spinal stenosis va disability rating

You may be eligible for VA disability benefits if you meet both of these requirements. 14K 1,344 9. To collect VA disability compensation benefits, you must show that your spinal stenosis disability claim was caused or aggravated by your military service. You can get disability benefits for your illness or condition if you have a disability rating of 10% or more and you have one of these presumptive diseases: After recovery, the VA will re-evaluate their condition. 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. All the disabilities stemming from spinal stenosis should be accounted for in a fair VA disability rating. Lumbar Stenosis Symptoms Numbness or tingling in your arm or leg, weakness in your arm or leg, pain or cramping in your legs when you walk, and back pain. 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. 5239 - VA disability rating for Spondylolisthesis or segmental instability: A condition that causes a vertebra to slide forward over the bone below it. Chicago, IL: 332 S. Michigan Avenue, Floors 8 and 9, Chicago, IL 60604 They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. Your spinal stenosis may cause or contribute to other medical conditions, as well. 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. Berry Law gets Veterans the disability compensation they earned. Failure to address the symptoms will lead to a lifestyle filled with numbness, pain, and muscle weakness. That is, they get it wrong more than half the time. Spinal stenosis is typically diagnosed with x-rays or MRIs of the spine showing a narrowing of the spinal canal. For example, a car accident or other trauma such as a back injury caused by service, can dislocate or fracture vertebrae, which could lead to spinal stenosis. Because there are technically, As mentioned above, many different joints are rated under the rating criteria for degenerative arthritis. Did you receive a VA disability compensation rating of 40%? Your spinal stenosis may force you to stop working before normal retirement age because you can't do certain things. 100% VA disability rating for spinal cancer. We are sorry that this post was not as useful for you! When spinal stenosis causes additional disabilities, those problems may qualify as secondary service-connected disabilities. Canes range from $25 to $100 and walkers can be more than $200. for L3 -L4 L4-L5 L5- S1 in the past they are rating as post operative residuals of . Call (855) 873-2604 For a Free Evaluation of Your Spinal Stenosis Disability Case. While we still have our home base in Florida, Spinal stenosis can cause symptoms throughout the body. Already working with us? 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. Degenerative arthritis is the chronic breakdown of the cartilage surrounding the joints. We guide our clients through the most difficult times in their lives with courtesy, respect, and professionalism. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form. How to Appeal a Denied Veterans Disability Claim Spinal stenosis can be a difficult disability to deal with because of the breadth and variety of symptoms you may experience. If your spine is not frozen, the VA disability rating for spinal stenosis will depend on the ROM measurements using a goniometer. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Entire thoracolumbar spine is frozen in an unfavorable position. However, Veterans can also receive disability compensation on a secondary basis. The three elements needed to make a successful service connection claim include: When assessing your disability claims, VA examiners will look at your medical records during your time in the military and for a period afterward for evidence of a service connection. However, it can also be caused by herniated discs, thickened ligaments in your spine, tumors, and spinal injuries. Cleveland, OH: 600 Superior Ave. East, Fifth Third Building, Suite 1300, Cleveland, OH, 44114 For example, the specific code for degenerative arthritis of the spine is 5242. If there is painful motion, a 10% rating will be assigned. The disabilities we propose to add are: spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the central spinal canal that causes pressure on the spinal cord and/or nerve roots, most commonly due to degenerative arthritis or degenerative disc disease) (diagnostic code 5238), spondylolisthesis or segmental instability (slipping of all or part of one vertebra forward . Also, the VA requires that all ROM measurements be taken with a goniometer. For a cervical spine that is frozen in a favorable position, the disability rating may be capped at 30%. Technically, the highest VA rating for a thoracolumbar spinal disability is 50 percent. If a doctor doesnt use a goniometer to measure your ROM, the VA will not consider the results. These exams are called comprehensive preventive health evaluations (CPHE) or wellness checks., The VA routinely mishandles spinal injury claims. It is the problems that may be CAUSED by Spinal Stenosis that are rateable. If you are suffering from the effects of Spinal stenosis you may qualify for disability benefits. Our firm was founded in 1986 in Orlando, Florida. The VA awards disability ratings for incapacitating episodes as follows: You may be asked to take a compensation & pension exam (C&P exam). Experienced Social Security Disability Lawyer. Other causes of spinal stenosis may include: Arguably the most important part of the VA disability claims process is establishing service connection. The VA routinely mishandles spinal injury claims. