If you can't work because your degenerative joint disease makes it difficult for you to walk or use your hands, you might be able to get monthly disability benefits through Social Security. 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. However, the Court ruled in Saunders that veterans can receive VA disability for pain alone without an underlying diagnosis, as long as they satisfy the other two prongs required for service connection: 1.) If you have one or more disability ratings, you can view your VA combined disability rating and your individual ratings online. Finally, in the absence of limitation of motion, a veteran's degenerative disc disease VA rating will be as follows: 10% - with X-ray evidence of involvement of two or more major joints or two or more minor joint groups, with occasional incapacitating exacerbations. If you had any of these conditions and took Xeljanz, contact us to see if your side-effects qualify for this case. For example, DDD can lead to other conditions among veterans, such as: You can file a disability claim for any secondary symptoms or conditions caused by your service-connected degenerative disc disease. We have updated our Privacy Policy. For example, two veterans may have the same arthritic condition, but the veteran who has more flareups each year will receive a higher rating. Phone. Claimants often work in an impaired state for years until they no longer can, before they seek help from a disability attorney. By using our website, you agree to the use of certain cookies. Going through the process of getting your disability rating increased for joint pain or arthritis can be confusing and overwhelming. Degenerative arthritis can receive the following disability compensation ratings from the VA*: Rheumatoid arthritis can receive the following disability ratings from the VA: Arthritis is one of the main disabilities facing todays veterans and the VA has many resources and benefits available to you if you are suffering from arthritis. If your degenerative disc disease develops over time, you can file a claim for secondary service connection when necessary. Evidence could also include a questionnaire completed by your doctor or even the results of an independent examination by a doctor Social Security sends you to. Youll also be able to see which of your individual disability ratings are service-connected. You can check the status of pending claims with the claim status tool. Several rating criteria affect the total rating decision. Knowing how the VA determines benefits for arthritis can also help Veterans get their condition service-connected. However, if limitation of motion for the involved joint(s) renders a non-compensable rating, a 10 percent rating will be assigned for each major or group of minor . if you have problems with your hip or knee joints, you may not be able to stand or walk for long, but you may be able to do a sedentary job that allows you to sit most of the day. Despite how much pain the condition causes, the maximum VA disability rating for degenerative disc disease, as mentioned above, is typically 20 percent. When deciding disability cases, the Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a process called the 5-Step Sequential Evaluation Process. If youre a veteran and have been injured or have developed a disability, you may be eligible for VA disability benefits. Rheumatoid arthritis often worsens over time. Veteran disability ratings for degenerative disc disease are typically between 10% and 20% of the VA's disability rate. Importantly, limitation of motion must be objectively confirmed by findings such as swelling, muscle spasm, or satisfactory evidence of painful motion. Unite States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that pain is a disability eligible for VA disability compensation. Talk to Us About Your Claim:(866) 232-5777. VA rates rheumatoid arthritis under 38 C.F.R. If arthritis has caused you to lose function in your hands, you may also be entitled to Special Monthly Compensation. Rheumatoid arthritis can be very painful and mostly impacts smaller joints. (YouTube), Play Compensation 101: What is disability compensation? Dont let a delay or denial stop you from winning your disability claim for degenerative disc disease. Thankfully, the in-service injury does not need to be traumatic to be considered connected. Do You Have Long-Term Disability Insurance Coverage? Here are some tips on your C&P exam from one of our VA disability lawyers. To complete the disability application, you'll need detailed information, including: For more information, see our article on applying for Social Security disability benefits. Calculating your combined disability rating . Disclaimer: This information is not legal advice. It adds 10% to the combined disability rating. The agency will try to find jobs you know how to do, or could easily learn to do, that are within your physical limitations. By understanding what medical and vocational evidence the claims examiner or administrative law judge is looking for, we can help you demonstrate the medical severity of your condition, and how your degenerative disc has reduced your productivity and your ability to perform even sedentary tasks. Without these cookies, services you have asked for cannot be provided. A medical nexus, or link, between the in-service event and current diagnosis. 1. Marc is double board-certified in Social Security and Personal Injury. 