The VA disability rating for spinal stenosis will be based on both individual ROM measurements and the total ROM measurement. Call 800-544-9144 today for a free case evaluation or contact us here. 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. It can cause muscle weakness and pain or cramping extending from the buttocks down through the leg. The VA can reject a claim that your condition was made worse during your service if it believes that the worsening was a natural progression of the condition. For example: Suppose you were diagnosed with whiplash as a result of a Humvee accident while you were in the service. Back braces or corsets are $200 or more. These cookies dont collect information that identifies you. Copyright 2023 Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD. All Rights Reserved. Flexion measures 30 degrees or less, OR entire thoracolumbar spine is frozen in a favorable position. For example, the specific code for degenerative arthritis of the spine is 5242. Given this variety of symptoms, it is easy to understand how spinal stenosis can be misdiagnosed. 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? Some of the most common disabilities Veterans have are the result of injuries to their back, especially those related to the spine. These cookies may be set through our website by our advertising partners. Errors are frequently made when rating conditions. You should see a doctor if you are experiencing severe back pain, weakness, numbness or loss of control of an extremity, foot drop, bowel and/or bladder problems, or numbness in your saddle area. Spinal stenosis can cause a variety of symptoms depending on the location of the spinal stenosis and the compressed nerve. If the arthritis does not cause any episodes of incapacitation, but 2 or more joint groups are involved, then a 10% rating will be assigned. The disability rating may be even lower depending on the segment of the spine that is frozen. Want to know if you qu. Spinal discs act as cushions between your vertebrae. One of the most common conditions secondary to spinal conditions is radiculopathy. General VA Disability Compensation Benefits Claims Forums . This can lead to a misdiagnosis of spinal stenosis. Spinal conditions can cause nerve problems as well. In order to be granted a VA disability rating for spinal stenosis at 30%, you must meet either of these conditions: Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine, or Favorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine, where your spine is fixed in place but at a neutral position at 0 degrees. Most issues that cause temporary (not chronic) back pain receive a VA disability rating between 10%-40%. The rating systems used for arthritis of the spine is the second most common rating system for spine conditions. If we can show that you had spinal stenosis while in the service but you were misdiagnosed, you might even get some substantial back pay. Stenosis can occur in the spinal column itself, or it can occur within the intervertebral foramen, which are the passages through which your nerve roots branch out laterally through the spine. If your case of spinal stenosis does not result in limits on your ROM, you may receive a low VA disability rating even though your condition interferes with your quality of life and earning capacity. This data may be used to help optimize our websites and make them easier for you to navigate. If spinal stenosis is suspected, your doctor may order X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and/or CT or CT myelogram. Other back impairments have a maximum schedular rating of 60 percent or lower. Stenosis can occur in the cervical or c-spine (neck) and lumbar (lower back) areas of the spine. This can sometimes be difficult to establish. Let's talk about your VA disability benefits. For a cervical spine that is frozen in a favorable position, the disability rating may be capped at 30%. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Lack of cartilage causes pain and limitation of motion. It will also help if someone else in your division remembers what happened. 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. Vertebral fractures and dislocations (diagnostic code 5235). Canes range from $25 to $100 and walkers can be more than $200. Often, spinal stenosis is caused by the formation of bone spurs that grow into your spinal canal. Neck muscle injuries. If your spine is locked in an unfavorable position, you may qualify for a relatively high disability rating as high as 100%. For example, 5241 spinal fusion VA rating and 5238 spinal stenosis VA rating are calculated entirely on the range of motion (ROM) of your back even though spinal fusion and spinal stenosis are very different conditions. Severe paralysis of long periods can be shown by muscular atrophy, poor blood circulation, and limited functionality of the affected body part. 14K 1,344 9. Unlike a back injury that is caused by muscle, ligament, or bone damage, the effects of spinal stenosis are felt primarily in the nerves of the spinal cord. This information is not a substitute for legal advice. However, you may get a 100% VA disability rating for up to one year after serious back surgery, such as a spinal fusion. Because the rating formula is almost entirely based on ROM measurements, its important to make sure that a doctor performs ROM testing as accurately as possible. Because there are technically, As mentioned above, many different joints are rated under the rating criteria for degenerative arthritis. