Applying for Disability After an Amputation

Amputation—the surgical removal of a body part—is a procedure frequently associated with combat injuries, and indeed many amputations are assigned a disability percentage rating by the VA. But about half of all amputations are the result of complications from diabetes or other vascular conditions, including peripheral artery disease or arteriosclerosis.

Lower leg (below the knee) amputation and hip disarticulation (removal of the entire leg) are more likely to qualify an applicant for benefits due to the greater loss of function involved. People who are missing fingers or toes may have a harder time getting disability benefits unless they can demonstrate limitations that significantly interfere with their ability to work full-time.

What Benefits Can an Amputee Claim?

If you're a veteran who lost a limb, including feet, toes, or fingers, as a result of your time in service, you're likely entitled to VA compensation. Civilians and veterans alike who are unable to work full-time for at least one year as a result of their amputation may qualify for Social Security disability benefits (SSDI or SSI).

Qualifying for Disability Benefits After an Amputation

While both the VA and the Social Security Administration (SSA) offer disability benefits, each agency has different definitions and standards they use to determine whether you're disabled. For example, the VA needs to see that your amputation was caused by or got worse because of a service-connected incident, while the SSA isn't concerned with how or why your amputation happened.

Another major distinction between the two programs is that the VA assigns a disability percentage rating based on the nature and extent of your amputation, while the SSA determines that you're either disabled or not disabled with no "partial" grades in between. Additionally, while your VA compensation is calculated mainly based on your disability rating, your SSDI or SSI payments will be the same regardless of how severe your amputation is.

Getting Social Security Disability Benefits for Amputation

You can qualify for disability benefits from the SSA in one of two ways—meet the requirements of a listed impairment or have enough functional limitations to rule out any full-time employment. Certain types of amputations are considered so severe that the SSA will automatically award you benefits provided you meet the requirements of listing 1.20, Amputation due to any cause.

Qualifying for Disability by Meeting the Amputation Listing

Four types of amputations are covered under listing 1.20:

• amputation of both arms at or above the wrists, up to and including the shoulder
• amputation of one arm (above the wrist) and one leg (above the ankle), causing you to either rely on an assistive device or be unable to use your hands and fingers
• hemipelvectomy or hip disarticulation (above the knee, whole leg amputation), or
• amputation of one or both lower extremities above the ankle, provided you have complications that require you to use an assistive device and keep you from using a prosthesis.

In plain English, this means that if you've lost either one entire leg or both arms, you'll qualify for disability based on that fact alone. For other major amputations, you'll also need to show additional manipulative limitations or mobility issues that can't be corrected with a prosthetic leg.

Qualifying for Disability With Reduced Functional Capacity

"Minor" amputations, such as losing your big toe or missing fingers, won't be enough to meet the requirements of listing 1.20. But you can still qualify for benefits if your amputation causes limitations that prevent you from working. The process of deciding what you still can do despite your amputations is called assessing your residual functional capacity (RFC).

Your RFC is a set of restrictions, physical and mental, on work-related activities. Anything you have trouble doing as a result of your amputation will be included in your RFC. For example, toe amputations can impact your ability to balance and climb stairs, while having one or more fingers removed will affect your fine motor movements, such as typing. Even with an artificial leg, you might not be able to walk or stand for long periods of time, or may need to take extra breaks throughout the day to adjust the prosthesis.

These limitations can add up and rule out many jobs. If you have enough limitations in your RFC, you might not be able to perform even the simplest, sit-down jobs, and Social Security will award you disability benefits. Applicants 50 years of age or older may have an easier time qualifying for benefits under a special set of rules called the medical-vocational grid, which takes into consideration other factors in addition to your RFC, such as your education and skills. But no matter what your age, you aren't disabled if you're still able to perform your past work.

VA Disability Percentage Ratings for Amputation

The VA assigns disability percentages according to the Schedule for Rating Disabilities, a medical manual that contains diagnostic codes that correspond to a specific percentage rating. Amputations are rated under the section for musculoskeletal disorders, with subdivisions for upper and lower extremity amputations.

Your specific VA rating will depend on which body parts were removed, how many were removed, and the general extent of the amputation. Below you can find a broad graph showing the potential percentage disability rating for certain amputations.

