Disability benefits are paid for service-connected disabilities. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Lawyers 6940 O St, Suite 400 Lincoln, NE 68510. An increase at this point for a spine disability requires additional loss of range of motion, ankylosis, or . Other causes include tumors and lesions, enlargement of facet joints, thickened ligaments, injuries that cause displacement of vertebrae, vertebral fractures, and rheumatoid arthritis, which can cause bone spurs. These complications of stenosis are called. Call 800-544-9144 today for a free case evaluation or contact us here. Cookies help us deliver the best experience on our website. In that case, a lumbar spine and cervical spine frozen in an unfavorable position is given a VA disability rating of 100%. You may not notice at the onset, but the pain will evolve slowly over time. Spinal stenosis is a type of back injury that a Veteran could develop after an in-service injury. Less frequently, stenosis can occur in the upper back (thoracic). Theres no presumptive benefit the burden is on the veteran to demonstrate a service connection to the stenosis. Traumatic arthritis occurs after an injury, excessive movement, or other physical trauma. I have my transportation now. Cincinnati, OH: 300 E Business Way, Suite 200, Summit Woods Corporate Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45241 We guide our clients through the most difficult times in their lives with courtesy, respect, and professionalism. Williamsburg, VA 23185. However, it can also be caused by herniated discs, thickened ligaments in your spine, tumors, and spinal injuries. Without these cookies, services you have asked for cannot be provided. Become an All-Access Member to access this page, other exclusive content, the ability to our Military Disability Experts, course discounts, and more! Your final VA rating for Degenerative Disc Disease depends upon the Frequency, Severity, and Duration of symptoms, including Painful Motion, Limitation of Range of Motion (ROM), and Functional Loss or Impairment. 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. Entire thoracolumbar spine is frozen in an unfavorable position. 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 disability rating is the highest rating produced by the rating tables. 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. Examples of a few disability ratings for spinal stenosis are: 20%: A 20% disability rating for spinal stenosis means you have more than 30 degrees forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine, but not greater than 60 . Your spinal stenosis may force you to stop working before normal retirement age because you can't do certain things. Spine Condition Ratings. Learn How Veterans Can Get VA Benefits for Back Pain All but 10% of lumbar IVDS is at the L4-L5 or L5-S1 level. That is, they get it wrong more than half the time. Contact Berry Law today if you need assistance appealing your VA decision. 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. Prosthetic replacement of knee joint: For 1 year following implantation of prosthesis 100 A favorable position means that the spine is frozen at the baseline position or 0% flexion. When the nerves are compressed, electrical signals passing along those nerves can become disrupted. Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in New York, New York. Ratings will fall between 0% and 100% disability. If you believe you may have been wrongly denied benefits, you may benefit from the services of a VA disability lawyer. When it occurs in the cervical spine (the neck and upper section of the back), symptoms may include pain, muscle spasm and weakness, numbness, and tingling in the neck, hands, arms, legs, and feet. About VA disability ratings. They fought hard for me and got me more than I ever could dream of. Incomplete but severe paralysis of the sciatic nerve could then result in a 60 percent disability rating according to the social security administration. What Happens If You Don't Treat Spinal Stenosis? It is the problems that may be CAUSED by Spinal Stenosis that are rateable. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant advertisements on other websites. Spinal discs act as cushions between your vertebrae. The RO also assigned an initial 40 percent rating for the disability effective November 8, 2006. If the VA determines your spinal stenosis is service-connected, you will receive a disability rating between 0% and 100%. The disability rating may be even lower depending on the segment of the spine that is frozen. Evidence of diagnosis of your spinal stenosis while you were in the military; Information about an occurrence or an incident that occurred while you were serving led to the injury or aggravation of this injury; Medical nexus a medical description that connects the diagnosed stenosis with the particular occurrence that is said to lead to it. We have updated our Privacy Policy. This metric is used in calculating your VA disability rating. Va rating of 60%. 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. Herniated Discs. As discussed above, nerve pain in the leg may be diagnosed as a leg injury rather than spinal stenosis. For example, the specific code for degenerative arthritis of the spine is 5242. 4.30 Convalescent ratings. 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%. The total ROM measurement is merely the sum of the individual ROM measurements for each of the spine segments. VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs Surgery can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $150,000 with a microdiscectomy or discectomy being the least expensive and spinal fusion costing the most. If your spinal stenosis was caused by another service-connected disability, you can apply for secondary service connection. Many people with spinal stenosis and other back injuries experience anxiety, depression, and substance abuse problems. Specifically, VA rates spinal stenosis according to its General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine, outlined below: 100% - unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine In all other cases, the ROM measurements of the lumbar spine are rated separately from the ROM measurements of the cervical spine. More importantly, when both the lumbar spine and cervical spine are affected by spinal stenosis, the two may be separately rated unless both are frozen in an unfavorable position. Questions for those familiar with spinal issues and ratings Contact Us For example, if the spine is frozen tilted to one side or leaning forward, that would constitute an unfavorable position. Muscle guarding occurs when muscles react to prevent pain or discomfort. VA Disability Rating for Neck Pain: Cervical Spine, Neck Arthritis 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. have the greatest impact on the veterans ability to work. Lumbar spinal stenosis . When you visit web sites, they may store or retrieve data in your web browser. Our firm was founded in 1986 in Orlando, Florida. Extraschedular VA Disability Ratings Let's talk about your VA disability benefits. Failure to address the symptoms will lead to a lifestyle filled with numbness, pain, and muscle weakness. 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. VA Disability Claims List: What Conditions Can Veterans Claim? 10 percent disability rating: $165.92 per month. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. I suffer from many health issues due to the trauma that happened to me in 1980. If your spine is locked in an unfavorable position, you may qualify for a relatively high disability rating as high as 100%. To establish service connection, veterans must generally do the following: Evidence to support your VA disability claim may include military personnel and medical records, lay testimony, and medical opinions. Any injuries or disabilities that are the result of military service are eligible for compensation by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The VA rating for degenerative disc disease typically is 20%, despite how much pain the condition may cause. In severe cases, it can lead to myelopathy, paralysis, bladder and bowel incontinence or retention, headaches, and other debilitating symptoms. VA physicians will measure your range of motion in six places, using a goniometer. 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. Severe disability and death may result from the association of cervical stenosis with even minor trauma resulting in the central cord syndrome. But it can also be a result of a spinal injury. Experienced Social Security Disability Lawyer. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established. For example, if your VA disability rating for spinal stenosis is based on total ROM but ignores a flexion ROM that would result in a higher VA disability rating, it can be challenged by pointing out the mistake and asking for a review at the same level or by a higher-level authority. Do You Have Long-Term Disability Insurance Coverage? 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. Spinal stenosis can be a difficult disability to deal with because of the breadth and variety of symptoms you may experience. You can file a disability claim for any secondary symptoms or conditions caused by your service-connected degenerative disc disease.