For degenerative disc disease, a Veterans Disability rating of 10% to 20% is typically assigned by the VA. An all-timer rating of 100 percent must be obtained before the VA will declare a veteran incapable of working. To receive an extraschedular disability rating, you must show the VA why your condition is worse than the 50% maximum. Smoke from military burn pits have had both short- and long-term health effects on those exposed. If you've recently filed a DDD claim or are waiting for your case to be resolved, you can contact the Hill Ponton team. An examination by VA must confirm the limitations of motion in the presence of swelling, muscle spasms, or evidence of painful motion. These tasks can place extreme amounts of pressure on your body. It is particularly difficult for people under the age of forty, as well as those under the age of fifty. However, individuals with degenerative disc disease may be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits if their condition prevents them from being able to work. This uneven shift in weight may then contribute to complications in your lower back. Importantly, limitation of motion must be objectively confirmed by findings such as swelling, muscle spasm, or satisfactory evidence of painful motion. Your final VA rating for Degenerative Disc Disease depends upon the Frequency, Severity, and Duration of symptoms, including Painful Motion, Limitation of Range of Motion (ROM), and Functional Loss or Impairment. Get to know us through our videos. It states that your degenerative disc disorder needs to have caused a compromised nerve root of the spinal cord or you need to provide proof that the root compression causes spinal pain, restricted spinal movement, a reduction in motor function and muscle weakness including loss of reflexes and touch. Tingling and numbness may not last for long periods of time; however, these symptoms may be . One of the rated conditions I left the Army with was "Degenerative Disc Disease" at 10%. Pain in the low back (lumbar), mid back (thoracic), or neck (cervical), depending on where the affected disc is, possibly even radiating to the legs, arms, and hands (Radiculopathy). Degenerative Disc Disease is a spinal disorder most often rated underCFR Title 38, Part 4, VA Schedule of Ratings, Diagnostic Code 5242, Degenerative Arthritis, Degenerative Disc Disease Other Than Intervertebral Disc Syndrome. Part of aging is disk deterioration; however, it does not cause pain in everyone. 2022 DisabilityProAdvice.com | Contact us: contact@disabilityproadvice.com, Degenerative Disc Disease & VA Disability Benefits | VA Appeals Attorneys. The joints involved should be tested for pain on both active and passive motion, in weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing and, if possible, with the range of the opposite undamaged joint. The examiner will also often ask about the pain levels associated with your condition and what symptoms you experience. To file for secondary service connection, you will need: Importantly, you do not have to file for secondary conditions at the same time as filing for primary conditions. Thank. How to File a Claim on VA.gov (step-by-step)! Also, feel free to message us through our online contact page. Secondly, your condition needs to be able to meet any of the blue book listings for musculoskeletal diseases. List of Common Veterans Administration Abbreviations, CIGNA / New York Life Disability Insurance, Disability and Life Insurance Claims FAQs, VA Service Connected Disability Claims FAQ, Life Insurance and Accidental Dismemberment FAQs, process of recovering VA disability benefits, Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability, The VA TDIU Approval Rate and Claim Appeal Options. What is the Maximum Disability Rating for Degenerative Disc Disease? According to VA, if degenerative arthritis is established by X-ray findings, the veterans condition will be rated based on limitation of motion under the appropriate diagnostic codes for the specific joint or joints involved. To receive a 30% rating or above, a veteran must prove ankylosis, which is joint stiffness caused by an injury or a disease. This can be submitted via mail to the Evidence Intake Center or electronically throughVAs website. The average VA rating for degenerative disc disease is 30%. Military activities, like repeated heavy lifting, can result in degenerative disc disease over time. These cookies allow the website to remember choices you make to give you better functionality and personal features. How to Get a 100 Percent VA Rating (if deserved)! One of the most common is for herniated discs to develop. Service Connection (1) Limitation of Range of Motion and (2) Pain are the two most common factors that determine your final VA rating for back conditions such as Degenerative Disc Disease. Find Out How To Qualify for Disability with Degenerative Disc Disease It may cause back and neck pain and sometimes impact nerve function. This condition is rather common and typically interferes with the way mucus drains, causing your nose to be stuffy. This data may be used to help optimize our websites and make them easier for you to navigate. Finally, we invite you to contact us and we welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Don't Miss: Is Aflac Short Term Disability Worth It Do You Deserve a Higher VA Disability Rating? In this way, your DDD was caused by your service-connected knee condition, warranting secondary service connection. Make Today The Last Day You Worry About Your Disability Claim. They can range from dull nagging pain to severe disabling (sharp or throbbing) pain. Orthopedic conditions are typically categorized as those that impact the musculoskeletal system. These include aging, injury, and genetics. Hear from fellow Veterans just like you, with many of our Veteran Success Managers having gone through our programs. It is a common VA disability claim for disability caused by a disabling disc disease. Another secondary condition that can develop is spinal stenosis. It