38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.71a

Cartilage, semilunar, dislocated — VA Diagnostic Code 5258

Musculoskeletal

Diagnostic code

5258

Start free worksheet Get the Founding Pass — $9.99/month

38 CFR § 4.71a lists Diagnostic Code 5258 in the table captioned “The Knee and Leg.” The line is “Cartilage, semilunar, dislocated, with frequent episodes of “locking,” pain, and effusion into the joint,” and the rating is 20. The row does not end with a period. The word locking is inside curly quotation marks, and the comma sits after the closing quotation mark. The table has one Rating column. Appendix B to Part 4 indexes “Cartilage, semilunar, dislocated.” and does end with a period.

Reviewed 2026-10-05. Text checked against the eCFR versioner full-text XML for 2026-10-01 on 2026-10-05. Title 38 was up to date as of 2026-10-01 and last amended on 2026-08-27. The § 4.71a source note prints 29 FR 6718, May 22, 1964, as amended at 34 FR 5062, Mar. 11, 1969; 40 FR 42536, Sept. 15, 1975; 41 FR 11294, Mar. 18, 1976; 43 FR 45350, Oct. 2, 1978; 51 FR 6411, Feb. 24, 1986; 61 FR 20439, May 7, 1996; 67 FR 48785, July 26, 2002; 67 FR 54349, Aug. 22, 2002; 68 FR 51456, Aug. 27, 2003; 69 FR 32450, June 10, 2004; 80 FR 42041, July 16, 2015; 85 FR 76460, Nov. 30, 2020, 85 FR 85523, Dec. 29, 2020, 86 FR 8142, Feb. 4, 2021. The source note uses a comma, not a semicolon, before 85 FR 85523 and before 86 FR 8142.

The rating criteria at each level

5258 Cartilage, semilunar, dislocated

Rating %: 20

Criteria (verbatim). Cartilage, semilunar, dislocated, with frequent episodes of “locking,” pain, and effusion into the joint

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
20	Cartilage, semilunar, dislocated, with frequent episodes of “locking,” pain, and effusion into the joint

The row is one line. The 2026-10-01 text does not print a note under DC 5258.

The quotation marks around locking are curly. The comma after locking is outside those quotation marks. The line does not end with a period.

DC 5259, the next code, is “Cartilage, semilunar, removal of, symptomatic,” 10 percent. That line is not the DC 5258 line.

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 § 4.7 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.

38 CFR § 4.14 says the evaluation of the same disability under various diagnoses is to be avoided, and that the evaluation of the same manifestation under different diagnoses is to be avoided. DC 5257 is other impairment of the knee. DC 5260 is limitation of flexion of the leg. DC 5261 is limitation of extension of the leg. The DC 5258 row does not say to combine those codes, and it does not say they replace this line.

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “semilunar,” “locking,” or “5258.” Section 3.309(a) lists “Arthritis.” It does not name DC 5258. A separate question, when a presumption does not decide it, is a medical question on the facts under 38 CFR § 3.310. Paragraph (a) covers disability proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury. Paragraph (b) covers increase in severity and requires a medical baseline.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.71a, Diagnostic Code 5258, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

One line at 20

The findings named on the row are frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion into the joint. The rating cell is 20. Removal of semilunar cartilage, when symptomatic, is DC 5259 at 10.

The comma is outside the quotation marks

The schedule prints “locking,” with the comma after the closing quotation mark. Appendix B shortens the name to “Cartilage, semilunar, dislocated.” and adds a period the rating row does not have.

One rating column

The Knee and Leg table header is a blank criteria column and “Rating.” DC 5258 does not print a major column and a minor column.

Evidence that speaks to each level

What the rater needs to see. Dislocated semilunar cartilage with frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion into the joint, which is the whole DC 5258 line.

Where that usually lives. The examination and the imaging or operative record that describe those episodes in that joint.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
20	Dislocated semilunar cartilage with frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion into the joint, which is the whole DC 5258 line.	The examination and the imaging or operative record that describe those episodes in that joint.

VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Knee and Lower Leg” under Musculoskeletal. The file is Knee and Lower Leg. The site guide for that form is the knee DBQ guide.

The exam form

DC 5258 prints one line at 20 percent. This page does not say the form replaces that line.

Related codes and how they interact

Removal is the next code.

DC 5259 is cartilage, semilunar, removal of, symptomatic, at 10. DC 5260 rates flexion limited to 15, 30, 45, or 60 degrees. DC 5261 rates extension limited to 45, 30, 20, 15, 10, or 5 degrees. Those degrees are not printed on DC 5258.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “semilunar” or “5258.”

A separate question, when a presumption does not decide it, is a medical question on the facts under 38 CFR § 3.310. Paragraph (a) covers disability proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury. Paragraph (b) covers increase in severity and requires a medical baseline.

Short answers

What is the VA rating for dislocated semilunar cartilage?

Diagnostic Code 5258 in 38 CFR § 4.71a is 20 percent for cartilage, semilunar, dislocated, with frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion into the joint. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Is DC 5258 named in § 3.309?

The 2026-10-01 text of § 3.309 does not contain “semilunar” or “5258.” Section 3.309(a) lists “Arthritis.” and does not name this code.

FAQ

What percentage does DC 5258 print?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, cartilage, semilunar, dislocated, with frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion into the joint, is 20 percent. The row does not print another percentage. Education only.

Is removal of the cartilage the same line?

DC 5259 is cartilage, semilunar, removal of, symptomatic, at 10 percent. DC 5258 is dislocation, and it names frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion into the joint, at 20 percent.

Where is the comma around locking?

The 2026-10-01 row prints curly quotation marks around locking, and the comma follows the closing quotation mark. The row does not end with a period.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 5258 and whether it used frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion into the joint.
The free worksheet is a place to write the code, the findings, and the records you already have. It does not file a claim or protect a filing date. An accredited representative is at find a VSO.
Other musculoskeletal codes are on the musculoskeletal diagnostic-code index. The category page is musculoskeletal conditions. The knee page is the knee guide.

Education only. Not legal or medical advice. My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative and does not file claims. VA decides every claim on its own evidence.

Other codes in this body system

Nearby catalog entries in Musculoskeletal, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Musculoskeletal codes

Also: DC code lookup (tools) lists the same index in a compact layout.

Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 5258 • va.gov

⚠️ Important Disclaimer

This page provides general educational information based on public VA regulations and VA.gov resources. It is not legal or medical advice, and My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative. Any worksheets or draft documents produced by the tools must be reviewed for accuracy and are not filed with VA for you. Ratings and service connection are decided case-by-case from the individual record. Consult a VA-accredited VSO, claims agent, attorney, or qualified clinician for help with your situation, and verify current rules using the linked official source.