Jump to content
VA Disability Community via Hadit.com

VA Disability Claims Articles

Ask Your VA Claims Question | Current Forum Posts Search | Rules | View All Forums
VA Disability Articles | Chats and Other Events | Donate | Blogs | New Users

  • homepage-banner-2024-2.png

  • donate-be-a-hero.png

  • 0

Ratings Of The Spine

Rate this question


bigoc

Question

I have recently received an x-ray report that shows injury to the spine in the Cervical, Thoracic, and lumbar.  I am currently rated at 20% for my neck based on a cervical MRI.  The injury is from a parachute accident(service connected).   I did seek medical help in service which is documented(how I got my cervical rating).  I do not have any limit in the range of motion, just pain.  I do not understand how they rate the spine.  I will list my x-ray report. 

 Any idea of what kind of rating I should expect and insist on based on the x-ray, pain, and little if any loss of range of motion?

  1. Cervical Spine:  Reversal of cervical lordosis, spondylitic changes.  Clinical correlation recommended(whatever this means)
  2. Thoracic Spine:  Levoscoliosis.
  3. Lumbar Spine:  Straightening of lordosis. OA at L4-L5 and L5-S1 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Answers 12
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters For This Question

Top Posters For This Question

Recommended Posts

I was also wondering about how to claim the rest of the spine?  

Since this new x-ray report shows injury to the entire spine should I just list spine and leave it general or list the different sections?

My neck claim I specifically listed cervical disk protrusion which may have been a mistake since I may have limited myself in what body parts the VA rated.  I worked out well for me getting a 20% rating for the cervical spine but in the process I might have done better not not be specific in the claimed conditions section.  Any advice on how to word the claimed conditions section for the rest of the spine would be great.  Thanks a bunch guys(non-gender).

I have recently received an x-ray report that shows injury to the spine in the Cervical, Thoracic, and lumbar.  I am currently rated at 20% for my neck based on a cervical MRI.  The injury is from a parachute accident(service connected).   I did seek medical help in service which is documented(how I got my cervical rating).  I do not have any limit in the range of motion, just pain.  I do not understand how they rate the spine.  I will list my x-ray report.   Any idea of what kind of rating I should expect and insist on based on the x-ray, pain, and little if any loss of range of motion?
  1. Cervical Spine:  Reversal of cervical lordosis, spondylitic changes.  Clinical correlation recommended(whatever this means)
  2. Thoracic Spine:  Levoscoliosis.
  3. Lumbar Spine:  Straightening of lordosis. OA at L4-L5 and L5-S1 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HadIt.com Elder

The cervical spine is a separate bodily segement than the Lumbar and Thoracic spine.

The Thoracic and Lumbar spine are considered the same segement.

J

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All three segments of the spine are rated separately. The different parts of the spine can be affected by each other. Speak wiht you doctor to see if the conditions are secondary to your service connected back condition.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HadIt.com Elder

Sharon, the c spine is rated separate. The Thoracic and lumbar spine are combined. The VA uses the term thoracolumbar that is a combination of the two.

General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine(For diagnostic codes 5235 to 5243 unless 5243 is evaluated under the Formula for Rating Intervertebral Disc Syndrome Based on Incapacitating Episodes):With or without symptoms such as pain (whther or not it radiates), stiffness, or aching in the area of the spine affected by residuals of injury or diseaseUnfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine100Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine50Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine; or, forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine 30 degrees or less; or, favorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine40Forward flexion of the cervical spine 15 degrees or less; or, favorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine30Forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees; or, forward flexion of the cervical spine greater than 15 degrees but not greater than 30 degrees; or, the combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine not greater than 120 degrees; or, the combined range of motion of the cervical spine not greater than 170 degrees; or, muscle spasm or guarding severe enough to result in an abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour such as scoliosis, reversed lordosis, or abnormal kyphosis20Forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 60 degrees but not greater than 85 degrees; or, forward flexion of the cervical spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 40 degrees; or, combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 120 degrees but not greater than 235 degrees; or, combined range of motion of the cervical spine greater than 170 degrees but not greater than 335 degrees; or, muscle spasm, guarding, or localized tenderness not resulting in abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour; or, vertebral body fracture with loss of 50 percent or more of the height

Edited by jbasser
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sharon, the c spine is rated separate. The Thoracic and lumbar spine are combined. The VA uses the term thoracolumbar that is a combination of the two.

General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine(For diagnostic codes 5235 to 5243 unless 5243 is evaluated under the Formula for Rating Intervertebral Disc Syndrome Based on Incapacitating Episodes):With or without symptoms such as pain (whther or not it radiates), stiffness, or aching in the area of the spine affected by residuals of injury or diseaseUnfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine100Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine50Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine; or, forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine 30 degrees or less; or, favorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine40Forward flexion of the cervical spine 15 degrees or less; or, favorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine30Forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees; or, forward flexion of the cervical spine greater than 15 degrees but not greater than 30 degrees; or, the combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine not greater than 120 degrees; or, the combined range of motion of the cervical spine not greater than 170 degrees; or, muscle spasm or guarding severe enough to result in an abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour such as scoliosis, reversed lordosis, or abnormal kyphosis20Forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 60 degrees but not greater than 85 degrees; or, forward flexion of the cervical spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 40 degrees; or, combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 120 degrees but not greater than 235 degrees; or, combined range of motion of the cervical spine greater than 170 degrees but not greater than 335 degrees; or, muscle spasm, guarding, or localized tenderness not resulting in abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour; or, vertebral body fracture with loss of 50 percent or more of the height

Does the "thoracolumbar spine" include the sacral spine/sacrum and coccyx?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Guidelines and Terms of Use