However, if you can work or perform some daily activities, the VA will assign a disability rating based on how severely your condition impacts your ability to function, according to the rating criteria. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. This level is basically less flexion: 30-60 degrees of flexion for the lower to middle back and 15-30 degrees for your neck. The VA rating for unfavorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine is 40%. Theyll need to see evidence that the spinal fusion is caused by your back condition and is related to your service. Back Pain VA Rating: A Guide to Spinal Injuries - Hill & Ponton, P.A. Degenerative Disc Disease is a condition in which the shock absorbers between your vertebrae the bones in your back wear out due to age, wear and tear, or other illness. Degenerative Disc Diseases This degeneration happens when the discs between spinal vertebrae break down over time, which can cause pain in the back, arms, neck, and legs. Foraminal Stenosis This is a form of spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spine) that involves the tightening of foramen between bones in the spine. The rules of the VA's Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD) are used to assign rating percentages to conditions. Muscle guarding gone wrong can cause a number of disorders in your back. Contact Us Spondylosis is rated as a back condition, meaning it can be rated using any diagnostic code between Diagnostic Code 5235 and Diagnostic Code 5243. . Since 2016, VA Claims Insider has helped thousands of Veterans just like you get the VA rating and compensation they deserve in less time. It is better for your health to be diagnosed with favorable ankylosis but if you are diagnosed with unfavorable ankylosis, you'll get more money to help you out. You will also need a copy of your operative report from the surgeon who performed your spinal fusion surgery. Combined thoracolumbar less than 120 or cervical combined less than 170 or muscle spasms or guarding enough to cause abnormal gait or an abnormal contour of your spine. Ankylosis can be diagnosed with X-Rays and no other symptoms of pain or tenderness. 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 An injury or being in a long-term sedentary state can aggravate your joints and make them fuse together. A favorable C&P decision will support a service connection for your disability, while an unfavorable decision will negatively affect your chances of proving a service connection. The tiers work their way up from 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% and then jump all of the way up to 100%. It may take four to six weeks to get back to doing simple activities of daily living. Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure that involves joining two or more vertebrae together. You can see that IVDS ratings are all riding on the number of time your back pain is so severe that you are laid out. He is aformer active duty Air Force officerwith extensive experience leading hundreds of individuals and multi-functional teams in challenging international environments, including a combat tour to Afghanistan in 2011 supporting Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. HIRE THEM! That means, depending on your pain and other symptoms, you can have full movement without rotation in your lower back and still be eligible for a 10% VA rating. Gathering all of your medical documents that detail the development of your pain and symptoms should be your first step. . If yes, document the Veterans description of functional loss or functional impairment in his/her own words. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. This prevents pinched nerves, slipped discs, and other IVDS problems. Does the veteran have any other neurologic abnormalities or findings related to a cervical spine condition (such as bowel or bladder problems/pathologic reflexes)? The VA will evaluate your condition based on several factors, including the severity of your symptoms, the extent of your disability, and your ability to perform daily activities. Your spinal discs are critical to the padding between your vertebrae. The courts further likened the reasonable doubt rule as akin to the principle in baseball that the tie goes to the runner.. There are several different kinds of back disabilities that can earn a VA disability rating. VA Ratings for Intervertebral Disc Syndrome - Hill & Ponton, P.A. Click HERE for the C&P Examiners Guide to Spine Examinations. Any sorts of spine surgery while in the service, injuries that affected your back like falls or impacts, and events like car wrecks can all point to spine and back service-connected injuries. When the doctor measures your flexion, he or she is going to measure your angle of movement before you experience pain. These physical demands take their toll on the spine, and it is not uncommon for our veterans to find themselves dealing with back pain that hinders their quality of life. The more educated and prepared you are with your claim and getting the right evidence to submit a fully developed claim, the better your chances of getting the benefits you deserve. Our process takes the guesswork out of filing a VA disability claim and supports you every step of the way in building a fully-developed claim (FDC)so you can increase your rating FAST! #2. Each direction, forward, backward, left, and right will get an angle of flexion measurement. 