All VA diagnostic codes › §4.71a
38 CFR Diagnostic Code 5297 — Ribs, removal of
Rating schedule §4.71a — § 4.71a Schedule of ratings—musculoskeletal system.
| Rating | Criteria (38 CFR §4.71a) |
|---|---|
| 50% | More than six |
| 40% | Five or six |
| 30% | Three or four |
| 20% | Two |
| 10% | One or resection of two or more ribs without regeneration |
Notes in the regulation
- Note (1): The rating for rib resection or removal is not to be applied with ratings for purrulent pleurisy, lobectomy, pneumonectomy or injuries of pleural cavity.
- Note (2): However, rib resection will be considered as rib removal in thoracoplasty performed for collapse therapy or to accomplish obliteration of space and will be combined with the rating for lung collapse, or with the rating for lobectomy, pneumonectomy or the graduated ratings for pulmonary tuberculosis.
Source. Quoted from 38 CFR Part 4, the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities, as published by the eCFR for 2026-07-01. We quote the regulation rather than paraphrase it. The rating schedule changes; check the eCFR link for the current text.
Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.
Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.
2026 base rates, all ratings (veteran alone)
| Rating | Monthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
This is reference information, not a rating decision and not legal advice. What a claim actually receives depends on the evidence of record.
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