Temporary disability rating after surgery or cast | Veterans Affairs They will also consider your age, education, and employment history. 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. These diagnosed and service-connected disabilities can get you a higher rating. VA Disability Rating For Spinal Fusion (2023 Guide) Yes, sort of. Does the Veteran report having any functional loss or functional impairment of the joint or extremity being evaluated on this questionnaire, including but not limited to after repeated use over time? Youll want to try your hardest, but be honest with the doctor about where you feel pain or numbness in your arms and legs. Pro Tip:In accordance with the Painful Motion principle, if you have pain upon flexion or extension of your neck or shoulder, the VA is required to award the minimum compensable rating for the condition, which is 10%. The older the veteran gets, the more of these they will have. VA Disability Rating for Neck Pain: Cervical Spine, Neck Arthritis, Radiculopathy and Cervicalgia VA. What is VA rating for cervicalgia ? VA disability rating for neck pain 100. For a limited time, you can book a free, no-obligation VA Claim Discovery Call with one of our experts. Neck pain can also be caused by pinching from disc compression or the growth of osteophytes. An injury or being in a long-term sedentary state can aggravate your joints and make them fuse together. Of course, a limited range of motion is not the only way to get VA disability for back problems. A current diagnosis for a spinal condition that necessitates spinal fusion as treatment, Evidence that the injury or accident that caused the condition that necessitates the spinal fusion occurred while on duty, A documented medical nexus or link between the diagnosed condition and the service-related injury or event, Information regarding the incident that led to your injuries, Any evidence that supports your statements of what happened. Ankylosis can occur anywhere in your body where there is a joint. The combined range of motion of the cervical spine not greater than 170 degrees; or. Neck injuries can even be caused by sitting still for too long. VA Disability Ratings for Neck and Shoulder Pain range from 10% to 100%, with breaks at 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%. Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine (T10 to L2). 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. Veterans nowadays may have to sit for multiple hours a day. If any limitation of motion is specifically attributable to pain, weakness, fatigability, incoordination, or other; please note the degree(s) in which limitation of motion is specifically attributable to the factors identified and describe. You might be able to lean right and left 30 just fine. Spinal Fusion VA Disability Rating - Hill & Ponton, P.A. Copyright 2023 VA Claims Insider, LLC. How to Get a 100 Percent VA Rating (if deserved)! Brian Reeseis a VA benefits expert, author of the #1 Amazon Bestseller You Deserve It: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Veteran Benefits Youve Earned, andfounder of VA Claims InsiderThe Most Trusted Name in Education-Based Resources for Veterans.. Hear from fellow Veterans just like you, with many of our Business Development Representatives having gone through our programs. Fused pieces or loose pieces of bone in your back can all affect your ability to twist around. You Might Also Like the Following Blog Posts: Cervicalgia is the formal term used to describe Neck Pain.. VA Disability Benefits for Spondylosis | CCK Law Brooklyn, NY: 300 Cadman Plaza West, One Pierrepont Plaza, 12th Floor, Brooklyn, NY, 11201 How to Get VA to Grant a Spinal Fusion Disability Rating Veterans who start the application process right away are more likely to get a VA disability rating for their neck pain. The favorable or unfavorable part refers to what position you are stuck in. Intervertebral Disc Syndrome (also known as IVDS) is a back condition involving the intervertebral disc or disc fragments. VA Disability Ratings for Back Pain Explained, VA Disability Rating for Degenerative Disc Disease, pick-up the phone and call the VA health facility nearest you, CFR Title 38, Part 4, Schedule for Rating Disabilities, You Deserve It: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Veteran Benefits Youve Earned, 9 Secrets Strategies for Winning Your VA Disability Claim. These include degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, and herniated discs, among others. eCFR :: 38 CFR 4.71a -- Schedule of ratings - eCFR :: Home Extraschedular Ratings for VA Disability Claims, Establishing a Service-related Connection to Spinal Fusion, Spinal Fusion VA Disability Rating 30-60%, Spinal Fusion VA Disability Rating 70-100%. Difficulty walking because of a limited line of vision, Restricted opening of the mouth and trouble chewing, Gastrointestinal symptoms due to pressure of the, Dyspnea (shortness of breath) or dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), Other neurological symptoms caused by nerve root stretching. Signup to never miss a beat with special offers, blog updates, exclusive trainings, and more delivered right to your inbox! Forward flexion of the cervical spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 40 degrees; or. If you add in the rest of your back, so that your entire back is fused in an unfavorable position, youll be eligible for 100%. At VA Claims Insider, we help you understand and take control of the claims process, so you can get the rating and compensation youre owed by law. It is common for secondary conditions to occur from orthopedic disabilities. . Muscle guarding is a reflex of your muscles to tense up in anticipation of something. You can do this by filing a Higher Level Review or a Supplemental appeal. Specifically, VA uses the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine as follows: 100% - unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine HIRE THEM! Phoenix, AZ: One Renaissance Tower, Two North Central Avenue, 18th & 19th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85004 Those symptoms can also point to diabetes, carpal tunnel syndrome, or arthritis, so youll need some X-Rays and CT scans on your