Refer to our disability calculator to figure out your estimated VA rating. For direct service connection, you should prove the three elements: Once youre diagnosed with sciatica or a related issue, its time to file aVA disability claimfor VA benefits. Most Common VA Disabilities Claimed for Compensation: Can a 100 percent Disabled Veteran Work and Earn an Income? Any sciatica condition that needs this is rated 100% during this specialized treatment. If you dont have a service-related back condition, dont worry because you may still be able to get your sciatica service-connected. Thats because if your sciatica results in limited motion, you can only receive one rating for it. Both! Since that time, we have provided compassionate Once the history of your sciatica has been 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. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. The type of pain can vary from numbness, tingling or burning, and can also range in severity from mild to severe. You should start the five year process for applying for VA benefits today. Those suffering from sciatica will experience pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve which travels from the lower back down through the legs. Here are some tips on your C&P exam from one of our VA disability lawyers. serious, your rating will only be 10%. Usually, sciatica affects only one side of the body. 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 symptoms and location can vary, and the particular area and nerve affected can impact a veterans VA disability rating for radiculopathy. Of course, the words Severe, Moderate, Mild all have vague meanings. The information these cookies collect will not personally identify you, and they cannot track your browsing activity on other websites. When Sciatica is severe, it can even lead Copyright 2023 Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD. All Rights Reserved. Woods and Woods, LLC, Veterans Disability Lawyer, Veterans Disability Benefits Attorneys Helping Veterans Nationwide, Published on May 7, 2020 by Mike Woods Last Updated on September 6, 2022. Radiculopathy is a broad diagnosis for the symptoms from a pinched nerve root at the spinal column base. Measures of your extension, lateral flexion, and rotation all combine to measure your cervical flexion. CCK Recognized for Donations to American Veterans Disabled For Life Memorial, CCK Successfully Argues for a Precedential Decision About Protected Work Environment, A Day in the Life of a Paralegal (Claims Advocate) at CCK. exam may also be administered as it will be able to provide valuable details of My Sciatica C&P he did check ROM in my back and legs and then asked a few overall questions regarding my symptoms and then checked strength in my legs/feet etc. In many cases, lower back pain is caused by spine, discs, or nerve damage. Compensation & Pension (C&P) Exams for Radiculopathy, Evidence for Radiculopathy Claims and Appealing under the AMA system. These cookies are essential so that you can move around the website and use its features. In 2019, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report which said that the lack of specifics in the rating criteria is leading to unfair and arbitrary decision-making. Each of these ratings of conditions has sub-categories which are mild, moderate, or severe symptoms. Estimate your 2023 VA Rating & Compensation for FREE! Cookies help us deliver the best experience on our website. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. the knee do not work at all, and the knee has serious trouble bending (bending Brian is a Distinguished Graduate of Management from theUnited States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO and he holds an MBA from Oklahoma State Universitys Spears School of Business, Stillwater, OK, where he was a National Honor Scholar (Top 1% of Graduate School class). also known as sciatica, is not exclusive to one type of injury or condition. These cookies may be set through our website by our advertising partners. When it comes to your exam, the number one thing the doctor will measure for your back pain is your range of motion. If you tough it out and move a little extra, you can keep going on that patrol in Iraq. impossible. Remember if you ever fell, what your daily activities included, and how those activities could hurt your back. Our firm was founded in 1986 in Orlando, Florida. If you are suffering from any loss of This information is made available for educational purposes only and to provide general information and a general understanding of the law. They may also be used to keep track of what [products, video, links, etc.] Sciatica can be incredibly difficult to live with and in severe cases can cause difficulty in walking and paralysis. When you go see the doctor and describe numbness or pain in your arms or legs, they will ask you more questions to narrow down your diagnosis. By using our website, you agree to the use of certain cookies. If the veterans doctor has provided a favorable opinion on the claim, the vet can submit this supportive evidence in the C&P exam. