When rheumatoid arthritis affects the spine, it typically occurs in the cervical spine (the neck) rather than the thoracolumbar spine (the low back). 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. Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spaces within your spine, which can put pressure on the nerves that travel through the spine. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. VA physicians will measure your range of motion in six places, using a goniometer. REPRESENTATION. Want to know if you qu. Traumatic arthritis causes symptoms similar to other types of arthritis such as pain, inflammation, and build-up of fluid around the affected joint. They may also be used to keep track of what [products, video, links, etc.] I have my transportation now. Entire cervical spine is frozen in an unfavorable position. However, the VA still rates degenerative arthritis of the spine under the criteria listed for diagnostic code 5003. A, Oftentimes, spinal conditions will cause other conditions, and these conditions qualify a Veteran for another rating. Favorable position means your spine is locked but more or less vertical, so you can still sit at a desk chair, for example. When symptoms are present, they usually start gradually and worsen over time. you have shown that there is was an incident in service and that you have a current disability, When the VA awards service-connection for a condition/disease, it has to determine how much to award for the condition/disease. When spinal stenosis causes additional disabilities, those problems may qualify as secondary service-connected disabilities. A VA lawyer can run through all the scenarios with you for obtaining a fair VA disability rating that reflects the ways spinal stenosis affects you. I want to thank Woods & Woods for not letting me give up. Keep in mind that arthritis will only be rated under diagnostic code 5003 when the condition does not result in severe enough limitation of motion to be rated under the general rating formula for the spine. 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. However, in many cases, spinal stenosis causes symptoms elsewhere in the body besides the back. Cleveland, OH: 600 Superior Ave. East, Fifth Third Building, Suite 1300, Cleveland, OH, 44114 Houston, TX: 2925 Richmond Ave, 12th Floor, Houston, TX 77098 Hill & Ponton P.A. Depending on what joint is affected, there will be an identifying diagnostic code assigned to the condition. These are periods of acute pain severe enough for a doctor to proscribe bed rest. 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. I suffer from many health issues due to the trauma that happened to me in 1980. Often, spinal stenosis is caused by the formation of bone spurs that grow into your spinal canal. There are two types of spinal stenosis treatment: surgical and non-surgical. Berry Law is a team full of Veterans, with attorneys from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. This is known as secondary service connection. If severe enough, anxiety and depression arising from a service-related condition may also qualify for an additional disability rating. The diagnostic code for rheumatoid arthritis is 5002. Our monthly newsletter features about important and up-to-date veterans' law news, keeping you informed about the changes that matter. These are periods of acute pain severe enough for a doctor to proscribe bed rest. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Lawyers 6940 O St, Suite 400 Lincoln, NE 68510. If there is painful motion, a 10% rating will be assigned. All but 10% of lumbar IVDS is at the L4-L5 or L5-S1 level. 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. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. In extreme cases, spinal stenosis can cause incontinence or constipation if the compressed nerve controls the muscles surrounding the bladder or bowel, respectively. 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. Experienced Social Security Disability Lawyer. 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 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%. A favorable position means that the spine is frozen at the baseline position or 0% flexion. 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. With this in mind, its important to know which spinal conditions are not rated under the general rating formula. 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. If left untreated, spinal stenosis may cause permanent numbness, weakness, balance problems, incontinence, and/or paralysis. 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. 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 information is not a substitute for legal advice. Columbus, OH: 100 E. Campus View Boulevard, Suite #250, Columbus, OH, 43235 However, it can also be caused by herniated discs, thickened ligaments in your spine, tumors, and spinal injuries. If you believe you may have been wrongly denied benefits, you may benefit from the services of a VA disability lawyer. Box 449, Deland, FL 32721, Orlando, FL: 605 E. Robinson Street Suite 635, Orlando, FL 32801 This means that a 10% VA disability rating for spinal stenosis plus 60% VA disability rating for peripheral nerve disability in an arm will produce an overall VA disability rating of 60%. When rheumatoid arthritis affects the spine, it typically occurs in the cervical spine (the neck) rather than the thoracolumbar spine (the low back). These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. Entire spine is frozen in an unfavorable position. This impinges on the nerves themselves, which can cause pain, tingling numbness, and muscle weakness. 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. To qualify for a 50 percent rating, a veteran would need to have "unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine." 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. The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. As with most medical conditions, the VA disability rating for back pain depends on a variety of factors. This means that the effects of spinal stenosis are not limited to the back. The VA not only makes, Both degenerative arthritis and traumatic arthritis, regardless of the joint affected, are rated under diagnostic code 5003. 5239 - VA disability rating for Spondylolisthesis or segmental instability: A condition that causes a vertebra to slide forward over the bone below it. 