As with most medical conditions, the VA disability rating for back pain depends on a variety of factors. Some joints are referred to as major joints, while others are referred to as minor joints. This data may be used to help optimize our websites and make them easier for you to navigate. 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. The RO also assigned an initial 40 percent rating for the disability effective November 8, 2006. Also, the VA requires that all ROM measurements be taken with a goniometer. The spine is considered as a minor joint. VA rates spinal stenosis according to 38 CFR 4.71a Schedule of Ratings, Musculoskeletal System, Diagnostic Code 5238. The rating will largely depend on whether you have lost range of motion as a result of stenosis. Case Info Step 2. You should know that it's impossible to get disability benefits if you aren't . You may be owed compensation. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant advertisements on other websites. VA Disability Claims List: What Conditions Can Veterans Claim? Spinal stenosis caused by IVDS qualifies for a separate IVDS disability rating and you are entitled to the higher of the two ratings. This is known as secondary service connection. Specifically, VA rates spinal stenosis according to its General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine, outlined below: 100% - unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine 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. It will also help if someone else in your division remembers what happened. VA/DoD CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINE FOR DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF LOW BACK PAIN Department of Veterans Affairs Department of Defense . It may also cause bladder and bowel issues. 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. These cookies do not store any personal information. Its possible for rheumatoid arthritis to be rated under diagnostic code 5003 like degenerative and traumatic arthritis. 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. 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. Our firm was founded in 1986 in Orlando, Florida. For example, fractured and/or dislocated vertebrae can lead to pain and weakness in the arms, hips, shoulders, etc. Many people with spinal stenosis and other back injuries experience anxiety, depression, and substance abuse problems. Because the vertebrae are closer together, they tend to compress the nerves that lie inside the spine, especially the spinal cord. These secondary conditions would be rated separately from the underlying spinal condition. Favorable position means your spine is locked but more or less vertical, so you can still sit at a desk chair, for example. Your call is always free, and we wont charge you until after we have won your case. 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. If radiculopathy is caused by a low back condition, the individuals will feel the symptoms in the lower extremities (thigh, calf, foot). Although this type of arthritis is most common in the small joints of the hands and feet, it can occur in any joint. This can be demonstrated by muscular atrophy, poor blood circulation, and limited movement of the affected body part. Claims involving both the cervical spine and the thoracolumbar spine are rated under the same general rating formula. Congenital spinal stenosis is present at birth as a normal variant in the population or due to congenital conditions. The rating assigned under the rating criteria for degenerative arthritis depends on how many, Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that causes destruction of the joints in the body. While these codes may seem important, the rating formula is the same whether you suffer from spinal stenosis, intervertebral disc syndrome, vertebral dislocation or fracture or another condition. We consistently provide experienced, compassionate and ethical representation to our clients. Lumbar spinal stenosis . Evidence of diagnosis of your spinal stenosis while you were in the military; Information about an occurrence or an incident that occurred while you were serving led to the injury or aggravation of this injury; Medical nexus a medical description that connects the diagnosed stenosis with the particular occurrence that is said to lead to it. A TDIU is an award of increased compensation. Other causes of spinal stenosis may include: Arguably the most important part of the VA disability claims process is establishing service connection. 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. The small openings in your spine are called foramen, and nerves pass through the foramen from your spinal cord into the rest of your body. 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 If you have multiple disability ratings, we use them to calculate . Depending on what joint is affected, there will be an identifying diagnostic code assigned to the condition. The VA rates spinal stenosis disability claims according to its General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. If you believe your current spinal injuries are the result of military service, you could receive VA disability for spinal stenosis. This website adheres to the W3Cs AA Accessibility guidelines. Contact Info Is applicant currently receiving Social Security benefits? A favorable position means that the spine is frozen at the baseline position or 0% flexion. Call (855) 873-2604 For a Free Evaluation of Your Spinal Stenosis Disability Case. As of December 1st, 2022 the VA disability rate benefit amounts are as follows: 0 percent disability rating: $0.00 per month. In fact, occasionally, the back pain associated with spinal stenosis may be dwarfed by the nerve pain experienced in the legs, feet, arms, and hands. In a February 2007 rating decision, the RO granted service connection for spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. Rheumatoid arthritis of the spine leads to neck pain, back pain, and sometimes causes pain to radiate into the arms and legs. 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. Spinal stenosis is typically diagnosed with x-rays or MRIs of the spine showing a narrowing of the spinal canal. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Box 449, Deland, FL 32721, Orlando, FL: 605 E. Robinson Street Suite 635, Orlando, FL 32801 . If your condition meets the listing criteria, it will automatically be considered a disability. All the disabilities stemming from spinal stenosis should be accounted for in a fair VA disability rating. Because c-spine stenosis is a degenerative illness, a person's condition will continue to deteriorate . The VA not only makes mistakes in evaluation the severity of a condition, but sometimes they evaluate a condition according to the completely wrong rating criteria. Markedly severe residual weakness, pain or limitation of motion following implantation of prosthesis 70 Moderately severe residuals of weakness, pain or limitation of motion 50 Minimum rating 30 5055 Knee replacement (prosthesis). Do You Have Long-Term Disability Insurance Coverage? Phoenix, AZ: One Renaissance Tower, Two North Center Avenue, 18th & 19th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85004 This narrowing can be caused by physical injury or degeneration of the spine. I want to thank Woods & Woods for not letting me give up. 