back to see what is going on in there. What Does Your VA Disability Rating Mean? Neck pain is known to cause migraines, sleep issues, and radiculopathy. It may take six months to a year to fully recover from the surgery. If yes, provide type of test or procedure, date, and results (brief summary). There are a lot of things like falls, impacts, heavy lifting, and other activities that can be service-connected to your injury. Herniated disk. The examiner should provide the estimated range of motion based on a review of all procurable information to include the Veterans statement on examination, case-specific evidence (to include medical treatment records when applicable and lay evidence), and the examiners medical expertise. How the VA Rates Spinal Fusions VA ratings for spinal fusion follow the same process as other spinal conditions and are based on the range of motion defined in 38 CFR 4.71a. The VA rates Neck Pain under CFR Title 38, Part 4, Schedule for Rating Disabilities, Diagnostic Code (DC) 5237, Lumbosacral or Cervical Strain. This means your spine is frozen in an unfavorable position. Learn what youve been missingso you can FINALLY get the disability rating and compensation YOU DESERVE! Dear Veteran, Heres the brutal truth about VA disability claims: According to our data, 8/10 (80%) of veterans reading this message right now are underrated by the VA. Forward flexion of the cervical spine 15 degrees or less; or, favorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine. Veterans are exposed to numerous events which can cause lasting neck injuries. How Do I Increase My VA Rating for Neck Pain? Disability Benefits by Percentage Rating and Dependent Status (As of 2020) Causes of Spinal Stenosis Causes can include herniated or bulging spinal discs. Brian Reese here, Air Force service-disabled Veteran and Founder @ VA Claims Insider. Spinal fusion may help stabilize the spine after the removal of a damaged (herniated) disk. Combined Range of Motion vs Flexion of 60%, Muscle Guarding and Abnormal Curves of the Spine, We know VA Disability Law can be a Pain in the Neck, More about VA Disability for Spine and Back Pain, 38 CFR 4.71a Schedule of ratings musculoskeletal system, Use our VA disability calculator to estimate your. Neck pain refers to the top seven vertebrae of the cervical spine. Neck muscles can become strained from poor posture, carrying heavy things, military training exercises, high-intensity physical training, deployments, or long hours hunched over a computer. Have imaging studies of the cervical spine been performed in conjunction with this examination? Finally, you will need an independent medical opinion from your surgeon attesting that your current condition is directly related to the original injury or condition that led to your need for spinal fusion surgery. Learn what youve been missing so you can FINALLY get the disability rating and compensation youve earned for your service. Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine. IVDS can cause chronic pain in the back, usually made worse by prolonged sitting or bending. To receive compensation for a neck injury disability, veterans must be able to prove that their neck pain was caused or aggravated by their time in the military. Portland, OR: 650 N. E. Holladay Street, Suite 1600, Portland, OR, 97232 Signup to never miss a beat with special offers, blog updates, exclusive trainings, and more delivered right to your inbox! Copyright 2023 VA Claims Insider, LLC. Muscle spasm, guarding, or localized tenderness not resulting in abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour; or, vertebral body fracture with loss of 50 percent or more of the height. If youve filed your VA disability claim and have been denied or have received a low ratingor youre unsure how to get startedreach out to us! The most trusted name in education-based resources for Veterans. As your backbones bang together, pieces can chip off and cause even more pain and problems. This level can also have muscle spasms, muscle guarding, and pain without abnormal gait or curves. Click HERE for the C&P Examiners Guide to Spine Examinations. In the VA rating system, orthopedic conditions affecting the spine are separated into neck conditions and back conditions. Successful spinal fusion results in the stoppage of motion at these places with the potential use of plates, rods, and screws, providing the patient with stability and back pain relief. Cervical spine forward flexion of 15 or less or favorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine. Hire a VA disability lawyer to help you determine whether or not a secondary condition is eligible for VA service connection. This can all be amplified by long caravans on bumpy roads, carrying 100 pounds of the worlds lightest equipment every day. If you want to learn how to implement these strategies to get the VA benefits you deserve, click here to speak with a VA claim expert for free. The problem that develops later, though, is that the rest of your vertebrae are picking up the slack and absorbing more shock. 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 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. Maybe. Forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine up to 85 degrees or of the cervical spine up to 40 degrees. This prevents pinched nerves, slipped discs, and other IVDS problems. Top 100+ VA Disability List of Secondary Conditions (2022 Edition) Most veterans with ankylosis dont get much over 50%. Does the veteran use any assistive devices as a normal mode of locomotion, although occasional locomotion by other methods may be possible? You will also need a copy of your operative report from the surgeon who performed your spinal fusion surgery. This level is basically less flexion: 30-60 degrees of flexion for the lower to middle back and 15-30 degrees for your neck. Estimate your 2023 VA Rating & Compensation for FREE! The problem is when this happens just by walking, sitting, or moving around normally. If youve had a spinal fusion, you may wonder if youre eligible for disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Cervical Neck Fusion and Social Security Disability
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