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If youre not sure if you qualify, were here to help. If there are two equally strong exams with conflicting data, or if the sciatica issue can be equally rated under two different codes, then the one that offers the highest rating will be used. Incomplete, moderately severe paralysis is rated 40%. TDIU is essentially an alternative path to receiving maximum benefits. Often, Veterans' radiculopathy is a secondary. You might be able to pay for some heating pads or some visits to the chiropractor/spa with that. You may be owed compensation. 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. San Jose, CA: 2880 Zanker Road, Ste. This leaves room for many different interpretations and inconsistencies between the Regional Offices, Board of Veterans Affairs judges, and more. Paralysis is the most severe classification, followed by neuritis, and then neuralgia. Brooklyn, NY: 300 Cadman Plaza West, One Pierrepont Plaza, 12th Floor, Brooklyn, NY, 11201 Diagnostic Code 8713 Neuralgia. CCK Recognized for Donations to American Veterans Disabled For Life Memorial, CCK Successfully Argues for a Precedential Decision About Protected Work Environment, A Day in the Life of a Paralegal (Claims Advocate) at CCK. You stated that you "had an EMG that showed no nerve damage." Perhaps your problem is not what you call the disability . Our veterans law practitioners have over 25 years of experience working with veterans. In addition to secondary service connection, veterans may also be able to seek service connection through aggravation. They are also more likely to be ruled Permanent and Total, which means you dont have to go back and re-apply and risk losing your benefits every 5-10 years. Fill out the short form below to contact us. Neuritis of the sciatic nerve. Lumbar is the region of your lower back all the way down to your tailbone. Can My Disability Rating Be Reduced By The VA? Without these cookies, services you have asked for cannot be provided. The angle of your flexion for your cervical and thoracolumbar spine areas determines what your rating will be. By continuing to use our website, you agree to these updates. Radiculopathy Secondary to Back Disabilities; . Technically, the term sciatica usually refers to neuralgia (i.e., sharp pain due to an irritated or damaged nerve) of the sciatic nerve. Partial paralysis can result in poor blood Examples of in-service incidents may include: Veterans do not necessarily need to trace their radiculopathy to one single active-duty incident. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Lumbar Radiculopathy. Degenerative Disc Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Gulf War Syndrome all have the capability of a higher rating. VA rates sciatica under 38 CFR 4.124a, Schedule of ratings - neurological conditions and convulsive disorders, as follows: Paralysis of the Sciatic Nerve - Diagnostic Code 8520 80% - complete paralysis in which all the muscles of the leg below the knee fail to work, causing serious difficulty in bending the knee In many cases, sciatica is the result of a ruptured intervertebral disk,an injury, or narrowing of the spinal canal that applies pressure on the nerve. VA rates sciatica under38 CFR 4.124a, Schedule of ratings neurological conditions and convulsive disorders, as follows: Importantly, there is no disability rating for severe neuralgia. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. suffering from Sciatica include: When one is suffering from sciatica, one This could have a direct effect on your work if you cant look around while holding a weight. It is intended that the DBQs will be completed by the Veteran's health care provider. Sciatica ratings are usually based on whether the sciatica is mild, moderate, moderately severe, or severe. These cookies dont collect information that identifies you. This benefit compensates veterans at the 100 percent level, even if their combined disability rating does not equal 100 percent. As we mentioned earlier, sciatica is caused by the irritation of the roots of the lower lumbar and lumbosacral spine, which can result from several physical activities. If your back creaks or pops when you move it, you want the doctor to hear that. After an exam, vets and witnesses should promptly memorialize their experience, and date their notes. TDIU can be awarded on a schedular or extraschedular basis. In mild cases, symptoms but not significant impairments exist. The different nerves in your back are grouped together and carry different VA rating schedules. Incomplete, mild paralysis is Lower back pinched nerves are the most common type and even have sub-classes of diagnoses. If it While lower back pain is often treatable, it can lead to chronic pain and disability if left untreated. Sciatica most often occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed or pinched, typically by a herniated disk in the spine or an overgrowth of bone on the vertebrae. This data may be used to help optimize our websites and make them easier for you to navigate. Thorough note-taking after the exam can be helpful if the vets representative needs to persuade the VA to overturn a problematic decision on the C&P exam. Common symptoms include: Most vets went through long periods of standing or marching, strenuous physical exercise challenges, and weapons training during military service. Learn how VA rates Veterans' nerve conditions and nerve damage (such as peripheral neuropathy, sciatica, radiculopathy, retinopathy) for disability benefits,. . it is rated 20%. Radiculopathy is caused by a pinched nerve root in either the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar spine. rating that you can receive is 60%. We offer this information to our readers as general information only. 