4.71 (a) diagnostic code 5002. This video explains what disability compensation is and what to keep in mind when filing. It is very common to receive only a 10 or . Learn about VA disability ratings Find out what disability ratings are and how we assign them. For a veteran to receive a disability rating for their joint condition, they must have a documented limitation of their range of motion for that joint through medical records or treatment notes, or fall under specific criteria outlined under particular diagnostic codes. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Medical Conditions - Eligibility for Disability Benefits, After You're Approved for Disability Benefits, Workers' Compensation Benefits Information, State-Specific Information for Workers Compensation, getting disability for degenerative hip joints, applying for Social Security disability benefits, Medical Conditions - Eligibility For Disability Benefits, After Youre Approved For Disability Benefits, State-Specific Information For Workers Compensation, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, walk without a walker, two canes or crutches, or a wheelchair or scooter that requires both hands, or, use one hand due to arthritis, and you need the other to operate a one-handed wheelchair, cane, crutch, or other device, or. In this way, your DDD was caused by your service-connected knee condition, warranting secondary service connection. This information is not a substitute for legal advice. Woods and Woods, LLC, Veterans Disability Lawyer, Veterans Disability Benefits Attorneys Helping Veterans Nationwide, Published on October 27, 2020 by Neil Woods Last Updated on December 27, 2022. Your doctor will use a number of images to track the rate of progression and develop a treatment plan that can keep further damage at bay. To meet the requirements of this listing, you must need a walker or two canes or crutches to walk or, if you can't walk, you must need a wheelchair or scooter that requires the use of both hands. 4.71(a) diagnostic code 5002. 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. Disclaimer: This information is not legal advice. 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. What Is the Maximum Disability Rating for Degenerative Disc Disease? The first two eligibility requirements are: Step 1 - You are not gainfully employed, and. However, if your arthritis symptoms are at the degree of a 10 percent disability rating or more within the first year from discharge it is possible to obtain a presumptive service connection. TDIU is the equivalent of a 100% disability rating, entitling you to the same amount of compensation each month. In addition, there are times when VA can rate veterans outside of the rating schedule. Service Connection for Degenerative Disc Disease, Compensation and Pension (C&P) Exams for Degenerative Disc Disease, VA Disability Rating for Degenerative Disc Disease. These cookies are essential so that you can move around the website and use its features. By continuing to use our website, you agree to these updates. The VA typically rates DDD between 10% and 20% with alternate rating options under diagnostic codes 5003 (Degenerative arthritis, other than post-traumatic) or 5010 (Post-traumatic arthritis). Social Security will compare what you can still do with your prior job skills and education. Applying and being approved for these benefits can seem daunting, but Recognizing and Addressing An Underrated Veteran Disability Military Sexual Trauma (MST) is sexual harassment and or sexual assault experienced by a military service member. If you have multiple disability ratings, we use them to calculate your combined VA disability rating. VA Disability Rating for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Total Disability / Individual Unemployability for Arthritis and Joint Pain Conditions (TDIU), VA Disability Rating for Arthritis in Hands, VA Disability Ratings for Knee Joint Pain and Arthritis. For example, DDD can lead to other conditions among . Degenerative disc is one of the most common causes of back and neck pain resulting in disability. This brings stress to the spine, which can lead to the formation of bone spurs and pinched nerves. Youll see your VA combined disability rating and a list of your individual disability ratings. A medical diagnosis of degenerative disc disease from your doctor; and. While your disability rating is meant to reflect how your condition affects your daily life, TDIU is intended to compensate you for the impact your service-related disability has on your employment. Of course, the words "Severe, Moderate, Mild" all have vague meanings. Military activities, like repeated heavy lifting, can result in degenerative disc disease over time. Its critical to understand that the VA doesnt add your disability ratings, but rather, it combines them using a specific formula based on the whole person remaining concept. Arthritis in the knees often gives rise to secondary conditions which can increase your rating. By continuing to use our website, you agree to these updates. Degenerative disc disease symptoms vary depending on the person. Finally, we invite you to contact us and we welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Group LTD benefits are controlled by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, a.k.a. Symptoms of degenerative joint disease include pain, decreased joint motion, stiffness, and swelling. Use our free VA Disability Calculator to estimate your combined VA rating and monthly entitlement here. This diagnostic code is used with the knee has too much motion from side to side, or dislocates regularly. The cause of degenerative joint disease is often attributed to overuse of joints, aging, or simply "wear and tear." The VA rating for cervical radiculopathy is all based on how your shoulders, arms, elbows, wrists, and hands can move.
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