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. yet assertive representation for our clients. In some cases, the VA may help veterans get surgery to treat spinal stenosis. Fill out the short form below to contact us. The RO assigned an initial 10 percent rating for the disability, effective June 13, 1994. After recovery, the VA will re-evaluate their condition. When this evidence is presented to the VA, it may be possible to obtain VA disability benefits. 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%. We have updated our Privacy Policy. Other back impairments have a maximum schedular rating of 60 percent or lower. Your spinal stenosis may cause or contribute to other medical conditions, as well. 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. If two or more major OR minor groups are affected a 20% rating will be assigned if the arthritis is occasionally incapacitating. Contact a VA attorney who can assist you wherever you live and without regard to whether you were deployed. So if a Veteran has traumatic arthritis in his spine, the final diagnostic code would appear as 5010-5003. Severe disability and death may result from the association of cervical stenosis with even minor trauma resulting in the central cord syndrome. This impinges on the nerves themselves, which can cause pain, tingling numbness, and muscle weakness. 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. 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 amount of base compensation veterans receive . With this in mind, its important to know which spinal conditions are not rated under the general rating formula. In such cases, the VA is able to consider certain, Once the VA has acknowledged that your disability is related to servicei.e. you may be able to get a higher rating due to incapacitating episodes. If there is decreased range of motion of the cervical or thoracolumbar spine, the condition would be rated according to the general rating formula for the spine that is based off of range of motion measurements. 20 percent disability rating: $327.99 per month. The VA rating for degenerative disc disease typically is 20%, despite how much pain the condition may cause. 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 intervertebral disc syndrome, you may be able to get a higher rating due to incapacitating episodes. Vertebral fractures and dislocations (diagnostic code 5235). VA Ratings For Spinal Arthritis & Back Pain. If the condition is not severe enough to meet the above criteria, then the VA rating for back pain / arthritis will be based on specific symptoms. For example, if spinal stenosis causes nerve pain or other issues in the peripheral nerves of the arms, hands, legs, or feet, you may be able to obtain a higher VA disability rating through an independently ratable peripheral nerve disability. 4.71a Schedule of ratings - musculoskeletal system. QUALIFYING STATEMENTS . 14K 1,344 9. 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. Do You Qualify for Long Term Disability Benefits? San Jose, CA: 2880 Zanker Road, Ste. Basically, the VA understands that the Veteran would not have developed sleep apnea if they didnt get PTSD while in service. However, it can also be caused by herniated discs, thickened ligaments in your spine, tumors, and spinal injuries. Did you receive a VA disability compensation rating of 40%? When the nerves are compressed, electrical signals passing along those nerves can become disrupted. Technically, the highest VA rating for a thoracolumbar spinal disability is 50 percent. An. means your spine is locked but more or less vertical, so you can still sit at a desk chair, for example. In addition to the ROM measurements, the general rating criteria for spinal involves whether the cervical and/or thoracolumbar spine is frozen in a favorable vs. unfavorable position. If you are suffering from the effects of Spinal stenosis you may qualify for disability benefits. Basically, the SSA understands it's harder to go back to school, move for work or change careers after age 50. Without these cookies, services you have asked for cannot be provided. Often, spinal stenosis is caused by the formation of bone spurs that grow into your spinal canal. Lumbar spinal stenosis resulting in compromise of the cauda equina 1.17 Reconstructive surgery or surgical arthrodesis of a major weight-bearing joint 1.18 Abnormality of a major joint(s) in any extremity . 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. 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. Copyright 2023 Woods and Woods, LLC | PO Box 1287 Evansville, IN 47706. A 2023 Guide to VA Disability Rates & Pay Schedules, Individual Unemployability Rating Calculator, List of Blue Water Navy Ships Exposed to Agent Orange (Interactive Vietnam Map), Social Security Disability Benefits Guide, 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. 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. The VA assigns rating percentages based on the frequency of incapacitating episodes. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Examples of a few disability ratings for spinal stenosis are: 20%: A 20% disability rating for spinal stenosis means you have more than 30 degrees forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine, but not greater than 60 . Yes, you can. That is, they get it wrong more than half the time. Most of the time, spinal stenosis occurs in the lower back and the neck. 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%. Spinal stenosis will cause pain in different areas of the body including the neck, lower and middle back, your buttocks and legs. 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: Acquired spinal stenosis is spinal stenosis due to cervical disc disease or cervical facet joint osteoarthritis. Although this type of arthritis is most common in the small joints of the hands and feet, it can occur in any joint. Entitlement to a rating in excess of 20 percent for chronic low back pain from multilevel degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis. 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. This information is not a substitute for legal advice. In severe cases, or where the use of conservative treatment options just isnt effective for you, you and your doctors may consider surgery. 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. Learn more about us, Veterans Disability Claim 20% Spinal Stenosis VA Rating For example: Suppose you were diagnosed with whiplash as a result of a Humvee accident while you were in the service. VA Disability Rating Levels and Compensation Amounts for Spinal Injury. 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. In all other cases, the ROM measurements of the lumbar spine are rated separately from the ROM measurements of the cervical spine. A veteran's Degenerative Disc Disease VA disability can be rated at 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, or 100%.