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. However, military doctors and corpsmen may be reluctant to order an x-ray or MRI if they think a diagnosis can be made without one. Call 512-454-4000 for help today. VA disability ratings for back pain go from 10% to 100% depending on how severe your symptoms are, including your range of motion and pain frequency and level. This opinion will be most favorable when it comes to establishing service connection. Your spinal stenosis may be accompanied by other back conditions, including degenerative disc disease, arthritis, ankylosis or ankylosing spondylitis. Theres no presumptive benefit the burden is on the veteran to demonstrate a service connection to the stenosis. 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. NOTE: Entitlement of a spinal condition includes spinal stenosis. They are not intended as a guarantee that we will obtain the same or similar results in every case we undertake. 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. Lumbar IVDS accounts for 62% of all disc disease. Want to know if you qu. If your spine is frozen due to spinal stenosis, meaning that you have no Range Of Motion, you may qualify for a relatively high VA disability rating. Specifically, VA rates spinal stenosis according to its General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine, outlined below: If you were denied VA disability benefits for spinal stenosis, Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD may be able to help you through the appeals process. Although this type of arthritis is most common in the small joints of the hands and feet, it can occur in any joint. These complications of stenosis are called. Acute, Subacute, or Chronic Diseases Prosthetic Implants and Resurfacing 1 Also entitled to special monthly compensation. Spinal stenosis is a degenerative disc disease that occurs when there is pressure placed on the nerves in your spine. Without these cookies, services you have asked for cannot be provided. Severe disability and death may result from the association of cervical stenosis with even minor trauma resulting in the central cord syndrome. For example, if a Veteran has degenerative arthritis of the spine with no other joints affected, and he experiences pain when bending over he will receive a 10% rating. San Jose, CA: 2880 Zanker Road, Ste. For example, PTSD can lead to sleep apnea. For example, the specific code for degenerative arthritis of the spine is 5242. The VA has a separate rating system for these conditions. I served during peace timein theArmy. You may qualify for VA disability compensation if you have an illness linked to Gulf War serviceoften called Gulf War Syndromein Southwest Asia, including Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia. What is the diagnostic code for traumatic arthritis? Under 38 CFR 4.73, injuries to neck muscles are compensated differently depending on the severity of the impairment and the muscles affected. I bought a home. The attorneys at Berry Law Firm are dedicated to helping injured Veterans. Service-connected disabilities vary widely in severity and type: Some examples are the loss of a limb, migraines, and hypertension. By using this information, you understand that there is no attorney-client relationship created by you reading or using the information contained on this website or in this newsletter, article, or blog. But it can also be a result of a spinal injury. Other back impairments have a maximum schedular rating of 60 percent or lower. Typically, this would be established by medical records from your time in the military showing that your condition worsened. However, in many cases, spinal stenosis causes symptoms elsewhere in the body besides the back. These are periods of acute pain severe enough for a doctor to proscribe bed rest. When spinal stenosis manifests in the form of back pain and a frozen spine, obtaining a fair VA disability rating for spinal stenosis is primarily a matter of obtaining accurate ROM measurements of the cervical spine and lumbar spine. 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. 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. If spinal stenosis causes involuntary muscle reactions like these, a doctor can note them in your records and the VA can use them to arrive at a VA disability rating. Provide a current diagnosis of spinal stenosis, Present evidence of an in-service event, injury, or illness, Obtain a medical opinion linking the in-service occurrence to their diagnosed spinal stenosis. 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. 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 Their testimony can mean the difference between an approval or a denial of your case. The exact VA disability percentage for spinal stenosis that has caused a frozen spine depends on the position where the spine is frozen. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. 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. 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. 4.30 Convalescent ratings. 20% Spinal Stenosis VA Rating Forever Grateful, [K.S.]. 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. Additional medical appliances may be required. Use our VA disability calculator to estimate your combined VA rating and monthly payment. REPRESENTATION. Cincinnati, OH: 300 E Business Way, Suite 200, Summit Woods Corporate Center, Cincinnati, OH, 45241 However, the VA disability rating for spinal stenosis is calculated exactly the same as other spinal diseases and injuries. They may also be used to keep track of what [products, video, links, etc.] I was medically retired from active duty Army in January of 2016 with a rating of 80% for a variety of things. To qualify for disability because of spinal stenosis, you must meet several requirements: The stenosis must be in your lumbar region. Copyright 2023 Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD. All Rights Reserved. These cookies allow the website to remember choices you make to give you better functionality and preferences such as text size, fonts and other customizable website elements. 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?

spinal stenosis va disability rating 2023