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. When pursuing a VA disability rating for back pain, its important to know your options. For a cervical spine that is frozen in a favorable position, the disability rating may be capped at 30%. Later you develop a spinal stenosis in your neck (cervical) area. In most cases, foraminal stenosis is caused by gradual degeneration of the spine that happens as you age. Want to know if you qu. . If a doctor doesnt use a goniometer to measure your ROM, 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. About VA disability ratings. To qualify for disability because of lumbar spinal stenosis under listing 1.16, you must show that you suffer from ALL of the following: Non-radiating pain in one or both legs, or non-radiating loss of feeling in one or both legs, or neurogenic claudication (pain or cramping caused by nerve compression) Incomplete but severe paralysis of the sciatic nerve may lead to a 60 percent disability rating. Updated: August 3, 2020. Spinal stenosis of the cervical and thoracic regions may contribute to neurologic injury, such as development of a central spinal cord syndrome following spinal trauma. Copy this embed code to share the infographic on your own site. Also, the VA requires that all ROM measurements be taken with a goniometer. 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. This makes sense because a spine frozen in an unfavorable position would place the greatest stress on the body and have the greatest impact on the veterans ability to work. Spinal stenosis will cause pain in different areas of the body including the neck, lower and middle back, your buttocks and legs. 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. Do You Qualify for Long Term Disability Benefits? Spinal stenosis is a medical condition in which the passages through which your nerves travel through your spine become narrow or partially blocked. 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. Service-connected disabilities vary widely in severity and type: Some examples are the loss of a limb, migraines, and hypertension. Basically, the VA understands that the Veteran would not have developed sleep apnea if they didnt get PTSD while in service. This disruption can cause strange sensations and loss of muscle control in the affected areas. Free Disability Evaluation: Step 1. Contact Info Is applicant currently receiving Social Security benefits? Foraminal stenosis is the narrowing or the tightening of the openings located between the bones of your spine. It can cause muscle weakness and pain or cramping extending from the buttocks down through the leg. Tucson, AZ: One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor, Tucson, AZ, 85701 To qualify for disability because of spinal stenosis, you must meet several requirements: The stenosis must be in your lumbar region. 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. I bought a home. 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. VA/DoD CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINE FOR DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF LOW BACK PAIN Department of Veterans Affairs Department of Defense . Examples of secondary conditions that may arise as complications of stenosis include radiculopathy, neurogenic bladder, and knee and hip problems caused by walking difficulties due to stenosis. A total disability rating (100 percent) will be assigned without regard to other provisions of the rating schedule when it is established by report at hospital discharge (regular discharge or release to non-bed care) or outpatient release that entitlement is warranted under paragraph (a) (1), or of this section . Your doctors will also discuss ongoing treatment and support needs, physical and occupational therapy, and try to identify and treat any worsening symptoms or functions. If your spinal stenosis was caused by another service-connected disability, you can apply for secondary service connection. means your spine is locked but more or less vertical, so you can still sit at a desk chair, for example. Whether it manifests itself in your back or through nerve pain throughout your extremities, a VA attorney can help you to obtain the medical examination and collect the records to support your VA disability claim. We advocate for the disabled. Columbus, OH: 100 E. Campus View Boulevard, Suite #250, Columbus, OH, 43235 To receive VA disability for spinal stenosis, like all other disabilities, a Veteran must first establish service connection for the injury. VA uses 38 CFR 4.71a, General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine to evaluate most neck pain conditions. Our goal is to help all fellow Veterans get the disability benefits they deserve. A, Oftentimes, spinal conditions will cause other conditions, and these conditions qualify a Veteran for another rating. This opinion will be most favorable when it comes to establishing service connection. So if a Veteran has traumatic arthritis in his spine, the final diagnostic code would appear as 5010-5003. The information these cookies collect will not personally identify you, and they cannot track your browsing activity on other websites. 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. Rheumatoid arthritis is rated under its own rating system. Disability Benefits by Percentage Rating and Dependent Status (As of 2020). One of the most common conditions secondary to spinal conditions is radiculopathy. Flexion measures 30 degrees or less, OR entire thoracolumbar spine is frozen in a favorable position. Because the vertebrae are closer together, they tend to compress the nerves that lie inside the spine, especially the spinal cord. Table II - Ratings for Multiple Losses of Extremities With Dictator's Rating Code and 38 CFR Citation Note. Claims involving both the cervical spine and the thoracolumbar spine are rated under the same general. Unfavorable means any position that is not 0 degrees in flexion or extension. Claims involving both the cervical spine and the thoracolumbar spine are rated under the same general rating formula. If you are concerned that your VA disability percentage for spinal stenosis fails to account for the extent of your disability, you may wish to speak to a VA benefits lawyer. However, these secondary service-connected disabilities are not cumulative. The RO assigned an initial 10 percent rating for the disability, effective June 13, 1994. When symptoms are present, they usually start gradually and worsen over time. For example, if your VA disability rating for spinal stenosis is based on total ROM but ignores a flexion ROM that would result in a higher VA disability rating, it can be challenged by pointing out the mistake and asking for a review at the same level or by a higher-level authority. Favorable position means your spine is locked but more or less vertical, so you can still sit at a desk chair, for example. have been offered surgery and epidurals havent decided yet but if anyone can weigh in on this.. if you have spinal stenosis DDD DJD hypert,etc are you suppose to file a claim for each one separately? 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 VA will use a series of diagnostic codes for areas of the spine. 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. You cannot do your prior occupation, and; You are unable to keep and maintain a job in the greater national economy due to your service-connected disability. This narrowing can be caused by physical injury or degeneration of the spine. Ratings will fall between 0% and 100% disability. In all other cases, the ROM measurements of the lumbar spine are rated separately from the ROM measurements of the cervical spine. However, the VA still rates degenerative arthritis of the spine under the criteria listed for diagnostic code 5003. Failure to address the symptoms will lead to a lifestyle filled with numbness, pain, and muscle weakness. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established. Over time, you will attend additional annual exams at an area SCI Center. REPRESENTATION. However, you may get a 100% VA disability rating for up to one year after serious back surgery, such as a spinal fusion. The disability rating may be even lower depending on the segment of the spine that is frozen. The following spinal conditions are all rated under the same general rating formula: The general rating formula that is used to rate the conditions listed above is mainly based on range of motion (ROM) measurements. General VA Disability Compensation Benefits Claims Forums . Spinal stenosis can cause a variety of symptoms depending on the location of the spinal stenosis and the compressed nerve. But it can also be a result of a spinal injury. Your spinal stenosis may cause or contribute to other medical conditions, as well. In severe cases, it can lead to myelopathy, paralysis, bladder and bowel incontinence or retention, headaches, and other debilitating symptoms. 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. Surgery can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $150,000 with a microdiscectomy or discectomy being the least expensive and spinal fusion costing the most. Call 800-544-9144 today for a free case evaluation or contact us here. If radiculopathy is caused by a low back condition, the individuals will feel the symptoms in the lower extremities (thigh, calf, foot). Other causes include tumors and lesions, enlargement of facet joints, thickened ligaments, injuries that cause displacement of vertebrae, vertebral fractures, and rheumatoid arthritis, which can cause bone spurs.