Bursitis is rated by VA under diagnostic code 5019, and it does not have its own percentage table. VA rates it on limitation of motion of the affected joint, using the same rules that apply to degenerative arthritis under diagnostic code 5003. In practice most veterans with service-connected bursitis land at 10% or 20%, though shoulder, hip, and knee cases with significant lost motion can reach 30% or 40%. At 2026 rates, a 10% rating pays $180.42 per month and a 20% rating pays $356.66 per month.
The rating you get depends far more on which joint is affected and how much motion you have lost than on the bursitis diagnosis itself. A veteran with subacromial bursitis in the dominant shoulder who cannot raise the arm above shoulder level is rated differently from a veteran with prepatellar knee bursitis who has full flexion but daily pain. This guide walks through the criteria joint by joint.
How VA Rates Bursitis Under Diagnostic Code 5019
Bursitis appears in the VA rating schedule at 38 CFR 4.71a as diagnostic code 5019. The entry reads, in effect, that bursitis is "rated on limitation of motion of affected parts, as degenerative arthritis." That single sentence controls the whole analysis and produces three possible paths to a rating.
Path 1: Compensable limitation of motion. If your range of motion is bad enough to meet a percentage under the diagnostic code for that joint (5201 for the shoulder, 5260 for knee flexion, and so on), VA assigns that percentage. This is the path to ratings above 20%.
Path 2: Noncompensable limitation of motion. If you have measurable lost motion but not enough to earn a percentage under the joint's own code, DC 5003 supplies a 10% rating for each major joint or group of minor joints affected. The limitation has to be objectively confirmed by findings such as swelling, muscle spasm, or satisfactory evidence of painful motion.
Path 3: Painful motion under 38 CFR 4.59. Even with full range of motion on paper, § 4.59 directs that painful motion with joint or periarticular pathology be treated as productive of disability and entitled to at least the minimum compensable rating for the joint. For most joints that minimum is 10%. VA reinforced this guidance for adjudicators in 2026, which matters because bursitis frequently produces real pain with numerically normal motion.
The major joints VA recognizes under 38 CFR 4.45 are the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle. Bursitis in any of them can support a separate 10% rating when the limitation of motion is documented.
Bursitis Rating Criteria by Joint
Because DC 5019 borrows the criteria of whichever joint is involved, here are the codes VA will actually apply.
Shoulder Bursitis (Subacromial, Subdeltoid) - DC 5201
Shoulder bursitis is the most commonly claimed form. Ratings depend on whether the affected arm is your dominant (major) or non-dominant (minor) side.
| Limitation of arm flexion or abduction | Major arm | Minor arm |
|---|
| Limited to 25 degrees from the side | 40% | 30% |
| Midway between side and shoulder level (about 45 degrees) | 30% | 20% |
| At shoulder level (about 90 degrees) | 20% | 20% |
| Painful motion, no compensable loss | 10% | 10% |
Hip Bursitis (Trochanteric, Iliopsoas) - DC 5252 and 5253
Hip bursitis is often rated on limitation of thigh flexion, and a separate rating can sometimes be assigned for impaired abduction or rotation.
| Criteria | Rating |
|---|
| Thigh flexion limited to 10 degrees (DC 5252) | 40% |
| Thigh flexion limited to 20 degrees (DC 5252) | 30% |
| Thigh flexion limited to 30 degrees (DC 5252) | 20% |
| Thigh flexion limited to 45 degrees (DC 5252) | 10% |
| Abduction lost beyond 10 degrees (DC 5253) | 20% |
| Cannot cross legs, or cannot toe out more than 15 degrees (DC 5253) | 10% |
Knee Bursitis (Prepatellar, Pes Anserine) - DC 5260 and 5261
The knee has two motion codes, and a veteran can receive separate ratings under both when flexion and extension are each limited.
| Criteria | Rating |
|---|
| Flexion limited to 15 degrees (DC 5260) | 30% |
| Flexion limited to 30 degrees (DC 5260) | 20% |
| Flexion limited to 45 degrees (DC 5260) | 10% |
| Extension limited to 20 degrees (DC 5261) | 30% |
| Extension limited to 15 degrees (DC 5261) | 20% |
| Extension limited to 10 degrees (DC 5261) | 10% |
Elbow Bursitis (Olecranon) - DC 5206 and 5207
| Criteria | Major arm | Minor arm |
|---|
| Forearm flexion limited to 70 degrees (DC 5206) | 30% | 20% |
| Forearm flexion limited to 90 degrees (DC 5206) | 20% | 20% |
| Forearm flexion limited to 100 degrees (DC 5206) | 10% | 10% |
| Forearm extension limited to 90 degrees (DC 5207) | 30% | 20% |
| Forearm extension limited to 75 degrees (DC 5207) | 20% | 20% |
| Forearm extension limited to 60 degrees (DC 5207) | 10% | 10% |
Ankle and Heel Bursitis (Retrocalcaneal) - DC 5271
| Criteria | Rating |
|---|
| Marked limitation of motion (less than 5 degrees dorsiflexion or less than 10 degrees plantar flexion) | 20% |
| Moderate limitation of motion (less than 15 degrees dorsiflexion or less than 30 degrees plantar flexion) | 10% |
2026 VA Disability Pay Rates for Bursitis Ratings
The 2026 rates took effect December 1, 2025 and reflect a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment. Ratings of 10% and 20% pay a flat amount regardless of dependents. From 30% up, dependents increase the payment.
| Rating | Veteran alone, monthly | Approximate annual |
|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | $2,165 |
| 20% | $356.66 | $4,280 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $6,630 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $9,550 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $13,595 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $17,220 |
A veteran rated 30% or higher can add dependents to the award, which raises the monthly amount. File VA Form 21-686c for a spouse or children.
