Va Disability Rating For Ankle Arthritis

Instead of getting a VA rating for knee pain and another rating for ankle pain it might get more money in your pocket or even a 100 TDIU rating if you get rated for RA instead of individual joint problems.

Va disability rating for ankle arthritis. You will need to prove that a you were in the military b your arthritis or joint damage originated or was aggravated while you were on active duty c you were continuously treated for your arthritis or joint damage since leaving the service unless you are filing your disability claim within one year of leaving the service or your condition has been chronic and d you are currently. Quick-acting medications that help stop inflammation and are often used to manage flares in rheumatoid arthritis. I have multiple Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System that qualify for a combined 100 VA Disability Rating. Over-the-counter medications such as Advil and Aleve as well as prescription NSAIDs can help relieve.

Degenerative arthritis will be rated at 10 or 20 percent based upon the number of jointsjoint groups affected and the level of incapacitation. Arthritis causes more than just pain. The Department of Veterans Affairs does not assign a single disability rating for arthritis. The DoD will also rate service-connected conditions as long as they also make the service member Unfit for Duty.

Much depends on the nature and severity of the condition. Under the VA rating schedule there is a standard 20 disability rating if there is x-ray evidence of involvement of two or more major joints or minor joint groups with occasional incapacitating exacerbations. The SSA will look at the documents submitted by the claimant starting right from the onset of pain up until the most recent followup. Rheumatoid arthritis can be very painful and mostly impacts smaller joints.

In many cases ankle instability itself would receive a rating of between 0 and 20 on the rating schedule. If the range of motion is markedly limited then it is possible to receive a 20 disability rating. I have a 10 disability rating under VA Code 5235. 471 a diagnostic code 5002.

For Reservists the condition must have occurred in or resulted from an injury in the Line of Duty to qualify. It was an uphill battle trying to get the 40 as that is the most you can get for an ankle even if they amputate it. One or two painful flare-ups a year. These will be combined not added to determine the rating for arthritis.

VA requires that limitation of motion be confirmed by observations such as swelling muscle spasms or evidence of painful motion. What you read here is current at the time of this writing according to the VA but disability percentage rating procedures criteria and amounts are always subject to change through legislation VA policy etc. The VA awards disability compensation for each Ankle condition that is service-connected. You will only qualify for Individual Unemployability if your condition alone qualifies for a 60 rating or 40 with a combined 70 and has resulted in perpetual unemployment despite repeated attempts.

The VA might note the presence of other conditions and award the veteran an even higher VA disability rating. The latest data reports around 92 of all VA claims involving the ankle receive the rating between 0-20. If their arthritis of the back is related to their time in military service they may be eligible to receive VA disability benefits. Major joints include the shoulder wrist elbow hip knee and ankle while minor joints include toes fingers spine and sacroiliac.

Its important that your doctor use these three terms to explain your limitations due to arthritis. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs. The VA Ratings Schedule for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Slight 10 moderate 20 or severe 30.

The ratings range from 0 to 100 disabling and depend mostly on the number of incapacitating episodes a veteran experiences due to their rheumatoid arthritis. The VA rating specialist will categorize instability of the joint in three ways. However the ankle instability may occur in conjunction with other issues such as knee pain and leg pain. VA rates rheumatoid arthritis under 38 CFR.

Id be surprised if they didnt give you that. Last year I was given a 40 rating for the ankle plus special compensation for loss of use of foot. That is assuming youve already been diagnosed as having RA. Okay the arthritis in the ankle will most likely be considered connected.

I also get 10 each for arthritis in my left knee and hip which puts me at 50 plus the special comp. If the range of motion is moderately limited a 10 rating will be assigned. The VA wont let you double dip on any disability so if you get a 10 rating for poor flexion in your knee they wont consider giving you 30 for arthritis pain in the same knee. That means that a rheumatoid arthritis disability rating wont be permanent.

As stated above while one can get Disability Benefits for Ankle Pain it is extremely difficult unless the cause of the ankle pain is mentioned in the Blue Book of the SSA. The bursitis however since it is in the hip there is a higher likelihood that they wont consider it secondary. Its also a leading cause of disability. According to the Centers for Disease Control CDC more than 50 million.

Additionally he should explain why your condition falls into that particular category. Since flare-ups come and go the minimum rating is 20 if you have 2 bad times a year. Arthritis can make daily life harder.