Depending on what joint is affected, there will be an identifying diagnostic code assigned to the condition. To collect VA disability compensation benefits, you must show that your spinal stenosis disability claim was caused or aggravated by your military service. VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs A fair VA disability rating for spinal stenosis can be difficult to obtain. These cookies collect information about how you use our website. It will also help if someone else in your division remembers what happened. If there is painful motion, a 10% rating will be assigned. An. If the VA determines your spinal stenosis is service-connected, you will receive a disability rating between 0% and 100%. Any injuries or disabilities that are the result of military service are eligible for compensation by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). You should see a doctor if you are experiencing severe back pain, weakness, numbness or loss of control of an extremity, foot drop, bowel and/or bladder problems, or numbness in your saddle area. We consistently provide experienced, compassionate and ethical representation to our clients. The disability rating is the highest rating produced by the rating tables. As mentioned above, many different joints are rated under the rating criteria for degenerative arthritis. According to Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit academic medical center, spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the space where the nerves run through your spine, causing pain by putting extra pressure on these spinal nerves. 100% VA disability rating for spinal cancer. You can talk these problems over with your physician, as well. NOTE: Entitlement of a spinal condition includes spinal stenosis. 4.30 Convalescent ratings. Gulf War Illnesses linked to Southwest Asia service | Veterans Affairs 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. Already working with us? The VA has a separate rating system for these conditions. This information is made available for educational purposes only and to provide general information and a general understanding of the law. Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in New York, New York. . For example, if your spinal stenosis is caused by a bulging disc, herniated disc, or other degenerative disc condition, you may get a better rating for intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS). When spinal stenosis causes additional disabilities, those problems may qualify as secondary service-connected disabilities. These cookies are essential so that you can move around the website and use its features. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. For example, if the spine is frozen tilted to one side or leaning forward, that would constitute an unfavorable position. I have my transportation now. They will have you move, twist, or turn as far as you can without reaching your limit or experiencing significant pain and note the degrees of movement you can manage. This can be demonstrated by muscular atrophy, poor blood circulation, and limited movement of the affected body part. Entire spine is frozen in an unfavorable position. Cookies help us deliver the best experience on our website. Because the symptoms of spinal stenosis are not limited to back pain and ROM, you can investigate whether there are alternate options for obtaining a fair VA disability rating. Neck Conditions: How To Get VA Disability - The Veterans Law Office If these records do not exist, it may also be possible to support a claim with post-service medical records that show a significant worsening. Depending on what joint is affected, there will be an identifying diagnostic code assigned to the condition. Finally, we invite you to contact us and we welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. This misdiagnosis can affect a later disability claim for spinal stenosis, although it can be countered by evidence showing the diagnosis was, in fact, made in error. People with spinal conditions also often change how they walk to compensate for the pain which can lead to knee and hip problems. Call (855) 873-2604 For a Free Evaluation of Your Spinal Stenosis Disability Case. Numbness or tingling in a hand, arm, foot, or leg, Pain or cramping in one or both legs when you stand for long periods of time or when you walk, which usually eases when you bend forward or sit. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. An increase at this point for a spine disability requires additional loss of range of motion, ankylosis, or . 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. How Do You Rate Severe Spinal Stenosis - VA Disability Compensation Williamsburg, VA 23185. You may also qualify for a 100% rating if your back injury renders you. Lack of cartilage causes pain and limitation of motion. Basically, the SSA understands it's harder to go back to school, move for work or change careers after age 50. Lumbar IVDS accounts for 62% of all disc disease. VA Disability Rating Levels and Compensation Amounts for Spinal Injury. Yes, but you should talk to a VA Disability law attorney first. 