I was very skeptical working with an attorney at first. How Can You Increase Your Shoulder Injury VA Disability Rating? You can try, but there is a high likelihood that it would be denied. Never hurts to strengthen your case by getting a NEXUS letter from your physician, however. Thousands of other Veterans in our Community are here for you. So, you cannot receive a rating for degenerative disc disease and another for facet arthropathy. They will simply include it in your overall cervical spine condition. I got handed to psych people instead of medical people. There are a couple of conditions that are an exception to this rule, but if you have one of these conditions, our discussion about that condition on our site will clearly say that you can rate it in addition to other conditions that affect that joint. Hello Sir, I was recently diagnosed with degenerative talonavicular arthrosis of my right foot. Moderate-to-severe left and moderate right neuroforaminal narrowing. Is there a possibility degenerative disc disease (DDD) causes or exasperates the condition of cervical spondylosis? Since 2016, VA Claims Insider has helped thousands of Veterans just like you get the VA rating and compensation they deserve in less time. Camp Lejeune Lawsuit. I did some research online and read headaches can sometimes arise from problems in the neck, and degenerative conditions like osteoarthritis in the neck. Check out our range of motion rating info on our website. Ok thank you I had a visit with my Primary Care Doctor and she mention my Sleep Apnea maybe the cause. As a fellow disabled Veteran this is shameful and Im on a mission to change it. Active cases of rheumatoid arthritis can receive up to a 100% VA disability rating for shoulder arthritis if the condition is debilitating. I keep getting we can not locate letters from the St Louis archives. You can always try to submit a new claim, but it is likely to not be successful. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. My question to you is should I open a new claim for the cervical spondylosis and not try to tie it to an existing secondary condition? Multilevel cervical degenerative disc disease, most pronounced at C3/C4 resulting in moderate spinal canal stenosis, moderate-to-severe left neuroforaminal narrowing, and moderate right neuroforaminal narrowing. As with all claims submitted to the VA, it is required that there is a service-connection to the veterans arthritis. The VASRD's 15 body systems had seen periodic updates, but this continuing effort reflects the first comprehensive review in 70+ years. You would want to get a NEXUS letter from a specialist confirming this correlation. WebIn late 2017, VA began a multi-year effort to revise and update the VASRD, or VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities. I have pain in both knees and they actually feel like they are on fire inside. Click Go Elite Now below to get started today and a member of our team will be in touch within minutes. I guess they needed to test me with the Ucmj and heavy sea duty. Your treatments may also vary depending on your other conditions. Also based on the MRI results listed above are there any conditions I could file for separately for example "Mild spinal canal stenosis, mild bilateral neuroforaminal narrowing"? These changes were based on scientific and/or medical information and reflect cited, published materials available to the public, said Acting VA Under Secretary for Benefits Thomas Murphy. The VASRDs 15 body systems had seen periodic rating criteria updates, but this continuing effort reflects the first comprehensive review since 1945. The VASRD rates two main types of arthritis: All right, Degenerative Arthritis Lets start off with assuming that only ONE joint has arthritis in the entire body. Claims for musculoskeletal and/or muscle injury conditions adjudicated after Feb. 7, but were pending on the effective date, will be considered under both the old and new rating criteria, and whichever criteria is more favorable to the Veteran will be applied. Deland, FL: 1607 South State Road 15A Suite 12 Deland, FL 32720, Satellite Offices She came to Hill & Ponton in August 2015 wanting to help veterans and started off as a Case Manager. If these measurements arent properly recorded, you will not receive the correct ratings you deserve. My question to you is since this is an error made by the VA will I be required to pay back any money to the VA? The rating schedule then steps down to 60% disability rating which could still qualify a veteran to 100% disability compensation through total disability based on individual unemployability. It is thought that degenerating discs can place undue stress on the facet joints, thus over time leading to degeneration and formation of osteoarthritis in the facet joints". I'm thinking of filing a claim for headaches as a secondary condition to the facet joint osteoarthritis in my neck. This involves the recovery period following a surgery related to your service-connected condition. Degenerative arthritis of the spine is listed as one of the most prevalent service-connected medicalconditions in the 2018 VA benefits report, with 505,553 disability benefits recipients for the condition. Basically I was trying to convince the VA that the pain issues with my