Forearm, amputation of, below insertion of pronator teres — VA Diagnostic Code 5124

38 CFR § 4.69 says handedness for the purpose of a dominant rating will be determined by the evidence of record, or by testing on VA examination. Only one hand shall be considered dominant. The injured hand, or the most severely injured hand, of an ambidextrous individual will be considered the dominant hand for rating purposes. Section 4.69 does not use the words “Major” and “Minor.” Those are the column headings.

DC 5123 is the row above this one: “Above insertion of pronator teres,” 80 major and 70 minor, with the same footnote 1. DC 5125 is the next row, “Hand, loss of use of,” 70 major and 60 minor, the same two numbers as DC 5124. DC 5126 is amputation of five digits of one hand, also 70 major and 60 minor. The titles are different.

38 CFR § 4.68 says the combined rating for disabilities of an extremity shall not exceed the rating for the amputation at the elective level, were amputation to be performed. The example is the 40 percent evaluation, diagnostic code 5165. The example does not name DC 5124. 38 CFR § 4.63 defines loss of use of a hand or a foot for special monthly compensation as no effective function remaining other than that which would be equally well served by an amputation stump at the site of election below elbow or knee with use of a suitable prosthetic appliance. Section 4.63 does not name the pronator teres and does not name DC 5124.

38 CFR § 3.350(a) says special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C. 1114(k) is payable for each anatomical loss or loss of use of one hand, one foot, and the other losses that sentence lists. The DC 5124 footnote does not cite § 3.350. This page does not state a payment amount. 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher rating when the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating. Otherwise, the lower rating will be assigned. 38 CFR § 4.6 requires each element affecting the evidence to be studied so that decisions will be equitable and just.

The code prints no 0 percent line. 38 CFR § 4.31 says that in every instance where the schedule does not provide a zero percent evaluation for a diagnostic code, a zero percent evaluation shall be assigned when the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met. 38 CFR § 4.14 says the evaluation of the same disability under various diagnoses is to be avoided. The same section says the evaluation of the same manifestation under different diagnoses are to be avoided.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.71a, Diagnostic Code 5124, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.