To qualify for a 50 percent rating, a veteran would need to have "unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine." I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction with spinal issues and VA ratings. Updated: August 3, 2020. A, Oftentimes, spinal conditions will cause other conditions, and these conditions qualify a Veteran for another rating. That is, your stenosis wasnt diagnosed at the time, but it likely came about as a result of an injury or illness that has been established as service-connected. VA Disability Rating For Degenerative Disc Disease Posted by Berry Law on June 18, 2018 in Veterans Benefits Military service can place an incredible amount of stress on the body. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Basically, the VA understands that the Veteran would not have developed sleep apnea if they didnt get PTSD while in service. Thank you so much Woods & Woods. The Board notes that by rating decision dated December 2005 the veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with spinal stenosis and radiculopathy was evaluated as 60 percent disabling, effective August 23, 1999. THE ISSUE. If your back is not frozen, VA doctors will base their assessment on how much range of motion you have left, which they will measure with a goniometer. Spinal stenosis can cause a variety of symptoms depending on the location of the spinal stenosis and the compressed nerve. Its never too late to apply for VA benefits. To facilitate this process, the VA has created a ratings table. Some examples of cervical conditions that are rated under this code include the following: Diagnostic Code 5237 Cervical Strain A torn tendon or muscle in the neck. A. found that the VA processed the majority of the 62,500 spinal injury claims decided in the first half of 2018. All the disabilities stemming from spinal stenosis should be accounted for in a fair VA disability rating. Spinal stenosis is a form of degenerative disc disease. Radiculopathy | Johns Hopkins Medicine Over time, you will attend additional annual exams at an area SCI Center. Have you been affected by Camp Lejeune water contamination? Disclaimer: This information is not legal advice. WITNESS AT HEARING ON APPEAL. The rating assigned under the rating criteria for degenerative arthritis depends on how many, Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that causes destruction of the joints in the body. I was medically retired from active duty Army in January of 2016 with a rating of 80% for a variety of things. When your medical disability occurred during your service, it is almost always presumed to be service-connected. That is, they get it wrong more than half the time. Phone: (757) 220-4529. Spinal muscles: Sacrospinalis (erector spinae and its prolongations in thoracic and cervical regions). Stenosis is most common in the cervical area (the neck) and the lower back (lumbar) area, with lumbar stenosis being the most common form of this condition. It results in chronic pain, numbness, and weakness in your body. Free Disability Evaluation: Step 1. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_4" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_5" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Were you stationed at Camp Lejeune before 1987? VA physicians will measure your range of motion in six places, using a goniometer. Phoenix, AZ: One Renaissance Tower, Two North Center Avenue, 18th & 19th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85004 While we still have our home base in Florida, These cookies allow the website to remember choices you make to give you better functionality and preferences such as text size, fonts and other customizable website elements. Entire cervical spine is frozen in an unfavorable position. Spinal stenosis can arise from both degenerative conditions (such as arthritis, bulging discs, and herniated discs) and physical injury, such as bone fragments, dislocated vertebrae, or swollen tissues. You may also be able to show your spinal stenosis is service-related via a secondary service connection. Gulf War Illnesses linked to Southwest Asia service | Veterans Affairs The small openings in your spine are called foramen, and nerves pass through the foramen from your spinal cord into the rest of your body. The information these cookies collect will not personally identify you, and they cannot track your browsing activity on other websites. Your doctors will also discuss ongoing treatment and support needs, physical and occupational therapy, and try to identify and treat any worsening symptoms or functions. How Do You Rate Severe Spinal Stenosis - VA Disability Compensation If your spine is not frozen, the VA disability rating for spinal stenosis will depend on the ROM measurements using a goniometer. As you can see, ROM measurements play a significant role in rating spinal conditions. How to Qualify for Disability Benefits With Spondylosis . The effects of spinal stenosis, whether they manifest themselves in the back or elsewhere, can be the basis of a VA disability rating for spinal stenosis. Because the vertebrae are closer together, they tend to compress the nerves that lie inside the spine, especially the spinal cord. We get emails all the time asking if certain health problems qualify for benefits. Claims involving both the cervical spine and the thoracolumbar spine are rated under the same