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. To qualify for a 100% rating for stenosis, you would have to have severe ankylosis across your entire spine, locking your spine in an unfavorable condition, unless you have one or more severe secondary conditions. The VA awards disability ratings for incapacitating episodes as follows: You may be asked to take a compensation & pension exam (C&P exam). The VA routinely mishandles spinal injury claims. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. Spinal stenosis is a form of degenerative disc disease. 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: Spinal stenosis is typically diagnosed with x-rays or MRIs of the spine showing a narrowing of the spinal canal. The sum of all these degree measurements together is called the ROM (range of motion) measurement. We have updated our Privacy Policy. Oftentimes, spinal conditions will cause other conditions, and these conditions qualify a Veteran for another rating. 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. The spine is considered as a minor joint. Box 449, Deland, FL 32721, Orlando, FL: 605 E. Robinson Street Suite 635, Orlando, FL 32801 10 percent disability rating: $165.92 per month. However, the VA still rates degenerative arthritis of the spine under the criteria listed for diagnostic code 5003. Because there are technically two diagnostic codes associated with one condition, you would see the condition listed on rating decisions as 5242-5003. For example, fractured and/or dislocated vertebrae can lead to pain and weakness in the arms, hips, shoulders, etc. 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. ). If your spine is locked, but its in a favorable condition, your disability rating may be as low as 30% or 40%. 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. The ROM measurement is the maximum angle that you can move in each direction before reaching your physical limits or experiencing severe pain. VA Disability Ratings for Spinal Stenosis, Learn About CCK's Partnership with DAV and Harvard Law School, - Learn About CCK's Partnership with DAV and Harvard Law School, General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. After recovery, the VA will re-evaluate their condition. Get Directions. Your spinal stenosis may cause or contribute to other medical conditions, as well. As you can see, ROM measurements play a significant role in rating spinal conditions. The general rating formula for spinal stenosis and the other spinal conditions listed above is as follows: General Rating Formula Spinal Stenosis and Select Spinal Conditions. Spine Condition Ratings. Full eligibility requirements In severe cases, doctors may recommend surgery to relieve the symptoms associated with spinal stenosis. 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. Your VA doctor may conclude that your spinal stenosis is service-connected because of this pre-existing whiplash and disk herniation. This can severely affect your movement and eventually takes a toll on your ability to move. 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. Although this type of arthritis is most common in the small joints of the hands and feet, it can occur in any joint. The amount of base compensation veterans receive . Diagnostic Code 5238 Cervical Spine Stenosis The spinal canal narrowing for one reason or another Diagnostic Code 5242 Degenerative Arthritis of the Spine Pain from the degeneration of the cervical vertebrae This rating criterion is primarily based on a range of motion measurements. There must be x-ray evidence of arthritis in the cervical or thoracolumbar joints for the VA to rate a spinal condition under the code for degenerative arthritis. These ratings are added together using VA math for an overall VA disability rating for spinal stenosis. The closer you are to your normal retirement age, the more likely you are to qualify for disability benefits. Service-connected disabilities are disabilities that manifested during your service, regardless of when your diagnosis occurred, or was diagnosed prior to your service and was worsened by your service. These cookies collect information about how you use our website. NOTE: Entitlement of a spinal condition includes spinal stenosis. Finally, the general VA disability ratings table for spinal injuries and diseases allows ratings based on muscle guarding, muscle spasm, or tenderness in your back. For example, if your disability requires frequent hospitalization or substantially interferes with your ability to earn a living, you may request a special disability rating from the VA. Our VA Disability Lawyers talk about SMC (Special Monthly Compensation). The rating assigned under the rating criteria for degenerative arthritis depends on how many joint groups are affected and whether there is painful motion. Its possible for rheumatoid arthritis to be rated under diagnostic code 5003 like degenerative and traumatic arthritis. VA Ratings For Spinal Arthritis & Back Pain. Phone: (757) 220-4529. What is the diagnostic code for traumatic arthritis? Appeals to the Board of Veterans Appeals, Appeal to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, Increase Veterans Affairs Disability Rating, Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU), VA Mental Health: Legal Help for Veterans, Veterans Affairs Compensation for Sleep Apnea, VA Rating for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Symptoms, 2023 Veterans Affairs Disability Rate Increase, Have a current medical diagnosis for the disability, Have an in-service event or experience that led to the disability, Get a medical nexus connecting the in-service event to the current medical diagnosis. Use our VA disability calculator to estimate your. However, Veterans can also receive disability compensation on a secondary basis. An increase at this point for a spine disability requires additional loss of range of motion, ankylosis, or . Richmond, VA: 7400 Beaufont Springs Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA, 23225 100% VA disability rating for spinal cancer. Case Info Step 2. If your spinal stenosis was caused by another service-connected disability, you can apply for secondary service connection. 