Upper Extremity Amputations	Range of Disability Ratings
Complete arm amputation	100%
Loss of hand	60%-70%
Five fingers on one hand	60%-70%
Three digits on one hand	30%-60%
Two digits on one hand	20%-50%
Single finger amputation	10%-40%
Lower Extremity Amputations	Range of Disability Ratings
Thigh amputation	90%-100%
Middle or lower thirds of leg	40%-60%
One or more toes with metatarsal head	10%-30%

The Schedule for Rating Disabilities breaks down amputation percentages further depending on where the amputation was made. You can view the full percentages at 38 C.F.R § 4.71.

Medical Evidence You'll Need to Get Disability

While it can seem pretty obvious to observers that you've had a limb amputated, you'll still need to submit medical records with your application for VA disability compensation or Social Security benefits. Your records should contain documentation of the following:

• X-rays or MRIs your doctor used to diagnose the need for an amputation
• hospital admission and discharge dates for your surgery
• your surgeon's notes from the procedure
• clinical follow-up records for your post-surgery recovery
• physical therapy visits
• prescribed medications, and
• records from your fitting for a prosthesis, if necessary.

It can also help to have your doctor provide a medical source statement with their opinion about what your physical limitations are. For example, if your regular doctor doesn't think that you can walk for longer than 15 minutes without pain or are able to lift objects weighing more than 10 pounds, the SSA will likely take that into consideration when determining what kind of jobs you can do. You can download a blank form that you can bring to your next doctor's appointment and ask them if they'd be willing to fill it out for you.

If you suffer from phantom limb pain, keep a diary about how your chronic pain impacts your activities of daily living—such as driving, housekeeping, grocery shopping, or socializing—as well as activities that require concentration. The SSA considers mental limitations as well as physical limitations when determining whether you can work, and the VA can assign a percentage rating to conditions caused by chronic pain, such as depression.

SSI Presumptive Disability for Certain Amputations

If you're applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and you have a "readily observable impairment" such as a whole leg amputation, you can qualify for presumptive disability benefits. This means you'll start to get payments right away, even before you're officially found disabled by a claims examiner.

Presumptive disability payments are meant to support people with limited income and assets while their claim is being reviewed. The payments last for a maximum of six months, so if it takes longer than that to approve your claim, you'll have to wait without presumptive payments for the final decision. But the good news is that if you receive presumptive disability benefits and are later found ineligible for SSI for some reason, you won't have to pay back the money you already received from Social Security.

How Much Can I Get in Disability For an Amputation?

Social Security doesn't pay benefits based on the type of disabling medical condition you have. Instead, SSDI benefits are calculated from your work history and earnings record. For 2024, the maximum amount you can receive in SSDI is $3,822 per month, although the average payment is much smaller, at $1,537. That discrepancy is due to the wide variety in average wages for SSDI recipients.

SSI payment amounts are adjusted every year to a level called the federal benefit rate. In 2024, that rate is $943 per month. Your SSI check will be the federal rate minus any countable income you have for that month. Some states offer modest supplemental payments to SSI as well.

VA compensation rates are based on a combination of your disability percentage rating and your living situation. For example, a veteran with a 100% rated hip disarticulation who has a spouse and one child will receive $4,098.87 from the VA every month. Many amputees are also entitled to an additional bonus payment, known as special monthly compensation.

How to Apply for VA or SSA Disability

The SSA offers several methods by which you can begin your application: file online, call the agency's hotline at 800-772-1213 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., or visit your local Social Security field office. You can learn more in our article discussing the best ways to apply for disability benefits if you're not sure which option to choose.

Veterans are encouraged to file Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits, online using a VA web portal. You can also download the form and either bring it in person to your local VA regional office, fax it to 844-531-7818 (248-524-4260 if you're outside the U.S.), or mail the completed application to the following address:

Department of Veterans Affairs
Claims Intake Center
PO Box 4444
Janesville, WI 53547-4444

While you aren't required to hire an attorney to get benefits from the VA or the SSA, it's generally a smart move. If you're interested in getting help with your application, consider hiring an experienced disability lawyer. Your representative can handle communications with government agencies, make sure you don't miss important appeals deadlines, and present your best case in front of an administrative law judge.