general rating formula. Spinal stenosis is a disorder that affects your back. This guide will break down how the VA rates back pain and spinal disabilities, so you can take the first steps toward making a claim. Our goal is to help all fellow Veterans get the disability benefits they deserve. What Is Foraminal Stenosis And Can I Qualify For Benefits? Spinal stenosis can be a difficult disability to deal with because of the breadth and variety of symptoms you may experience. Because the rating formula is almost entirely based on ROM measurements, its important to make sure that a doctor performs ROM testing as accurately as possible. Muscle spasms are involuntary contractions or extensions of muscles. Yes, you can. See Entitlement Considerations, Section B of this . Lumbar Stenosis Symptoms Numbness or tingling in your arm or leg, weakness in your arm or leg, pain or cramping in your legs when you walk, and back pain. Spinal stenosis in the neck can cause: Numbness Tingling or weakness in a hand, leg, foot or arm Problems with walking and balance Neck pain Problems with the bowel or bladder Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic From Mayo Clinic to your inbox Congenital spinal stenosis is present at birth as a normal variant in the population or due to congenital conditions. Abnormal growths can form inside the spinal cord, within the membranes that cover the spinal cord or in the space between the spinal cord and vertebrae. VA Disability Rating for Back Pain | The Tuley Law Office The VA rates spinal stenosis disability claims according to its General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. IVDS is rated under diagnostic code 5243, and the rating criteria relies on the number of incapacitating episodes and how much bed rest the veteran's physician prescribed within the last year. Cincinnati, OH: 300 E Business Way, Suite 200, Summit Woods Corporate Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45241 The amount of base compensation veterans receive . This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. For example, if your spinal stenosis is caused by a bulging disc, dislocated vertebrae, or bone fragments, you may be able to identify an accidental fall, vehicle collision, or any other physical injury incurred during your military service that worsened your condition. . Is Spinal Stenosis A Permanent Disability | Disability Help If a Veteran only has one joint group affected by arthritis then there must also be painful motion present in order for a rating higher than 0% to be assigned. Specifically, VA rates spinal stenosis according to its General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine, outlined below: If you were denied VA disability benefits for spinal stenosis, Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD may be able to help you through the appeals process. Thus, when a bulging or herniated disc in the cervical spine region causes six weeks of incapacitating episodes per year, you would be eligible for a 60% VA disability rating for neck pain. These types of lawyers have experience dealing with the laws and rules that govern the VA and may have ideas and suggestions for increasing or challenging your VA disability rating. The rating will largely depend on whether you have lost range of motion as a result of stenosis. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form. Veterans looking to receive VA disability for spinal stenosis often develop the disability due to an injury to the spine. Under the VA regulations, you may request an extra-schedular rating for your disability. for incapacitating episodes totaling at least 6 weeks during the past 12 months; for incapacitating episodes totaling at least 4 weeks but less than 6 weeks during the past 12 months; for incapacitating episodes totaling at least 2 weeks but less than 4 weeks during the past 12 months; for incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least one week but less than 2 weeks during the past 12 months. The spine is considered as a minor joint. During the months after surgery, veterans are entitled to a 100% disability rating so they can recover from the procedure. A 2019 Inspector General report found that the VA processed the majority of the 62,500 spinal injury claims decided in the first half of 2018. For example, fractured and/or dislocated vertebrae can lead to pain and weakness in the arms, hips, shoulders, etc. If your spinal stenosis or foraminal stenosis is service-connected, or if your condition was aggravated because of your military service, you may qualify for VA disability compensation. This is known as secondary service connection. .. Jan 17, 2012 #2. An unfavorable position means your spine is locked in a position that is something other than vertical. 203, San Jose, CA 95134 If the condition is not severe enough to meet the above criteria, then the VA rating for back pain / arthritis will be based on specific symptoms. To receive VA disability for spinal stenosis, like all other disabilities, a Veteran must first establish service connection for the injury. The VA disability rating system for spinal stenosis is the same general formula as for other similar spinal conditions, including: If the VA determines your spinal stenosis is service-connected, you will receive a disability rating between 0% and 100%.

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