has been demonstrated that persistent disc disease can lead to a variety of health problems over time. Medical professionals call this 'radicular pain.' For instance, which pages you go to most. Tingling and numbness may not last for long periods of time; however, these symptoms may be a sign of possible nerve damage. Veterans who are believed to have more severe symptoms have received higher ratings from the VA in the past. Sciatic neuritis is not uncommonly caused by arthritis of the spine. In most cases, VA uses the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine, combined with the limitations on range of motion, to issue a disability rating. VA often denies service connection for degenerative disc disease based on an examiners finding that a veterans condition is due to normal wear and tear and the natural progression of aging rather than their time in service. These cookies are also used to let affiliates know if you came to one of our websites from an affiliate and if your visit resulted in the use or purchase of a product or service from us, including details of the product or service purchased. This website adheres to the W3Cs AA Accessibility guidelines. Knowing how VA ratings for degenerative disc di. Any limitation of Range of Motion (ROM) should be measured with a Goniometer by the medical professional at your VA C&P Exam for Back Pain. Degenerative disc disease is a painful spinal condition that can affect daily life. Wheezing when exhaling, which is a common sign of asthma in children, Trouble sleeping caused by shortness of breath, coughing, or wheezing, Coughing or wheezing attacks that are worsened by a respiratory virus, such as a cold or the flu, Make sure to click the link to sign up for updates. With any form of arthritis, painful motion is an important factor of disability, the facial expression, wincing, etc., on pressure or manipulation, should be carefully noted and definitely related to affected joints. However, its also possible that you dont experience any symptoms, or you go through periodic flare-ups of symptoms. Many veterans with degenerative disc disease have been forced to live on the floor. These cookies do not store any personal information. Specifically, exposure to the toxins released can affect a persons lung health. The VA uses diagnostic code 5003 to determine your degenerative disc disease disability rating. Brian isalso the CEOofMilitary Disability Made Easy, which is the worlds largest free searchable database for all things related to DoD disability and VA disability claims and has served more than 4,600,000 military members and veterans since its founding in 2013. The Spine Institute of Nevada can help you get the diagnosis and treatment you need for back pain. It can also result in numbness and tingling in the upper or lower extremities. But for others, it can be a major problem that interferes with daily activities and may lead to a life-threatening asthma attack. In these cases, the VA now presumes a link between service and sinusitis, meaning that the veteran does not need to prove a connection. Men and women like you often perform strenuous tasks, including running, jumping, and lifting. Furthermore, as to case summaries, reports of past results, individual lawyer biographies, news posts and other information pertaining to past and present cases, these descriptions are meant only to provide information to the public about the activities and experience of our law firm. While the ROM test is the primary factor in determining VA ratings for back and spine conditions, there are also other portions included in the C& P exams. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. The VA uses diagnostic code 5003 to evaluate back conditions like osteoarthritis. In most cases, veterans will have to provide evidence of the following three elements of their service connection in pursuing compensation: Its been demonstrated that veterans who were exposed to the environmental hazards from open-air burn pits are at higher risk for developing allergic rhinitis, and other respiratory conditions so, to your advantage, that is a known fact. This information is made available for educational purposes only and to provide general information and a general understanding of the law. If the disability criteria do not accurately reflect your disability level, you may be assigned an extraschedular rating. Degenerative disc disease typically affects the lower back or neck. There is no cure for degenerative disc disease, but there are treatments that can help to manage the symptoms and slow the progression of the condition. If you are unable to work because of a disability, you may be able to get a Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU) deferment. Va disability rating for degenerative disc disease - HealthTap After leaving active duty, veterans may experience chronic or worsening pain. Degenerative Disc Disease is one of the most common causes of low back (lumbar), mid back (thoracic), and neck pain (cervical) in veterans. A few of the risk factors for Degenerative Disc Disease include your age, prior back injuries, car accidents, being overweight or obese, a sedentary lifestyle, or other forms of bodily trauma. Intervertebral disc syndrome is a common cause of back pain. When evaluating a spinal cord-related disability, the VA is required to take into account both anatomical damage and functional loss. Bulging discs are rated based on the number of incapacitating episodes that have occurred due to the disability. Diagnosing and treating degeneration disc disease as soon as possible is critical to its early resolution. A spinal fusion procedure is usually performed in order to relieve pain and allow the spine to heal. Degenerative disc disease is often accompanied by varying levels of pain. However, many Veterans struggle to get degenerative disc disease VA disability compensation.. For example, if you have a service-connected knee condition that causes you to favor one side when you walk, you may develop an altered