Filing a Bursitis Claim: Step by Step
1. Confirm you have a current diagnosis. VA cannot service-connect a symptom. You need a physician's diagnosis of bursitis, ideally supported by imaging or a documented clinical exam noting swelling, tenderness over the bursa, or crepitus.
2. Establish the in-service event or the secondary link. Direct service connection requires an in-service injury, event, or illness plus a medical link to the current diagnosis. Many bursitis claims succeed as secondary conditions instead. Common pairings include hip bursitis secondary to a service-connected knee or ankle condition that altered your gait, and shoulder bursitis secondary to a service-connected cervical spine or rotator cuff disability.
3. Get a nexus opinion if the link is not obvious. Secondary claims almost always need a medical opinion explaining the mechanism, not just asserting the conclusion. A useful opinion states what records the physician reviewed, explains the clinical progression step by step, and uses the "at least as likely as not" standard. Generic template letters get less weight.
4. Gather range-of-motion evidence. Bring goniometer measurements from your treating provider if you have them, plus records of flare-ups, cortisone injections, physical therapy, and any work restrictions.
5. File the claim. Submit VA Form 21-526EZ online at va.gov, by mail to the Evidence Intake Center, or through an accredited Veterans Service Organization representative. Consider the Fully Developed Claim route, which asks you to submit all evidence upfront and generally moves faster.
6. Attend the C&P exam. Do not minimize your symptoms. Describe your worst days, not your average day.
Average VA processing time for a disability claim was roughly 79 days as of mid-2026, down sharply from the 2024 peak. Fully developed claims with complete evidence often finish faster; multi-condition claims and those requiring old service records take longer.
The C&P Exam Details That Decide Bursitis Ratings
Range of motion at a single moment does not capture bursitis well, because the condition flares. Two court decisions shape how the exam must be conducted.
Under DeLuca v. Brown, the examiner must consider functional loss caused by pain, weakness, fatigability, and incoordination, including additional loss during flare-ups and after repeated use. Under Correia v. McDonald, joint testing must record active motion, passive motion, and motion in both weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing conditions when applicable.
If the exam report skips these, the rating may be based on incomplete data. Read your exam report when you get your decision. Ask for the DBQ. If it shows only one measurement and no discussion of flare-ups, that is a specific, arguable error on appeal.
Also watch for pyramiding. Under 38 CFR 4.14, VA cannot rate the same joint twice for the same functional impairment. If you have both arthritis and bursitis in the same knee, VA will generally assign one rating for the lost motion rather than two. Separate ratings are allowed when the impairments are genuinely distinct, such as limitation of flexion and limitation of extension in the same knee, or instability rated separately from limitation of motion.
Common Reasons Bursitis Claims Get Denied
- No current diagnosis. Pain alone, without a diagnosed bursa condition, is a frequent denial reason.
- No nexus. Service treatment records show shoulder pain in 2009, current records show bursitis in 2026, and nothing connects them. A medical opinion bridges that gap.
- Full range of motion recorded at the exam. This is where § 4.59 matters. If painful motion is documented, the minimum compensable rating should still apply.
- Rated as part of another condition. If VA folds the bursitis into an existing rating for the same joint, the claim may show as denied even though the impairment was considered.
If you disagree with the decision, you have one year to choose a review lane: a Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence, a Higher-Level Review by a senior reviewer, or a Board appeal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average VA rating for bursitis?
Most service-connected bursitis ratings are 10% or 20%. The 10% rating typically comes from painful motion or noncompensable limitation of motion under DC 5003. Higher ratings require measurable loss of motion meeting the criteria for the specific joint.
Can bursitis be rated higher than 20%?
Yes, but it takes significant lost motion. Shoulder bursitis limiting arm motion to 25 degrees from the side rates 40% for the dominant arm. Hip flexion limited to 20 degrees rates 30%. Knee flexion limited to 15 degrees rates 30%. These are severe presentations.
Can I get a separate rating for bursitis in each joint?
Yes. Each major joint affected can support its own rating, and the ratings combine using VA's combined ratings table rather than simple addition. Bursitis in both shoulders and both hips, each at 10%, combines to roughly 30% before rounding, not 40%.
Is bursitis a presumptive condition?
No. Bursitis is not on any VA presumptive list, including the PACT Act lists. It must be established through direct service connection, secondary service connection, or aggravation of a preexisting condition.
Can I claim hip bursitis secondary to a knee condition?
Yes, and it is one of the more commonly granted secondary pairings. The theory is that an altered gait from a service-connected knee, ankle, or foot condition places abnormal stress on the hip and causes trochanteric bursitis. A nexus opinion describing that biomechanical chain strengthens the claim considerably.
Does a cortisone injection help or hurt my rating?
It helps document severity. Records of repeated injections, physical therapy, and continued symptoms after treatment show a chronic condition. Temporary post-injection improvement does not erase the rating, since VA rates the disability picture over time, including flare-ups.
What if my bursitis was surgically treated?
Bursectomy or related surgery may qualify for a temporary 100% convalescent rating under 38 CFR 4.30 if it required at least one month of convalescence, followed by a schedular rating based on residual limitation of motion. Scar residuals may also be separately rated.
How long does a bursitis claim take?
The VA average for a disability claim decision was about 79 days in mid-2026. Fully developed claims with complete medical evidence can close in 60 to 90 days, while claims requiring a new C&P exam or older service records can run considerably longer.