20% Spinal Stenosis VA Rating These mistakes cost veterans at least $5.9 million in payments over the period studied. Contact a VA attorney who can assist you wherever you live and without regard to whether you were deployed. The cervical spine (neck) and the thoracolumbar spine (low back) are rated according to the following criteria: Flexion 45 degrees, OR combined ROM 340 degrees, Flexion 90 degrees, OR combined ROM 240 degrees, Flexion between 30 and 45 degrees, OR combined ROM between 175 and 340 degrees, Flexion between 60 and 90 degrees, OR combined ROM between 125 and 240 degrees, Flexion between 15 and 35 degrees, OR combined ROM 170 degrees, Flexion between 30 and 65 degrees, OR combined ROM 120 degrees, Flexion 15 degrees, OR entire cervical spine is frozen in a favorable position, Entire cervical spine is frozen in an unfavorable position, Flexion 30 degrees, OR entire thoracolumbar spine is frozen in a favorable position, Entire thoracolumbar spine is frozen in an unfavorable position, Entire spine is frozen in an unfavorable position. I suffer from many health issues due to the trauma that happened to me in 1980. Va rating of 60%. If radiculopathy is caused by a low back condition, the individuals will feel the symptoms in the lower extremities (thigh, calf, foot). Muscle spasms are involuntary contractions or extensions of muscles. WITNESS AT HEARING ON APPEAL. If the arthritis does not cause any episodes of incapacitation, but 2 or more joint groups are involved, then a 10% rating will be assigned. 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. If you believe you may have been wrongly denied benefits, you may benefit from the services of a VA disability lawyer. Often, spinal stenosis is caused by the formation of bone spurs that grow into your spinal canal. you may be able to get a higher rating due to incapacitating episodes. While we still have our home base in Florida, That is, they get it wrong more than half the time. If your case of spinal stenosis does not result in limits on your ROM, you may receive a low VA disability rating even though your condition interferes with your quality of life and earning capacity. The VA assigns rating percentages based on the frequency of incapacitating episodes. Since that time, we have provided compassionate We use cookies to optimize our website and our service. Spine Condition Ratings Military Disability Made Easy So, they compensate them for the disability on a secondary basis. As discussed above, nerve pain in the leg may be diagnosed as a leg injury rather than spinal stenosis. Contact Us The only problem is that I have had spinal fusion on my lower back on oct 8 2008, I was faxing the DAV all my information as I would get it from the doctors. It will also help if someone else in your division remembers what happened. Get Directions. Most issues that cause temporary (not chronic) back pain receive a VA disability rating between 10%-40%. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. I want to thank Woods & Woods for not letting me give up. VA Disability Claims List: What Conditions Can Veterans Claim? Also, the VA requires that all ROM measurements be taken with a goniometer. Box 449, Deland, FL 32721, Orlando, FL: 605 E. Robinson Street Suite 635, Orlando, FL 32801 Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that causes destruction of the joints in the body. Spinal stenosis is a form of degenerative disc disease. Causes can include herniated or bulging spinal discs. yet assertive representation for our clients. Does Spinal Stenosis Qualify for Disability Benefits? Fill out the short form below to contact us. Phoenix, AZ: One Renaissance Tower, Two North Center Avenue, 18th & 19th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85004 VA Disability Ratings for Back Pain and Spinal Arthritis 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. VA Disability Rating for Degenerative Disc Disease: A Guide - Berry Law When these lateral nerve roots become compressed, it can disrupt the signals passing from your brain and spinal column out through the nerve roots to your arms, legs, and other parts of your body a condition called, Your spinal stenosis may be accompanied by other back conditions, including, Lumbosacral or cervical strain (diagnostic code 5237) used to refer to neck or, Spondylolisthesis/segmental instability (, Ankylosing spondylitis (diagnostic code 5240) a painful type of spinal arthritis. Unlike a back injury that is caused by muscle, ligament, or bone damage, the effects of spinal stenosis are felt primarily in the nerves of the spinal cord. SPINAL CORD STIMULATION - Veterans Benefits Network 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. We assign you a disability rating based on the severity of your service-connected condition. 