neck was caused by my left ankle when walking ect. THE CONTRACTOR CHECKED 4 THINGS PROPERLY & the rest eas Covid delayed. Thanks. There is precedent of connection there too, though it is impossible for me to opine on your case. An untreated AC injury can make daily, independent life a struggle. Insiders, today we are discussing how the VA determines benefits for arthritis. Bilateral facet arthropathy. Any input would be great, thanks! No sacroiliac joint fusion to suggest ankylosing spondylitis. As a federal employee, file the appropriate claim through your employing agency. If youre stuck, frustrated, underrated, and currently rated between 0%-90%, VA Claims Insider Elite is for you! There are two main types of arthritis: degenerative arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Los Angeles, CA: 10880 Wilshire Blvd., Ste 1101, Los Angeles, CA 90025 I want to file for an increase and wonder what rating codes this would be under. Box 449, Deland, FL 32721, Orlando, FL: 605 E. Robinson Street Suite 635, Orlando, FL 32801 Yet establishing a service connection for shoulder and arm injuries can still be a challenge. At Woods and Woods, the Veterans Firm, weve helped thousands of veterans with their VA disability applications and appeals. Brooklyn, NY: 300 Cadman Plaza West, One Pierrepont Plaza, 12th Floor, Brooklyn, NY, 11201 During the course of finalizing this rulemaking, VA received comments from various Veterans Service Organizations and Veterans to ensure fair evaluations are established. If you cant show that it is directly related to a fall, shot, or other injury documented while you were in the service, the VA wont consider it as service-connected. So, if your arthritis gives a higher rating than the meniscus condition, then it is rated, and the other is ignored. Because of this, it probably won't cause a problem that it was claimed this way. I submitted a Workmens Comp Claim at CPO (Civilian Personnel Office) six years after surgery I was told that the time limitation had expired and I could not prove the Cause / Effect . http://www.militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/diseasesofthemusculoskeletalsystem.html#rheum. The report then lists general degenerative arthritis and traumatic arthritis with 268,882 and 258,135 recipients, respectively. What is my disability for this type of arthritis? I filed for compensation change but was denied because of range of motion was not enough. VA Claims insider is an education-based coaching/consulting company. I did get my new GP to approve hip imaging after somehowe I got into a non VA cinic during a bad day only to learn I most certainly need a hernia looked at that up till very revently I could not feel like a normal person would. Rarely are they used to lower a veteran's ratings. Here are some tips on your C&P exam from one of our VA disability lawyers. Factors including frequency and severity of joint swelling, stiffness, tenderness should all be reported and discussed to achieve a full picture of the severity. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Veterans with questions regarding this VASRD update may contact VA at 800-827-1000. But arthritis can also be presumptively service-connected. Regardless of the code, however, most spine conditions are all rated on the same system: limited motion. I received a 10% disability at separation for on one knee. If it isn't too late to request the change, you can submit it as secondary, but if it would delay things too much, you will probably still be fine as is. Degenerative arthritis can receive the following disability compensation ratings from the VA*: 10%- If two or more joint groups (major or minor) have arthritis but I told the Claims Rep that I now have arthritis in my shoulder (the one that is rated due to an injury while active duty and a surgery) .. With my experience, I would recommend their service to others, in respect to anyone who is struggling I would highly recommend Woods and Woods. Or would this condition fall under diagnostic code 5003: Degenerative arthritis and if there is pain on movement then it rates 10% because of the Painful Motion principle. I did some research on a website called spine-health.com which stated "degenerative discs and osteoarthritis often occur hand in hand because the disc and facet joints are both part of the same three-joint complex. Can you please help me understand a bit more about what type of rating I should expect. The examiner notated the following in regard to the synovial hypertrophy/proliferative synovium:"a. The VA is making new policies and Criteria for muscle injuries but in my opinion, they should work on their system and try to reduce the flaws in that. Moderate-to-severe right and moderate left neuroforaminal narrowing. If you experience weakness and severe pain with motion, your injury is rated 60% for the dominant arm and 50% for the non-dominant arm. From rotator cuffs and dislocations to poorly healed bones, shoulder and arm injuries are common among soldiers and all these injuries can lead to long-term disabilities in veterans. If you work with us, well keep tabs on when the VA makes a decision. You can look for a VA disability attorney near you or call us and join the thousands of veterans living off of VA disability thanks to Woods and Woods.