gait. In the United States, 15% of women experience pelvic pain for more than six months. For example, DDD can lead to other conditions among veterans, such as: You can file a disability claim for any secondary symptoms or conditions caused by your service-connected degenerative disc disease. Furthermore, Depression is one of the most common comorbidities in veterans with chronic low back pain. The information these cookies collect will not personally identify you, and they cannot track your browsing activity on other websites. Entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, secondary to service For VA disability purposes, the four regions listed below will be considered when it comes to your final VA rating for Radiculopathy. Physical therapy may help with muscle range of motion, while prescription medications may be used to alleviate pain. Copy this embed code to share the infographic on your own site. Degenerative Disc Disease & VA Disability Benefits - YouTube 15-18 701 DATE: December 26, 2018 ORDER Entitlement to service connection for sleep apnea, secondary to service-connected lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD) on a causation basis, is granted. In some cases, degenerative disc disease also causes weakness, numbness, and hot, shooting pains in the arms or legs. A VA Disability Lawyers role is to assist you throughout the confusing and often frustrating appeals process if you have been denied benefits for your service-connected back pain. The sacrum fits between the two hipbones connecting thespine to the pelvis. It can also result in numbness and tingling in the upper or lower extremities. How to Win Your Disability Claim for Degenerative Disc Disease To find out more, view our Privacy Policy. Though back and neck conditions both stem from the spine in most instances, VA rates them as separate disabilities. If you are disabled at home or at work, you can achieve a disability rating regardless of where you are stationed. Do You Qualify for Long Term Disability Benefits? Back conditions typically correspond to the thoracolumbar spine, which is composed of several different types of vertebrae. Target Leave And Disability Reedgroup Com, Jailbreak Disabled Iphone Without Losing Data, What Happens If You Become Disabled While On Social Security, Complete the foot dangles and drops, no active movement possible of muscles below the knee, flexion of knee weakened or lost, Official records of a herniated disc during active duty, Medical evidence from private doctors linking the current diagnosis to an in-service injury, disease, or event that has been at least as likely as not caused the current condition. They may also be used to keep track of what [products, video, links, etc.] All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. Attending a C& P exam with a medical professional can also potentially help you discover the presence of secondary conditions you were unaware of. If you are disabled from a degenerative spinal disc condition and your disability claim has been turned down, we can help. Just fill out the form and we. If a veteran can prove that their service-connected spinal condition was the primary cause of the secondary condition, they may qualify as having a secondary service-connection condition. VETERANS: Parachutists have special evidence for claims Additionally, surviving spouses, dependent children, and dependent parents of veterans who were exposed to herbicides (such as Agent Orange) during military service and died as the result of service-connected conditions may also be eligible for VA survivors benefits. Your Degenerative Disc Disease was caused or made worse by your active-duty military service OR by another service connected disability for secondary service connection (Nexus for service connection), #3. A veteran's Degenerative Disc Disease VA disability can be rated at 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, or 100%. A medical diagnosis of degenerative disc disease from your doctor; and. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you do not attend, your claim will likely be denied. It is essential that the examination on which ratings are based adequately portray the anatomical damage, and the functional loss, with respect to all these elements. Disability ratings range from 0% to 100%, with higher ratings indicating more severe symptoms. Call Us. Contact us to take advantage of our free consultation. If so, then you need the help of an experienced attorney. Have you been diagnosed with degenerative disc disease? You May Like: New York State Short Term Disability. The SSA gets many applications for disability based on degenerative disc disease, and most of them get denied unless other physical or mental problems are present as well. You should exercise on a regular basis if you have this pain. Sharp and radiating pain in the back, arms, legs or shoulders that may worsen with certain activities, even something as simple as coughing or sneezing, Weakness, fatigue, or loss of reflexes in the arms or legs, Numbness or tingling of the skin, pins and needles, or other abnormal sensations in the arms or legs. If you are diagnosed with the DDD it will be added to your C&P and can play a part in your rating but keep in mind the ROM-range of motion becomes a big factor in ratings of the spine. They all go together, so make sure you work with an experienced lawyer to get ratings for all of them. It is the intention to recognize painful, unstable, or malaligned joints, due to healed injury, as entitled to at least the minimum compensable rating for the joint. Copyright 2023 VA Claims Insider, LLC. What is the Degenerative Disc Disease VA Rating? Accurate measurement of the length of stumps, excursion of joints, dimensions, and location of scars with respect to landmarks, should be insisted on. Because DDD often does not appear noticeably during a soldiers time in the military, it can be difficult to recognize the condition in its early stages.
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