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. If you want to learn how to implement these strategies to get the VA benefits you deserve, click here to speak with a VA claim expert for free. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); My name is [K.S]. After the excitement of finally having the rating you deserve wears off, you start asking questions. Support your beliefs with professional medical records before and after service to demonstrate that you didnt suffer from back pain until after your time in service. Remember, every conflict is resolved in support of the higher rating. The pinched nerve can cause pain and discomfort for veterans who experience it, and the pain is often experienced as numbness, tingling, or weakness. A sciatic nerve condition like complete paralysis of the sciatic nerve results in the muscles in the leg and below the knee worsening. Camp Lejeune Lawsuit. For a limited time, you can book a free, no-obligation VA Claim Discovery Call with one of our experts. Have you been affected by Camp Lejeune water contamination? Call today. Those with lumbar radiculopathy will be rated within the group of peripheral nerves of the low back and legs. Washington, D.C.: 1776 I Street, NW, 9th Floor, Washington, D.C 20006 While you should tell the C&P Exam doctor every detail of your symptoms. Below we're sharing the VA range of motion chart used to rate back . It's also called sciatica. Common symptoms include: Nerve issues, such as sciatica, are rated in three different categories based on the degree of severity of symptoms: Each of these three categories of nerve conditions also have sub-categories for mild, moderate, or severe symptoms, creating many different possible ratings for a condition that affects a nerve. Richmond, VA: 7400 Beaufont Springs Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA, 23225 The reflexes in your knees, as well as The veteran has constant, severe pain in his lower back because of the radiculopathy affecting his ability to function on a daily basis. If two exams record the diagnosis differently, then the exam with the most exhaustive data and performed by the most qualified professional in that sector will be the exam the rating is based on. Since you are agitating the vertebrae in the middle of your back, this can get you when you are standing or sitting. According to the Mayo Clinic, Sciatica most commonly occurs when a herniated disk, bone spur on the spine or narrowing of the spine (spinal stenosis) compresses part of the nerve. The skilled attorneys at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD may be able to help you navigate it. Thoracic Radiculopathy Yes, any injury that happened during your active duty, even when you were on leave or even playing basketball on the base, is service-connected. Once it ends, then the 100% rating will be used for a certain timeframe. These cookies allow the website to remember choices you make to give you better functionality and preferences such as text size, fonts and other customizable website elements. Use our VA disability calculator to estimate your combined VA rating and monthly payment. This could offer a veteran a 60 percent disability rating for their sciatic nerve condition. technician to determine the underlying cause of your sciatica pain. Hear from fellow Veterans just like you, with many of our Veteran Success Managers having gone through our programs. By using this information, you understand that there is no attorney-client relationship created by you reading or using the information contained on this website or in this newsletter, article, or blog. motion, your balance and posture will be considered. VA disability ratings for Sciatica fall under one of the following codes from eCFR, Title 38, Part 4, Schedule for Rating Disabilities: Code 8520: Paralysis of the sciatic nerve. Since your brain and spinal cord connect to your entire body through your nerves, any part of your body can have pain or go numb when a nerve in your back is pinched. For example, a veteran is service-connected for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. You can look at all of these ratings in more detail by diagnostic code on 38 CFR 4.124a Schedule of ratings neurological conditions and convulsive disorders. When the bones in your back lose their cushioning, they rub together and may pinch a nerve. Updated: April 23, 2020. Radiculopathy is a condition that occurs when the nerves in the spinal cord are damaged, irritated, or compressed. He or she is going to write down the angle of your flexion. Pain or numbness can even come and go as you take deep breaths or physically exert yourself. The most trusted name in education-based resources for Veterans. They are also more likely to be ruled Permanent and Total, which means you dont have to go back and re-apply and risk losing your benefits every 5-10 years. Back pain doesnt often travel alone. Disclaimer: This information is not legal advice. than moderate, even if it is considered severe. Popular Articles 2023 Military Discounts Offered by Stores, Services and Online Sites Such veterans that suffer from sciatica may be eligible forVA disability benefitsif they can prove that their issue is a result of their time spent in the service. Well also look and see