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. We use your disability rating to determine how much disability compensation you'll receive each month, as well as your eligibility for other VA benefits. Agent Orange exposure and VA disability compensation The ratings range from 10% to 60%. Your spinal stenosis may cause or contribute to other medical conditions, as well. The VA can reject a claim that your condition was made worse during your service if it believes that the worsening was a natural progression of the condition. All rights reserved. Oftentimes, spinal conditions will cause other conditions, and these conditions qualify a Veteran for another rating. The diagnostic code for rheumatoid arthritis is 5002. Because the vertebrae are closer together, they tend to compress the nerves that lie inside the spine, especially the spinal cord. Mayo Clinic notes that there are two different types of spinal stenosis: While occasionally a person suffering from spinal stenosis will show zero symptoms, often Veterans seeking VA disability compensation for spinal stenosis will display one or more of the following symptoms: Cervical Stenosis Symptoms Numbness or tingling in your arm or leg, weakness in your arm or leg, problems walking, neck pain, and bowel/bladder dysfunction. You may also be able to show your spinal stenosis is service-related via a secondary service connection. The spinal cord can be squeezed causing pain and numbness in the back or weakness in one or both legs. Both of these must be true: You have a health condition that's caused by exposure to Agent Orange, and You served in a location that exposed you to Agent Orange Keep reading for the full eligibility requirements. Lumbar spinal stenosis resulting in compromise of the cauda equina 1.17 Reconstructive surgery or surgical arthrodesis of a major weight-bearing joint 1.18 Abnormality of a major joint(s) in any extremity . Sign up for our weekly email newsletter to stay updated on VA news, policy changes, and more. This information is not a substitute for legal advice. Is Spinal Stenosis A Permanent Disability | Disability Help You may not notice at the onset, but the pain will evolve slowly over time. Canes range from $25 to $100 and walkers can be more than $200. Full eligibility requirements If the spine is frozen in a favorable position, the disability rating may be capped at 40%. Whether from the physical rigors of combat, from the psychosomatic effects of stress and anxiety on the body, or from other factors, many soldiers can leave their time in the military with a wide range of physical . Contact Berry Law today if you need assistance appealing your VA decision. Most of the time, spinal stenosis occurs in the lower back and the neck. You can file a disability claim for any secondary symptoms or conditions caused by your service-connected degenerative disc disease. Reduce VA's Disability Benefits to Veterans Who Are Older Than the Full Spinal stenosis is a disabling condition caused by the narrowing of the gaps between individual spinal vertebrae. Many people only think about their medical issues when applying for Social Security disability. We are sorry that this post was not as useful for you! Spinal stenosis is a disorder that affects your back. By continuing to use our website, you agree to these updates. This disruption can cause strange sensations and loss of muscle control in the affected areas. 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. The following percentages are available under the rating criteria for rheumatoid arthritis: Its possible for rheumatoid arthritis to be rated under diagnostic code 5003 like degenerative and traumatic arthritis. I was injured in Iraq on Nov 19 ,2007, I filed my claims when I got home from Iraq, the V/A called me yesterday and told me that I got a 60% rating for. Both upper (cervical) and . Spinal Stenosis: Practice Essentials, Anatomy, Pathophysiology - Medscape I served during peace timein theArmy. If radiculopathy is caused by a neck condition, the symptoms will be felt in the shoulder and can travel down the arm and into the hand. Pocket Card . Whether it manifests itself in your back or through nerve pain throughout your extremities, a VA attorney can help you to obtain the medical examination and collect the records to support your VA disability claim. The RO assigned an initial 10 percent rating for the disability, effective June 13, 1994. This opinion will be most favorable when it comes to establishing service connection. Often, spinal stenosis is caused by the formation of bone spurs that grow into your spinal canal. Spinal Stenosis by itself means literally nothing, other than that you have a narrowing of the spinal canal at some point (which about 70% of adults have normally). Another way to connect your disability to your service is to show that you had been diagnosed with spinal stenosis prior to your service, and the condition worsened during your service. eCFR :: 38 CFR Part 4 -- Schedule for Rating Disabilities The rating will largely depend on whether you have lost range of motion as a result of stenosis. Flexion 45 degrees, OR combined ROM 340 degrees, Flexion 90 degrees, OR combined ROM 240 degrees, Flexion between 30 and 45 degrees, OR combined ROM between 175 and 340 degrees, Flexion between 60 and 90 degrees, OR combined ROM between 150 and 240 degrees, Flexion between 15 and 35 degrees, OR combined ROM 170%, Flexion between 30 and 60 degrees OR combined ROM of 120%. This means that the effects of spinal stenosis are not limited to the back. As mentioned above, spinal stenosis is typically diagnosed with x-rays or MRIs that show a narrowing of the spinal canal. In most cases, foraminal stenosis is caused by gradual degeneration of the spine that happens as you age. VA Disability Ratings for Back Pain and Spinal Arthritis. It is the problems that may be CAUSED by Spinal Stenosis that are rateable.
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