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. Your VA doctor may conclude that your spinal stenosis is service-connected because of this pre-existing whiplash and disk herniation. At these exams, you can expect your doctor to ask you questions about your background and medical history, evaluate your symptoms and range of motion. These complications of stenosis are called. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. Ratings will fall between 0% and 100% disability. 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 foraminal stenosis, which can cause radiculopathy. 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. Disability Benefits by Percentage Rating and Dependent Status (As of 2020). If you believe your current spinal injuries are the result of military service, you could receive VA disability for spinal stenosis. To find out more, view our Privacy Policy. However, Veterans can also receive disability compensation on a secondary basis. 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, total disability individual unemployability, Extraschedular Ratings for VA Disability Claims, VA Disability Ratings for Spinal Stenosis, Total Disability Based On Individual Unemployability, Why you may need a veterans disability attorney. San Jose, CA: 2880 Zanker Road, Ste. For example, after a fall or motor vehicle accident, a military doctor may attribute leg and foot pain to a leg injury rather than spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis is a disorder that affects your back. 10 percent disability rating: $165.92 per month. Spinal stenosis is a medical condition in which the passages through which your nerves travel through your spine become narrow or partially blocked. Learn more about us, Veterans Disability Claim You may be eligible for VA disability benefits if you meet both of these requirements. Lumbar IVDS accounts for 62% of all disc disease. The VA routinely mishandles spinal injury claims. Later you develop a spinal stenosis in your neck (cervical) area. 4.30 Convalescent ratings. 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. Canes range from $25 to $100 and walkers can be more than $200. Phone: (757) 220-4529. This opinion will be most favorable when it comes to establishing service connection. I bought a home. However, you may get a 100% VA disability rating for up to one year after serious back surgery, such as a spinal fusion. Radiculopathy is caused by compressed nerves in the spine and results in pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness along the nerve. It can cause muscle weakness and pain or cramping extending from the buttocks down through the leg. Keep in mind that a Veterans disability law firm can work with you to build a claim for a higher rating. However, generally speaking, symptoms may include the following: Most often, spinal stenosis is caused by overuse or general wear-and-tear changes in the spine related to osteoarthritis. Become an All-Access Member to access this page, other exclusive content, the ability to our Military Disability Experts, course discounts, and more! 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. 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. To provide even more value to our veterans, this page is only available with an All-Access Membership. The sum of all these degree measurements together is called the ROM (range of motion) measurement. Copyright 2023 Woods and Woods, LLC | PO Box 1287 Evansville, IN 47706. Under the VA regulations, you may request an extra-schedular rating for your disability. . To collect VA disability compensation benefits, you must show that your spinal stenosis disability claim was caused or aggravated by your military service. Back braces or corsets are $200 or more. You may not notice at the onset, but the pain will evolve slowly over time. Similarly, you can challenge a VA disability rating that could be increased through the submission of additional evidence. Fax: (757) 220-9451. You can file a disability claim for any secondary symptoms or conditions caused by your service-connected degenerative disc disease. AVVO 10/10 Superb Rating, BBB A+ Rated. Rheumatoid arthritis of the spine leads to neck pain, back pain, and sometimes causes pain to radiate into the arms and legs. Spinal discs act as cushions between your vertebrae. The RO assigned an initial 10 percent rating for the disability, effective June 13, 1994. I served during peace timein theArmy. In such cases, the VA is able to consider certain, Once the VA has acknowledged that your disability is related to servicei.e. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form. However, it can also be caused by herniated discs, thickened ligaments in your spine, tumors, and spinal injuries. 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. These secondary conditions would be rated separately from the underlying spinal condition. Appellant. To qualify for disability because of lumbar spinal stenosis under listing 1.16, you must show that you suffer from ALL of the following: Non-radiating pain in one or both legs, or non-radiating loss of feeling in one or both legs, or neurogenic claudication (pain or cramping caused by nerve compression) Severe disability and death may result from the association of cervical stenosis with even minor trauma resulting in the central cord syndrome. 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. 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. 20% Spinal Stenosis VA Rating 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. 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%. Spine Condition Ratings. About VA disability ratings. There are two types of arthritis that are rated under the same rating system; degenerative arthritis, and traumatic arthritis. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. They are not intended as a guarantee that we will obtain the same or similar results in every case we undertake. Function: Postural support of body; extension and lateral movements of spine. Not necessarily, but its worth looking at your C-File to see if you had spinal stenosis during your service and it was incorrectly diagnosed. Lumbar spinal stenosis results in low back pain, as well as weakness, numbness, pain and abnormal sensations in the buttocks, thighs, legs, calves, and feet. This can sometimes be difficult to establish. Any injuries or disabilities that are the result of military service are eligible for compensation by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). 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.