Va Disability Percentage Spine Injury

If you experienced a back injury during active duty or an injury that later contributed to back pain you may be eligible for disability benefits.

Va disability percentage spine injury. Of course a limited range of motion is not the only way to get VA disability for back problems. Or forward flexion of the cervical spine greater than 15 degrees but not greater than 30 degrees. To qualify for the 10 percent rating 2 or more episodes following the initial infection are required. VA criteria for scars is strict and many veterans may get a 0 zero percent rating unless there are complicationspain unstable healing etc.

20 forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees. Or the combined range of motion of the cervical spine not greater than 170 degrees. For instance a spinal injury can result in extra pressure being applied to the hip joints which could result in arthritis that probably would not have occurred without the spinal injury. Technically the highest VA rating for a thoracolumbar spinal disability is 50 percent.

If the VA determines your spinal stenosis is service-connected you will receive a disability rating between 0 and 100. To qualify for a 50 percent rating a veteran would need to have unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine. Vertebral fractures and dislocations diagnostic code 5235. It is thus surprising that Veterans receive disability ratings of 10 to 20 for back injury but receive much higher ratings and unemployability for conditions like depression or cardiac disease.

For spinal injury ratings your range of motion is taken into consideration. Or muscle spasm or guarding severe enough to result in an abnormal spine contour such as scoliosis reversed. VA has two methods from rating thoracolumbar spine disabilities. Thus if the flexion ROM measurement produces a 40 VA disability percentage and the total ROM measurement produces a 30 VA disability percentage the VA disability percentage for spinal stenosis would be 40.

The rating will largely depend on whether you have lost range of motion as a result of stenosis. As with most medical conditions the VA disability rating for back pain depends on a variety of factors. You can apply for VA Disability for this condition. If the forward flexion of your lumbar spine is between 30-60 degrees however you could see a rating of just 20 percent.

This 20 percent rating or the 10 percent rating when applicable will be assigned once only to cover disability at all sites of previously active infection with a future ending date in the case of the 20 percent rating. The VA awards disability compensation for each Back and Spine condition that is service-connected. For example if you have forward flexion of the lumbar spine at 30 degrees or less your spine condition will be rated at 40 percent. In addition Back Pain is a common secondary VA disability claim especially Radiculopathy secondary to back conditions or back pain.

The main determining factor is how much of a Range Of Motion ROM you have. For Reservists the condition must have occurred in or resulted from an injury in the Line of Duty to qualify. We assign you a disability rating based on the severity of your service-connected condition. Or combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 120 degrees but not greater than 235 degrees.

The hip arthritis would then be considered secondary to the spinal injury. Generally VA disability ratings for back pain range from 10 to 100 and depend upon the frequency severity and duration of symptoms including Painful Motion Limitation of Range of Motion ROM and Functional Loss or Impairment. If you have multiple disability ratings we use them to calculate your combined VA disability rating. A VA rating for scars may be more associated with the size of the scarring rather than the actual location.

Specifically VA uses the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine as follows. The reason for this low rating is based on the history of disability rating. VA looks at the flexion that you have at your waist and whether is is limited as a result of your back disability. 10 forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 60 degrees but not greater than 85 degrees.

The most common way that VA rates thoracolumbar spine disabilities is a range of motion formula. 100 unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine 50 unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine. A 20 percent rating requires your flexion to be pretty limited. If youre a Veteran with a 70 disability rating and you have a spouse plus 3 dependent children under the age of 18 you would start with the basic rate of 165671 for a Veteran with a spouse and 1 child.

How VA Disability Ratings for Neck Injuries Work. A fair VA disability rating is almost entirely dependent on accurate ROM measurements. Or the combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine not greater than 120 degrees. The tiers work there way up from 10 20 30 40 and 50 and then jump all of the way up to 100.

The DoD will also rate service-connected conditions as long as they also make the service member Unfit for Duty. This severe condition causes many Veterans to be unable to work.