Incomplete paralysis can be determined as severe, moderately severe, moderate, or mild with disability ratings as low as 10 percent. 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. NOTE: Entitlement of a spinal condition includes spinal stenosis. Neck Conditions: How To Get VA Disability - The Veterans Law Office Getting Veterans (VA) Disability for Spinal Injuries | CCK Law Its possible for rheumatoid arthritis to be rated under diagnostic code 5003 like degenerative and traumatic arthritis. Back braces or corsets are $200 or more. The VA rating for degenerative disc disease typically is 20%, despite how much pain the condition may cause. To qualify for disability because of spinal stenosis, you must meet several requirements: The stenosis must be in your lumbar region. 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. This storage is often necessary for basic functionality of the web site or the storage may be used for the purposes of marketing, analytics, and personalization of the web site such as storing your preferences. However, the VA still rates degenerative arthritis of the spine under the criteria listed for diagnostic code 5003. 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. Spinal stenosis is a disorder that affects your back. In a February 2007 rating decision, the RO granted service connection for spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. A posterior spinal fusion of a segment of adjoining vertebra, prior to clinical onset only of Spondylolysis or Spondylolisthesis Posterior spinal fusion means a surgical procedure involving immobilization of the posterior elements of two or more vertebrae by the use of bone grafting, in the absence of immobilization of the lateral elements, of . Williamsburg, VA 23185. 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. Find Out How To Qualify for Disability with Degenerative Disc Disease In severe cases, or where the use of conservative treatment options just isnt effective for you, you and your doctors may consider surgery. This website adheres to the W3Cs AA Accessibility guidelines. 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. If the VA determines your spinal stenosis is service-connected, you will receive a disability rating between 0% and 100%. VA Ratings For Spinal Arthritis & Back Pain. Were You Denied VA Disability Benefits for Spinal Stenosis? In all other cases, the ROM measurements of the lumbar spine are rated separately from the ROM measurements of the cervical spine. A very common impairment caused by this nerve compression is sciatica. They fought hard for me and got me more than I ever could dream of. Severe disability and death may result from the association of cervical stenosis with even minor trauma resulting in the central cord syndrome. Lumbar IVDS accounts for 62% of all disc disease. You may be eligible for VA disability benefits if you meet both of these requirements. The VA awards disability ratings for incapacitating episodes as follows: You may be asked to take a compensation & pension exam (C&P exam). We use cookies to optimize our website and our service. The diagnostic code for traumatic arthritis is 5010. Learn more about us, Veterans Disability Claim All but 10% of lumbar IVDS is at the L4-L5 or L5-S1 level. Flexion measures 15 degrees or less, OR entire cervical spine is frozen in a favorable position. 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. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Given this variety of symptoms, it is easy to understand how spinal stenosis can be misdiagnosed. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established. If your spine is locked, but its in a favorable condition, your disability rating may be as low as 30% or 40%. The disability rating may be even lower depending on the segment of the spine that is frozen. To receive VA disability for spinal stenosis, like all other disabilities, a Veteran must first establish service connection for the injury. Spinal stenosis will cause pain in different areas of the body including the neck, lower and middle back, your buttocks and legs. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form. This would qualify you for a total disability individual unemployability, as defined by 38 CFR 4.16. In that case, a lumbar spine and cervical spine frozen in an unfavorable position is given a VA disability rating of 100%. The spine is considered as a minor joint. If left untreated, spinal stenosis may cause permanent numbness, weakness, balance problems, incontinence, and/or paralysis. I want to thank Woods & Woods for not letting me give up. This test results in six measurements taken while moving the neck for the cervical spine and six measurements taken while moving the back for the lumbar spine. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Veterans & Spinal Stenosis Disability Rating 888.878.9350 However, in many cases, spinal stenosis causes symptoms elsewhere in the body besides the back. With this in mind, its important to know which spinal conditions are not rated under the general rating formula. These two types of spinal stenosis can be summarized as follows: Some people with spinal stenosis do not exhibit symptoms. Causes can include herniated or bulging spinal discs. SPINAL CORD STIMULATION - Veterans Benefits Network They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. Can I get Disability for Spinal Stenosis? How to Qualify - brrlaw Call (855) 873-2604 For a Free Evaluation of Your Spinal Stenosis Disability Case. 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 . Spinal stenosis can be a difficult disability to deal with because of the breadth and variety of symptoms you may experience. This can sometimes be difficult to establish. Spinal stenosis of the cervical and thoracic regions may contribute to neurologic injury, such as development of a central spinal cord syndrome following spinal trauma. Background In 2017, 4.5 million veterans with medical conditions or injuries that occurred or worsened during active-duty service received disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). About VA Disability Ratings | Veterans Affairs - VA.gov Home | Veterans Pocket Card . These complications of stenosis are called. 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. Camp Lejeune Lawsuit. The disability rating is the highest rating produced by the rating tables. But it can also be a result of a spinal injury. If your MRIs dont show a significant stenosis, but you are experiencing severe back pain that still inhibits your ability to work, and you have. Other causes of spinal stenosis may include: Arguably the most important part of the VA disability claims process is establishing service connection. If you believe your current spinal injuries are the result of military service, you could receive VA disability for spinal stenosis. Yes, but you should talk to a VA Disability law attorney first. At Hill & Ponton, we have helped thousands of veterans successfully resolve their disability claims with the VA. For a free, confidential, no-obligation evaluation of your case, contact us today. However, you may get a 100% VA disability rating for up to one year after serious back surgery, such as a spinal fusion. 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. Also, the VA requires that all ROM measurements be taken with a goniometer. It can cause muscle weakness and pain or cramping extending from the buttocks down through the leg. 100% VA disability rating for spinal cancer. Neck muscle injuries. For example, if rheumatoid arthritis of the spine results in pain with motion, the condition will be rated according to the criteria set forth in 5003 as described above. Under 38 CFR 4.73, injuries to neck muscles are compensated differently depending on the severity of the impairment and the muscles affected. We assign you a disability rating based on the severity of your service-connected condition. For example, fractured and/or dislocated vertebrae can lead to pain and weakness in the arms, hips, shoulders, etc. Can I Get a Higher VA Rating for a Back Disability? Yes, you can. If your condition meets the listing criteria, it will automatically be considered a disability.