The Truth About Spinal Stenosis: Causes Symptoms And Treatments Conversely, when the lumbar spine (the lower section of the back) is affected, symptoms may cause pain and nerve sensations in the back, legs, and feet. By using our website, you agree to the use of certain cookies. If severe enough, anxiety and depression arising from a service-related condition may also qualify for an additional disability rating. VA Ratings For Spinal Arthritis & Back Pain. Severe paralysis of long periods can be shown by muscular atrophy, poor blood circulation, and limited functionality of the affected body part. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Lawyers 6940 O St, Suite 400 Lincoln, NE 68510. ATTORNEY FOR THE . The VA rating for degenerative disc disease typically is 20%, despite how much pain the condition may cause. Call 800-544-9144 today for a free case evaluation or contact us here. An. Spinal stenosis is a degenerative disc disease that occurs when there is pressure placed on the nerves in your spine. 38 CFR 4.71a - Schedule of ratings - LII / Legal Information Institute . With regard to the medical opinion, doctors must state that your condition is at least as likely as not due to your time in service. Degenerative arthritis of the spine, sometimes referred to as facet joint osteoarthritis, causes a breakdown of the cartilage between the facet joints in the back of the spine. The exact VA disability percentage for spinal stenosis that has caused a frozen spine depends on the position where the spine is frozen. SSA will consider disability claims for degenerative disc disease that are supported by medical evidence such as: Physical examination for type and location of pain, range of motion, nerve function, sensation, and muscle strength, with a full review of the entirety of symptoms Diagnostic imaging tests (such as MRI, CT scans, and x-rays) Lumbar IVDS accounts for 62% of all disc disease. Spinal stenosis is typically diagnosed with x-rays or MRIs of the spine showing a narrowing of the spinal canal. What Happens If You Don't Treat Spinal Stenosis? For a Veteran to get a disability service connected, they must: If a Veteran can prove all three elements listed above, they should be given a disability rating by the department of Veterans affairs. So, if a Veteran has service connection for PTSD and later develops sleep apnea, they can argue that the sleep apnea was caused by their PTSD. Entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for chronic low back pain from multilevel degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis. Thus, if the flexion ROM measurement produces a 40% VA disability percentage and the total ROM measurement produces a 30% VA disability percentage, the VA disability percentage for spinal stenosis would be 40%. Service-connected disabilities are disabilities that manifested during your service, regardless of when your diagnosis occurred, or was diagnosed prior to your service and was worsened by your service. We use cookies to optimize our website and our service. For example, if your disability requires frequent hospitalization or substantially interferes with your ability to earn a living, you may request a special disability rating from the VA. Our VA Disability Lawyers talk about SMC (Special Monthly Compensation). Experienced Social Security Disability Lawyer. When the nerves are compressed, electrical signals passing along those nerves can become disrupted. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established. However, Veterans can also receive disability compensation on a secondary basis. How the VA Rates Spinal Stenosis in Florida? 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. Learn more about us, Veterans Disability Claim Some joints are referred to as major joints, while others are referred to as minor joints. Finally, the general VA disability ratings table for spinal injuries and diseases allows ratings based on muscle guarding, muscle spasm, or tenderness in your back. If you believe your current spinal injuries are the result of military service, you could receive VA disability for spinal stenosis. Your VA doctor may conclude that your spinal stenosis is service-connected because of this pre-existing whiplash and disk herniation. Pain, numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, and loss of motor control are some of the symptoms of the condition. Do you have a low back (lumbar) injury related to your military service? 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? Spine Condition Ratings Military Disability Made Easy Can I get Disability for Spinal Stenosis? How to Qualify - brrlaw To qualify for disability because of spinal stenosis, you must meet several requirements: The stenosis must be in your lumbar region. This opinion will be most favorable when it comes to establishing service connection. This makes sense because a spine frozen in an unfavorable position would place the greatest stress on the body and have the greatest impact on the veterans ability to work. All but 10% of lumbar IVDS is at the L4-L5 or L5-S1 level. Spondylolisthesis and Spondylolysis - Entitlement Eligibility But it can also be a result of a spinal injury. For example, if you receive a VA disability rating based on a general spinal injury but could have received a higher VA disability rating for IVDS, you can submit additional evidence showing that your spinal stenosis is caused by a bulging, herniated, or degenerated disc and request a re-calculation. VA Disability Rating for Degenerative Disc Disease Explained (The Please complete this form to send us your message. During the months after surgery, veterans are entitled to a 100% disability rating so they can recover from the procedure. A favorable position means the ROM measurement for flexion or extension is 0 degrees. The RO also assigned an initial 40 percent rating for the disability effective November 8, 2006. After recovery, the VA will re-evaluate their condition. Full eligibility requirements REPRESENTATION. All rights reserved. This communication with the firm or any member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Finally, we invite you to contact us and we welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. These cookies do not store any personal information. VA uses 38 CFR 4.71a, General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine to evaluate most neck pain conditions. PDF VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for Diagnosis and Treatment of Low In severe cases, or where the use of conservative treatment options just isnt effective for you, you and your doctors may consider surgery. Think of the first number as an identifying diagnostic code that tells you what joint is affected, while the second diagnostic code tells you the rating system the condition is being rated under. