Va Rating For Depression Secondary To Back Pain

In order to qualify for a temporary hospitalization rating veterans must be receiving treatment at a VA medical center or other VA-approved hospital.

Va rating for depression secondary to back pain. Veterans can submit a claim for secondary depression using the Psychological Rating System Code 9434. This is where the VA cites depressive disorder clinical depression. And that the depression was caused by the chronic back pain. This type of arthritis usually takes place in weight-bearing joints eg back hips knees.

For example oftentimes a veterans chronic pain will cause depression. In order to receive VA disability compensation for chronic pain the symptoms caused by the chronic pain disorder must be ratable. The examiner will review the claims file and list the current level of severity of the NSC. 1 Alexander CE Varacallo M.

In addition Back Pain is a common secondary VA disability claim especially Radiculopathy. Your claim will have a greater chance of being approved if you can prove your depression is caused by your service-connected chronic pain and you include a letter from your doctor about your condition. If you have a direct service connection for your back condition and have developed any of these conditions or symptoms of these conditions you may be entitled to VA benefits due to secondary disability and are entitled to a VA disability rating for the same. Each VA rating for depression is assigned a list of symptoms but how does the VA apply this disability rating system.

VA does not have a specific diagnostic code or rating criteria for chronic pain. Previously pain without an underlying diagnosis was not awarded compensation meaning that. If a veteran is hospitalized for 21 days or more due to their depression they may be eligible to receive a temporary total rating of 100 percent. In other words VA assigns ratings based on the functional impact from the service-connected condition.

VA rates back conditions under 38 CFR 471a Schedule of Ratings Musculoskeletal System and the criteria is based largely on a veterans range of motion. Arthritis of the spine is a breakdown of the cartilage of the joints and discs in the neck and back. How VA Rates Back Pain. Lets start with the good news about getting VA disability for back problems.

We ended up getting the veteran close to 200000 in. I notice on this topic chonic pain was primary and depressive disorder was secondary. In April 2018 it was determined by the Federal Circuit that the VA must award disability benefits for pain due to military service. A veteran with chronic back pain may experience severe depression because they cant do everything they used to be able to do from their back pain.

So in my case did they kind of jump over my chronic pain claim and just give me a rating for depressive disorder. Updated 2020 Mar 25. To receive VA disability benefits for chronic pain the symptoms resulting must be ratable. In that way the veterans back pain is due to their service-connected knee condition and therefore warrants secondary service connection.

Depression Secondary to Back Pain. Following the secondary claim logic a veteran can then file GERD as secondary to NSAIDs prescribed for the treatment of a service-connected condition. Secondary Service-Connected Impairments Major Depressive Disorder. So veterans dont receive a VA disability rating for chronic pain specifically.

The VA Rating Specialist will then order a VA examination and ask the examiner for a medical opinion. Mental Health Issues Many veterans deal with mental health conditions such as PTSD generalized anxiety disorder major depressive disorder and other mental health disorders. Im still trying to figure out why my chronic pain claim was not listed in the VA system. How VA Rates Chronic Pain.