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. It causes pain, burning, and numbness all the way from your butt down to your toes. Finally, we invite you to contact us and we welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Are you STUCK, FRUSTRATED and UNDERRATED? If they can be shown to warrant separate ratings, then they will be combined together. 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. His frustration with the8-step VA disability claims processled him to createVA Claims Insider,which provides U.S. military veterans with tips, strategies, and lessons learned for successfully submitting or re-submitting a winning VA disability compensation claim. If you tough it out and move a little extra, you can keep going on that patrol in Iraq. Sciatica is not a direct diagnosis of the problem. 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. Depending on the loss of feeling in your elbow vs. your dominant hand, you might get a different VA rating. These diagnosed and service-connected disabilities can get you a higher rating. The symptom is likely caused by a lumbar or sacral radiculopathy secondary to degenerative disc disease. Its FREE to get started, so click Go Elite Now below to complete our 3-step intake process. They fought hard for me and got me more than I ever could dream of. 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. If your Sciatic nerve causes your foot to drop and impairs your walking and you cant lift your knee, you might get up to an 80% rating. If they make you unable to work or conduct a normal life, tell them. This nerve runs from the lower back through the hips and buttocks all the way down to the leg. When Sciatica is severe, it can even lead This is the rarest form which means it is also the least diagnosed. Usually, sciatica affects only one side of the body. given based on how severe, moderately severe or extremely severe a condition Also, explain what you cant do because of that numbness. Veterans dont necessarily need to trace their radiculopathy to one single active-duty incident. VA Benefits for Sciatica | Cuddigan Law Come and go or be felt continuously Be less severe in your lower back than in your leg Feel worse after you stand or sit for a long time, as well as when you stand up and twist your body Feel worse after a sudden body movement such as sneezing or coughing Secondary conditions develop as a result of an underlying condition or injury. All Rights Reserved. the causes of your sciatica. Compensation & Pension (C&P) Exams for Radiculopathy, Evidence for Radiculopathy Claims and Appealing under the AMA system. His eBook, the9 Secrets Strategies for Winning Your VA Disability Claimhas been downloaded more than 300,000 times in the past three years and is the #1 rated free VA disability claims guide for veterans. Dont hide anything and be explicit and detailed about what hurts and what is numb. Otherwise, the denial stands. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. 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. We consistently provide experienced, compassionate and ethical representation to our clients. You can download the questionnaire right here to see what kind of questions they are going to ask about your back. tingling or pain that interferes with your back or how your legs operate, your 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. Learn more about us, Veterans Disability Claim sciatic nerve, it just has to be limited), it is rated 80%. The reflexes in your knees, as well as You may be owed compensation. Often, Veterans' radiculopathy is a secondary. Sciatica can be incredibly difficult to live with and in severe cases can cause difficulty in walking and paralysis. Secondary Service Connection for Radiculopathy. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant advertisements on other websites. 203, San Jose, CA 95134 Am I eligible for VA benefits due to 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. Diagnostic Code 8713 Neuralgia. Sciatica is usually diagnosed following a complete medical examination by a doctor. Contact Us Counsel can be very helpful for a successful C&P exam, and the right preparation can be the difference between an approval or denial. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Do You Have a Service Connection With Sciatica? When one is suffering from severe but Cleveland, OH: 600 Superior Ave. East, Fifth Third Building, Suite 1300, Cleveland, OH, 44114 than moderate, even if it is considered severe. The skilled attorneys at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD may be able to help you navigate it. It's also called sciatica. The sciatic nerve is rated under diagnostic codes 8520, 8620, and 8720. Extraschedular Ratings for VA Disability Claims. Incomplete, moderately severe paralysis is rated 40%. Increasingly, the examiners useDisability Benefits Questionnaires, which independent medical experts can also fill out. It can be hard distinguishing between the three categories and degrees of severity to understand your nerve ratings. Instead, its a precise way of describing the location of the pain. Houston, TX: 2925 Richmond Ave, 12th Floor, Houston, TX 77098 The rating for incomplete paralysis is document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_4" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_5" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Were you stationed at Camp Lejeune before 1987? You may be owed compensation. If youre not sure if you qualify, were here to help. your nerves, will also be tested. If you think you injured yourself during your time in service, try to make some notes. Its not much, but its a start. your symptoms. As such, veterans living with sciatica may have trouble with many activities of daily living, including working certain jobs. Our firm was founded in 1986 in Orlando, Florida. In fact, over two million veterans suffer from nerve damage. By continuing to use our website, you agree to these updates. There are a lot of other back conditions that can get you a higher rating and therefore more money per month from the VA. Back pain is also a general term without a diagnosis, so you probably wont get a permanent rating. Developed new symptoms? Copyright 2023 VA Claims Insider, LLC. VA disability ratings for back pain go from 10% to 100% depending on how severe your symptoms are, including your range of motion and pain frequency and level. Sometimes diabetes or arthritis can cause radiculopathy in addition to direct spine injuries. If your mom remembers a before and after, have her talk to our staff to write up a lay statement to back your case. Incomplete paralysis can be determined as severe, moderately severe, moderate, or mild with disability ratings as low as 10 percent. spinal nerve causes pain to develop on the lower back, buttocks, and legs. 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. These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. when the sciatic nerve is irritated. If you are experiencing any numbness, Once the regional office (RO) issues its determination, the veteran has a year to file an appeal. Do I file for Radiculopathy or Sciatica and if Awarded ask for retroactive pay from 2004? Diagnostic code 8510 puts the ratings into these four categories: These same ratings match most of the ratings of Thoracic and Lumbar Radiculopathy as well. determined, a physical exam will them be completed by a state certified Neuralgia cannot be rated higher Brooklyn, NY: 300 Cadman Plaza West, One Pierrepont Plaza, 12th Floor, Brooklyn, NY, 11201 like coughing. Each of these severities has their own diagnostic code and separate assigned percent ratings under 38 CFR 4.124a, Schedule of ratings - neurological conditions and convulsive disorders. Since 2016, VA Claims Insider has helped thousands of Veterans just like you get the VA rating and compensation they deserve in less time. pain will be categorized under neuralgia. These cookies are essential so that you can move around the website and use its features. In some instances, VA may determine an additional disability examination is still required to complete the claim for disability benefits. Sciatica develops when the pressure on the Since that time, we have provided compassionate By using our website, you agree to the use of certain cookies. 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. Updated: April 23, 2020. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant advertisements on other websites. If you cant feed yourself, you would be closer to the 50-70 level and maybe even qualify for Aid and Attendance. This communication with the firm or any member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. If you just drop the remote control sometimes but otherwise youre fine, youll be closer to barely getting the 20% rating. problem, but rather, an accurate way of describing the location of the pain. Some patients may require more time to recover than others. They are not intended as a guarantee that we will obtain the same or similar results in every case we undertake. We advocate for the disabled. percent is assigned. The most commonly affected nerve for this type is the sciatic nerve, which is broken up into five separate nerves depending on which part of the leg is impacted.