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense guidelines are based upon the best information available at the time of publication. Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in New York, New York. Back Pain VA Rating: A Guide to Spinal Injuries - Hill & Ponton, P.A. 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%. This is known as secondary service connection. This condition causes small bones in your spine to fuse in place to one another, sometimes resulting in significant range-of-motion loss. Because c-spine stenosis is a degenerative illness, a person's condition will continue to deteriorate . However, you may get a 100% VA disability rating for up to one year after serious back surgery, such as a spinal fusion. VA Disability Ratings for Back Pain and Spinal Arthritis The diagnostic code for rheumatoid arthritis is 5002. To qualify for the total unemployability disability benefit, you must meet two distinct criteria: Note that theres a significant difference in monthly disability benefits between a 40% disability rating and a 100% disability rating. Neck muscle injuries. For example, 5241 spinal fusion VA rating and 5238 spinal stenosis VA rating are calculated entirely on the range of motion (ROM) of your back even though spinal fusion and spinal stenosis are very different conditions. Symptoms vary depending on the location of the stenosis and which nerves are affected. 4.30 Convalescent ratings. They fought hard for me and got me more than I ever could dream of. NOTE: Entitlement of a spinal condition includes spinal stenosis. As mentioned above, many different joints are rated under the rating criteria for degenerative arthritis. If your condition meets the listing criteria, it will automatically be considered a disability. A 2023 Guide to VA Disability Rates & Pay Schedules, Individual Unemployability Rating Calculator, List of Blue Water Navy Ships Exposed to Agent Orange (Interactive Vietnam Map), Social Security Disability Benefits Guide, Stenosis can occur in the spinal column itself, or it can occur within the intervertebral foramen, which are the passages through which your nerve roots branch out laterally through the spine. 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, if the cervical spine ROM measurements are 15, 30, 0, 30, 45, and 45, the total ROM would be 165. The information these cookies collect will not personally identify you, and they cannot track your browsing activity on other websites. Getting Veterans (VA) Disability for Spinal Injuries, Radiculopathy VA Disability Ratings and Benefits, VA Disability Ratings for Neck Pain Explained. Phone: (757) 220-4529. 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. Neck Conditions: How To Get VA Disability - The Veterans Law Office Canes range from $25 to $100 and walkers can be more than $200. WITNESS AT HEARING ON APPEAL. Since that time, we have provided compassionate This data may be used to help optimize our websites and make them easier for you to navigate. Appeals to the Board of Veterans Appeals, Appeal to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, Increase Veterans Affairs Disability Rating, Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU), VA Mental Health: Legal Help for Veterans, Veterans Affairs Compensation for Sleep Apnea, VA Rating for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Symptoms, 2023 Veterans Affairs Disability Rate Increase, Have a current medical diagnosis for the disability, Have an in-service event or experience that led to the disability, Get a medical nexus connecting the in-service event to the current medical diagnosis. It is the problems that may be CAUSED by Spinal Stenosis that are rateable. Claims involving both the cervical spine and the thoracolumbar spine are rated under the same general rating formula. Incomplete but severe paralysis of the sciatic nerve may lead to a 60 percent disability rating. How Do You Rate Severe Spinal Stenosis - VA Disability Compensation One of the most common conditions secondary to spinal conditions is radiculopathy. Spine Condition Ratings. Disability Benefits For Spinal Stenosis - Gillette Law Group About VA Disability Ratings | Veterans Affairs - VA.gov Home | Veterans They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. IVDS commonly includes back pain and sciatica (pain along the course of the sciatic nerve into the buttock and the leg) in the case of lumbar disc disease, and neck plus arm or hand pain in the case of cervical disc disease. You may also qualify for a 100% rating if your back injury renders you. When symptoms are present, they usually start gradually and worsen over time. You could be entitled to $3,627 per month! Examples of secondary conditions that may arise as complications of stenosis include radiculopathy, neurogenic bladder, and knee and hip problems caused by walking difficulties due to stenosis. Contact Info Is applicant currently receiving Social Security benefits? Furthermore, as to case summaries, reports of past results, individual lawyer biographies, news posts and other information pertaining to past and present cases, these descriptions are meant only to provide information to the public about the activities and experience of our law firm. If two or more major OR minor groups are affected a 20% rating will be assigned if the arthritis is occasionally incapacitating. Also, the VA requires that all ROM measurements be taken with a goniometer. A TDIU is an award of increased compensation. For instance, which pages you go to most.
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