What rates 30% for Hip Fracture Residuals under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5255?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5255 (DC 5255), a 30% rating for Hip Fracture Residuals requires: DC 5252 "Flexion limited to 20°" = 30%. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5252.)

What rates 20% for Hip Fracture Residuals under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5255?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5255 (DC 5255), a 20% rating for Hip Fracture Residuals requires: DC 5252 "Flexion limited to 30°" = 20%; DC 5253 "Limitation of abduction, motion lost beyond 10°" = 20%. (Verbatim § 4.71a.)

What rates 0% for Hip Fracture Residuals under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5255?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5255 (DC 5255), a 0% rating for Hip Fracture Residuals requires: Hip fracture residuals fully healed with normal ROM, no nonunion / malunion findings on imaging, no painful-motion residuals.

What happens during a C&P exam for Hip Fracture Residuals?

Do NOT stretch, warm up, or take pain medication before your exam. The VA needs your baseline limitation. Report your WORST day. DeLuca v. Brown requires documentation of functional loss during flare-ups.

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Hip Fracture Residuals

Q: What are the VA rating percentages for Hip Fracture Residuals?

Hip Fracture Residuals (DC 5255) is rated at 80%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%, 0% under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5255. DC 5255 "Femur, impairment of: Fracture of shaft or anatomical neck of: With nonunion, with loose motion (spiral or oblique fracture)" = 80%. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5255.) Footnote 3 — SMC entitled. Severe femoral shaft / neck nonunion with palpable mobility at fracture site.

Q: What rates 80% for Hip Fracture Residuals under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5255?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5255 (DC 5255), a 80% rating for Hip Fracture Residuals requires: DC 5255 "Femur, impairment of: Fracture of shaft or anatomical neck of: With nonunion, with loose motion (spiral or oblique fracture)" = 80%. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5255.) Footnote 3 — SMC entitled. Severe femoral shaft / neck nonunion with palpable mobility at fracture site.

Q: What rates 60% for Hip Fracture Residuals under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5255?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5255 (DC 5255), a 60% rating for Hip Fracture Residuals requires: DC 5255 "Femur: Fracture of shaft or anatomical neck of: With nonunion, without loose motion, weight bearing preserved with aid of brace" = 60%; DC 5255 "Fracture of surgical neck of, with false joint" = 60%. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5255.) Footnote 3 — SMC entitled.

Q: What rates 50% for Hip Fracture Residuals under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5255?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5255 (DC 5255), a 50% rating for Hip Fracture Residuals requires: DC 5255 "Malunion of: Marked knee or hip disability" rated under DC 5250-5254 / 5256-5261 — when malunion produces 50%-tier impairment under the relevant alternative DC (e.g., DC 5256 ankylosis flexion 20-45°). (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5255 Malunion clause.) DC 5254 "Hip, flail joint" = 80% if applicable to extreme cases.

Q: What rates 40% for Hip Fracture Residuals under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5255?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5255 (DC 5255), a 40% rating for Hip Fracture Residuals requires: DC 5252 "Thigh, limitation of flexion: Flexion limited to 10°" = 40% (verbatim § 4.71a, applied to post-fracture stiffness via DC 5255 malunion clause).

Q: What rates 10% for Hip Fracture Residuals under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5255?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5255 (DC 5255), a 10% rating for Hip Fracture Residuals requires: DC 5252 "Flexion limited to 45°" = 10%; DC 5253 various 10% tiers; OR — DC 5003 single-joint fallback with painful motion / swelling. (Verbatim § 4.71a.)

Q: What evidence do I need for a Hip Fracture Residuals VA claim?

Key evidence for a Hip Fracture Residuals claim includes: Service treatment records showing injury or complaints; Imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT); Range of motion measurements; Flare-up documentation per Sharp v. Shulkin; Buddy statements describing limitations. All evidence should document both the condition and its impact on daily functioning.

DC 525538 C.F.R. § 4.71a

Diagnostic Code

DC 5255

38 C.F.R. § 4.71a

Rating Range

0–80%

8 severity tiers

Source

Referenced

38 C.F.R. Part 4

Hip Fracture Residuals is rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under DC 5255 of 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5255 across 8 severity tiers (80% / 60% / 50% / 40% / 30%…). Service connection requires (1) a current diagnosis, (2) an in-service event, injury, or exposure, and (3) a medical nexus opinion linking the two under 38 C.F.R. § 3.303.

Educational tool only. Not legal or medical advice. Not affiliated with the VA.

Overview

Residual limitations from a hip or proximal femur fracture including pain, limited motion, and impaired weight-bearing

Rating Criteria

80%

DC 5255 "Femur, impairment of: Fracture of shaft or anatomical neck of: With nonunion, with loose motion (spiral or oblique fracture)" = 80%. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5255.) Footnote 3 — SMC entitled. Severe femoral shaft / neck nonunion with palpable mobility at fracture site.

60%

DC 5255 "Femur: Fracture of shaft or anatomical neck of: With nonunion, without loose motion, weight bearing preserved with aid of brace" = 60%; DC 5255 "Fracture of surgical neck of, with false joint" = 60%. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5255.) Footnote 3 — SMC entitled.

50%

DC 5255 "Malunion of: Marked knee or hip disability" rated under DC 5250-5254 / 5256-5261 — when malunion produces 50%-tier impairment under the relevant alternative DC (e.g., DC 5256 ankylosis flexion 20-45°). (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5255 Malunion clause.) DC 5254 "Hip, flail joint" = 80% if applicable to extreme cases.

40%

DC 5252 "Thigh, limitation of flexion: Flexion limited to 10°" = 40% (verbatim § 4.71a, applied to post-fracture stiffness via DC 5255 malunion clause).

30%

DC 5252 "Flexion limited to 20°" = 30%. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5252.)

20%

DC 5252 "Flexion limited to 30°" = 20%; DC 5253 "Limitation of abduction, motion lost beyond 10°" = 20%. (Verbatim § 4.71a.)

10%

DC 5252 "Flexion limited to 45°" = 10%; DC 5253 various 10% tiers; OR — DC 5003 single-joint fallback with painful motion / swelling. (Verbatim § 4.71a.)

Hip fracture residuals fully healed with normal ROM, no nonunion / malunion findings on imaging, no painful-motion residuals.

03Key Evidence

—Service treatment records showing injury or complaints

—Imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT)

—Range of motion measurements

—Flare-up documentation per Sharp v. Shulkin

—Buddy statements describing limitations

—Prescription history

—Physical therapy records

—Employment impact documentation

04C&P Exam Tips

1Do NOT stretch, warm up, or take pain medication before your exam. The VA needs your baseline limitation.

2Report your WORST day. DeLuca v. Brown requires documentation of functional loss during flare-ups.

3Tell the examiner about flare-ups: frequency, duration, estimated ROM loss. Sharp v. Shulkin (2017) requires estimates.

4Request active, passive, weight-bearing, and non-weight-bearing ROM testing per Correia v. McDonald (2016).

5If you use assistive devices (brace, cane), bring them.

6Describe daily activity impact: work, sleep, household tasks.

Tools

Rating Calculator →Secondaries Explorer →C&P Exam Prep →PACT Act Scanner →2026 Rates →

Sources & Editorial

Rating criteria reference 38 C.F.R. Part 4 (Schedule for Rating Disabilities). This entry has not yet undergone editorial review against the live regulation text — consult the authoritative source directly before relying on the criteria shown.

View 38 C.F.R. Part 4 on eCFR →Editorial Standards →Suggest a correction →

EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. NOT LEGAL OR MEDICAL ADVICE.
NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
CLAIM RECON 2026

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