Below-knee amputation with defective stump

To support a 60% rating under this code, evidence needs to show two things: that your below-knee amputation stump is defective, and that a physician has recommended amputation at the thigh level because of that defect. Medical records documenting the condition of the stump are central — this includes examination findings describing problems such as skin breakdown, poor healing, chronic infection, bone spurs, painful scarring, or other stump complications that make the current level of amputation unworkable. A physician's written recommendation or surgical consultation specifically advising thigh-level amputation would directly address the second criterion. Your own statements describing how the stump affects your ability to use a prosthesis and carry out daily activities can help show the functional impact, but the medical recommendation for a higher amputation is the core requirement the evidence must establish.