if you can apply for more than one to combine and increase your benefits. Veterans with severe sciatica may require the assistance of canes, wheelchairs, or other assistive devices to walk. when the sciatic nerve is irritated. document what special considerations you need at work to deal with this problem. The location of your symptoms, the movements that heighten the pain, and the actions that provide you with relief are all factors that are important in your diagnosis. Radiculopathy does involve a condition of the spinal nerve, and for a specific rating for anerve condition the determination is based on (a) paralysis, meaning that the nerve has no ability to function; (b) neuritis, meaning that the nerve is irritated, and there is numbness, muscle atrophy, or loss of reflexes; or (c) neuralgia, meaning that the nerve produces intermittent or continual pain, possibly accompanied by numbness and tingling. These cookies are essential so that you can move around the website and use its features. They may also be used to keep track of what [products, video, links, etc.] is. which would make a combined rating of 60% with the bilateral factor thrown in. For back pain, you are going to get rated based on pain and flexion. The lower . If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. Its FREE to get started, so click Go Elite Now below to complete our 3-step intake process. It causes pain, burning, and numbness all the way from your butt down to your toes. Perhaps you already had a health condition when entering the Army, Navy, or Air Force, and it was aggravated during your active duty service. Medical images like x-rays can also be useful. Brian Reese here, Air Force service-disabled Veteran and Founder @ VA Claims Insider. You can have crepitation in any joint. If youre stuck, frustrated, underrated, and currently rated between 0%-90%, VA Claims Insider Elite is for you! Secondary service connectionis when a veterans service-connected condition causes or aggravates a non-service-connected condition, andVAthen grants service connection for the secondary condition. When it comes to your C&P Exam, you dont want to tough it out. Total disability based on individual unemployability, or TDIU, is a monthly benefit available to veterans who are prevented from working due to their service-connected disability or disabilities. Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick may be able to help you with the appeals process. That numbness or pain from a pinched nerve in your spinal column is called radiculopathy. Your flexion for the thoracic and lumbar areas are grouped together into the Thoracolumbar tests. sciatica, he or she may experience relief when lying down or when walking, Sciatica can also make it mild, you may only be able to receive a rating of between 10 and 40%. Sometimes diabetes or arthritis can cause radiculopathy in addition to direct spine injuries. determined, a physical exam will them be completed by a state certified The general minimum for undiagnosed back pain veterans disability benefits is 10%. Call our office today for a freecase evaluation. By using this information, you understand that there is no attorney-client relationship created by you reading or using the information contained on this website or in this newsletter, article, or blog. Keep in mind that that rating can be increased if there is a herniated disc or a bulging disc that causes a doctor to prescribe bed rest, specifically six weeks or more over a year's time period. That is only the average, but even if you start applying with a 10% now, youll be in great shape to increase your rating to 60% later. The disability rating for radiculopathy can range from 10% for minor radiculopathy affecting the hand to 90% for major paralysis affecting all three radicular groups (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar). Different groups will have different diagnostic codes. Pittsburgh, PA: 201 Penn Center Boulevard, Suite 400, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235 The symptom is likely caused by a lumbar or sacral radiculopathy secondary to degenerative disc disease. This can be demonstrated by muscular atrophy, poor blood circulation, and limited movement of the affected body part. Heres the brutal truth about VA disability claims: You Deserve It: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Veteran Benefits Youve Earned, 9 Secrets Strategies for Winning Your VA Disability Claim, They experience the most If the condition is moderate, Increasingly, the examiners useDisability Benefits Questionnaires, which independent medical experts can also fill out. These cookies allow the website to remember choices you make to give you better functionality and preferences such as text size, fonts and other customizable website elements. The VA can order a clarification from the examiner, or even order a new exam with a different examiner. As a fellow disabled Veteran this is shameful and Im on a mission to change it. If you just drop the remote control sometimes but otherwise youre fine, youll be closer to barely getting the 20% rating. This condition is commonly caused byback conditionssuch as herniated discs, stenosis, and bone spurs. Movement can be restricted not only because of pain in your neck but moving a certain way can make you lose feeling in your hands. You dont have to pay anything until we win your case anyway. Im not saying you should be a wimp and fake it, but you should be honest with the doctor about where the pain starts. If you want a permanent disability rating for your joint pain, youll need a diagnosis and a clear measurement of your range of motion. Sometimes, there is little to no back pain with radiculopathy. For instance, which pages you go to most. The back pain is rated separately, so you could have a 40% rating on your back, 20% on your right let and 10% on your left leg which would make a combined rating of 60% with the bilateral factor thrown in. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant advertisements on other websites. Some conditions involve hospitalization or consistent medical care, such as an at-home nurse, for example. Theyll also check the reflexes in your knees, as well as your nerves. the body. Instead, its a precise way of describing the location of the pain. This includes both medical evidence and lay evidence. This compression or 'pinching' of the spinal nerve root is what is known as radiculopathy. Symptoms of moderately severe, moderate, and mild sciatic neuritis can be given a range of ratings including 40, 20, and 10 percent. The nerve is occasionally or consistently painful and it can include a tingling or numbness. Sciatica is usually diagnosed after a Lay evidence can include the veterans own statements, as well as statements from family members, attesting to the frequency of flare-ups, daily challenges, measures needed to manage the symptoms, loss of sleep, loss of alertness, etc. Some patients may require more time to recover than others. You may be owed compensation. The VA doesn't have a diagnostic code for peripheral neuropathy, so the VA rates the condition based on the nerve(s) involved. Radiculopathy is a great example of secondary service connection. Damage to one or more of these discs can cause compression to a nearby nerve root. Portland, OR: 650 N. E. Holladay Street, Suite 1600, Portland, OR, 97232 They include, but are not limited to: When a person is suffering from sciatica, they may also find that they experience: As mentioned, such symptoms usually affect one side of the body. Symptoms of tingling, numbness, and moderate to severe pain with intervention with the affected limbs functionality would be considered moderate neuralgia. Sciatica can be incredibly difficult to live with and in severe cases can cause difficulty in walking and paralysis. If you're an honorably discharged veteran seeking VA disability benefits for back pain, you'll likely receive a 10% ratingthe general minimum rating if the back pain . Radiculopathy is classified as a pain syndrome and can be caused by several lower back conditions such as lumbar disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, and spinal stenosis. Doctors look at your back in three sections. It causes symptoms that spread out from the back down 1 or both legs. All clinician . Please complete this form to send us your message. A medical record can show a doctors diagnosis of radiculopathy or another service-connected condition. This information is made available for educational purposes only and to provide general information and a general understanding of the law. through your hips and buttocks and down each leg. complete medical examination by a primary care doctor. Obtaining VA Disability for Radiculopathy. To be eligible for VA disability benefits for sciatica, you must first prove that your condition is the result of your time in the military service. The required information to rank your condition must be recorded by the physician in your exam correctly. Sciatica is a nerve condition in which pain radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, traveling from the lower back down through the legs. With the exception of severe incomplete paralysis, there are no specific symptoms listed in the rating criteria that veterans must have to receive a rating of mild, moderate, or moderately severe sciatica. They are not intended as a guarantee that we will obtain the same or similar results in every case we undertake. Ensure that this occurs properly to make sure you receive a genuine rating. How to apply for VA Disability Pay Updated: January 19, 2023. They can only assess your symptoms based on what they can observe about your movements. These cookies allow the website to remember choices you make to give you better functionality and personal features. The diagnostic code used to rate a veterans radiculopathy depends on which of the veterans nerves are impacted and their level of functioning. like coughing. That said, veterans need to claim their back injury in a highly specific way. One service-connected condition rated at 60 percent or higher; or. These cookies dont collect information that identifies you. tingling or pain that interferes with your back or how your legs operate, your Given that radiculopathy is commonly caused by back conditions, it is typically service-connected on a secondary basis. This is also called flexion. Be sure to request an opinion from your physician stating that your sciatica issues are likely a result of your time in service. While one veteran may have specific symptoms, and the Regional Office finds that they have moderate sciatica, another veteran could have those very same symptoms and be judged as having mild sciatica. Thousands of other Veterans in our Community are here for you.