provides compensation beyond that of standard VA payment rates.