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. It is the problems that may be CAUSED by Spinal Stenosis that are rateable. Although this type of arthritis is most common in the small joints of the hands and feet, it can occur in any joint. document.getElementById('copyright').appendChild(document.createTextNode(new Date().getFullYear())) PTSD Lawyers | Berry Law Firm. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. We are sorry that this post was not as useful for you! This information is made available for educational purposes only and to provide general information and a general understanding of the law. 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. The only problem is that I have had spinal fusion on my lower back on oct 8 2008, I was faxing the DAV all my information as I would get it from the doctors. To provide even more value to our veterans, this page is only available with an All-Access Membership. An unfavorable position means that the spine is frozen in a position other than the natural upright position. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If your service-related stenosis causes a secondary condition, that condition would be rated separately by the VA. I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction with spinal issues and VA ratings. 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. Your spinal stenosis may be accompanied by other back conditions, including degenerative disc disease, arthritis, ankylosis or ankylosing spondylitis. THE ISSUE. Spinal Stenosis by itself means literally nothing, other than that you have a narrowing of the spinal canal at some point (which about 70% of adults have normally). 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. Please call for an appointment before visiting: Mail Processing Center: P.O. People with spinal conditions also often change how they walk to compensate for the pain which can lead to knee and hip problems. Because the symptoms of spinal stenosis are not limited to back pain and ROM, you can investigate whether there are alternate options for obtaining a fair VA disability rating. In most cases, the medical listing will be insufficient. Spinal stenosis Mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety And more. It may result in a higher rating, and therefore a greater monthly disability compensation amount. In many cases, symptoms resolve themselves with rest, physical therapy, exercise, and anti-inflammatories. 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. To find out more, view our Privacy Policy. In some cases, the VA may help veterans get surgery to treat spinal stenosis. 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. This means that the effects of spinal stenosis are not limited to the back. .. Jan 17, 2012 #2. In all other cases, the ROM measurements of the lumbar spine are rated separately from the ROM measurements of the cervical spine. You may also qualify for a 100% rating if your back injury renders you unemployable. Finally, we invite you to contact us and we welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. 20 percent disability rating: $327.99 per month. 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%. If the entire spine is frozen in an unfavorable position, the disability rating may be as high as 100%. Spinal stenosis is a degenerative disc disease that occurs when there is pressure placed on the nerves in your spine. I have my transportation now. . If there is painful motion, a 10% rating will be assigned. Does Spinal Stenosis Qualify for Disability Benefits? . These cookies are essential so that you can move around the website and use its features. Rheumatoid arthritis of the spine leads to neck pain, back pain, and sometimes, 60% if there are severe incapacitating episodes that occur 4 or more times per year, 40% if there are incapacitating episodes that occur 3 or more times per year if there is a definite (but not necessarily significant) decrease in health, 20% if there are less than 3 incapacitating episodes per year. 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. If these records do not exist, it may also be possible to support a claim with post-service medical records that show a significant worsening. When rheumatoid arthritis affects the spine, it typically occurs in the cervical spine (the neck) rather than the thoracolumbar spine (the low back). Entire cervical spine is frozen in an unfavorable position. You may be owed compensation. There are two types of arthritis that are rated under the same rating system; degenerative arthritis, and traumatic arthritis. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. We assign you a disability rating based on the severity of your service-connected condition. 20% Spinal Stenosis VA Rating 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. means your spine is locked but more or less vertical, so you can still sit at a desk chair, for example. Under the VA regulations, you may request an extra-schedular rating for your disability. If the VA determines your spinal stenosis is service-connected, you will receive a disability rating between 0% and 100%. Claims involving both the cervical spine and the thoracolumbar spine are rated under the same general rating formula. I served during peace timein theArmy. 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.