b. Whenever LOM due to arthritis is noncompensable under codes appropriate Conditions Not to a particular joint, assign 10 percent under for each major joint or group of Compensable minor joints affected by limited or painful motion as prescribed under . Under Other DCs If there is no limited or painful motion, but there is x-ray evidence of degenerative arthritis, assign under either a 10-percent evaluation or a percent evaluation for occasional incapacitating exacerbations, based on the involvement of two or more major joints or two or more groups of minor joints. Do combine under a or 20-percent evaluation that is Important: not based solely on x-ray findings with evaluations that are based on limited or painful motion. See example in M21-1, Part III, Subpart iv, 4.A.8.d. c. Reference: For more information on rating decisions involving LOM, see M21-1, Part Rating III, Subpart iv, 4.A.7. Decisions Involving LOM d. Arthritis The rating activity may encounter cases for which arthritis of multiple joints Previously is rated as a single disability. Rated as a Single Use the information in the table below to process cases for which arthritis was Disability previously evaluated as a single disability but the criteria for assignment of separate evaluations for affected joints was met at the time of the prior decision. If Then … … the separate evaluation of the reevaluate using the current procedure arthritic disability results in no with the same effective date as change in the combined degree previously assigned. previously assigned, and a rating decision is required reevaluating the arthritic apply to retroactively increase the separately results in an increased assigned evaluation. combined evaluation
b. Conditions Not Compensable Under Other DCs Whenever LOM due to arthritis is noncompensable under codes appropriate to a particular joint, assign 10 percent under for each major joint or group of minor joints affected by limited or painful motion as prescribed under . If there is no limited or painful motion, but there is x-ray evidence of degenerative arthritis, assign under either a 10-percent evaluation or a evaluation for occasional incapacitating exacerbations, based on the involvement of two or more major joints or two or more groups of minor joints. Important: Do not combine under a or 20-percent evaluation that is based solely on x-ray findings with evaluations that are based on limited or painful motion. See example in M21-1, Part III, Subpart iv, 4.A.8.d. c. Reference: Rating Decisions Involving LOM For more information on rating decisions involving LOM, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart iv, 4.A.7. d. Arthritis Previously Rated as a Single Disability The rating activity may encounter cases for which arthritis of multiple joints is rated as a single disability. Use the information in the table below to process cases for which arthritis was previously evaluated as a single disability but the criteria for assignment of separate evaluations for affected joints was met at the time of the prior decision. If … Then … the separate evaluation of the arthritic disability results in no change in the combined degree previously assigned, and a rating decision is required reevaluate using the current procedure with the same effective date as previously assigned. reevaluating the arthritic separately results in an increased combined evaluation apply to retroactively increase the assigned evaluation. percent