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%. The answer is that it depends. Veterans must prove secondary service connection if their first service-connected condition causes a different disability or makes an existing disability worse. VA Disability Ratings for Back Pain Explained (The Definitive Guide) ), Disabling spinal contours like being hunchback or kyphosis. If youre seeking a VA disability rating for spinal fusion as a result of spinal fusion surgery, you will need to provide certain pieces of evidence to support your claim. The most trusted name in education-based resources for Veterans. Contact us today for a free review of your case to make sure you are getting treated fairly by the VA. Getting the Highest VA Rating for Arthritis, VA Disability for Arthritis in the Neck and Back, Nervous System Conditions VA Disability Articles, With incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 6 weeks during the past 12 months, With incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 4 weeks but less than 6 weeks during the past 12 months, With incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 2 weeks but less than 4 weeks during the past 12 months, With incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least one week but less than 2 weeks during the past 12 months. Flexion is how they add up your degrees of movement, as you can see in the diagram below. Copyright 2023 VA Claims Insider, LLC. Does the veteran have localized tenderness, guarding or muscle spasm of the cervical spine? The combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine not greater than 120 degrees; or. Fill out the short form below to contact us. Youll want to try your hardest, but be honest with the doctor about where you feel pain or numbness in your arms and legs. VA Disability Ratings for Neck Pain Explained | CCK Law Tucson, AZ: One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor, Tucson, AZ, 85701 Seattle, WA: 506 2nd Ave,Suite 1400,Seattle, WA 98104. This means your spine is frozen in an unfavorable position. Neck arthritis can also spread to affect other parts of the body. Just like driving a truck with bad shocks, that bumpy ride on your back wears out the equipment really quick. These synthetic substances help promote bone growth and speed the fusion of the vertebrae. For example, the following Diagnostic Codes (DC) from 38 CFR, Part 4, Schedule for Rating Disabilities apply: These six neck and back conditions can often lead to pinched or damaged nerve roots, which can cause significant pain known as Radiculopathy. This injury can even require surgery to relieve the pain. or, forward flexion of the cervical spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 40 degrees; . Medical Criteria Needed to Qualify with Spinal Fusion | Disability Well address that elsewhere, but for the purposes of this article, well focus only on the back. VA Disability Rating for Neck Pain: Cervical Spine, Neck Arthritis, Radiculopathy and Cervicalgia VA. This communication with the firm or any member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Call us and well send you self-addressed, postage-paid envelopes to send in your decision letters. Box 449, Deland, FL 32721, Orlando, FL: 605 E. Robinson Street Suite 635, Orlando, FL 32801 A cervicalgia VA rating will be decided based on the severity of symptoms and how much they limit an individuals movement or range of motion. If youre only 45 years old but it feels as though your neck is 80, it may be beneficial to speak with a doctor about applying for a VA disability rating. Its crucial to note any discomfort or pain in the area that may have existed before your enrollment because your service may have significantly worsened or reinjured a prior injury. If accepted into our ELITE membership program, youll get free up-front access and permission to use $13,119 worth of proprietary VA claim resources, including access to our network of independent medical professionals for medical examinations, disability evaluations, and credible Medical Nexus Letters, which could help you get a HIGHER VA rating in LESS time. We guide our clients through the most difficult times in their lives with courtesy, respect, and professionalism. Asthma secondary to GERD (acid reflux or heartburn) Asthma secondary to Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine up to 85 or of the cervical spine up to 40 OR the combined range of motion at 120-235 for thoracolumbar or 170-335 for cervical. Neck Pain is the #5 most claimed VA disability. More importantly, when both the lumbar spine and cervical spine are affected by spinal stenosis, the two may be . OR the combined range of motion at 120-235 degrees for thoracolumbar or 170-335 degrees for cervical. The VA assigns a rating to spinal fusion in the same way it rates other diseases of the spine, basing their rating on a veteran's range of motion as defined by 38 CFR 4.71a, Schedule of Ratings - Musculoskeletal System (Diagnostic Code 5241). Current and former members of the armed forces have to engage in a variety of activities that could result in lower back injuries, such as carrying and lifting heavy equipment, extended periods of standing and repetitive motions, rifle training, combat, and parachuting from aircraft. Another common secondary disability is Radiculopathy secondary to Back and Neck Pain. Currently, VA rates neck pain severity on the following values: 0% rating Forward flexion of the cervical spine over 40 degrees, 10 % rating Forward flexion of the cervical spine over 30 degrees, but less than or equal to 40 degrees; or a combined range of motion of the cervical spine above 170 degrees but not causing abnormal spine contour or abnormal gait, 20% rating Forward flexion of the cervical spine over 15 degrees, but less than or equal to 30 degrees; or a combined range of motion of the cervical spine above 170 degrees, 30% rating Forward flexion of the cervical spine less than or equal to 15 degrees; or favorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine, which occurs when the spine is stuck, but in a position that does not heavily interfere with an individuals daily activities, 40% rating Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine, which occurs when the spine is stuck in a position that makes daily activities extremely difficult, 50% rating NOT APPLICABLE to the cervical spine, only assigned to individuals with unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine, 100% rating Unfavorable ankylosis of the ENTIRE spine.
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