Avasical Necrosis

[jusus27360]

I was diagnosed with avasical necrosis in my left arm, the bone has died an I need a complete shoulder replacement. I don't have none of symptoms that cause this which is blood lost to that joint. Ortho specialist stated that it could happen because of ddd I have in my back, lower an upper spine. I injured my back while i was in the military, do you think I will be able to claim this avasical necrosis now that's associated with my ddd? Also they found an ossified old rupture dics in C5-C6 that is just now giving me fits. Can an old injury be claim thats not in your medical records? Any opinion will be appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

[Berta]

" do you think I will be able to claim this avasical necrosis now that's associated with my ddd?"

Absolutely

You will need a strong medical statement however, with a full medical rationale, of the nexus of this condition to your SC DDD.

" Also they found an ossified old rupture dics in C5-C6 that is just now giving me fits. "

It is also possible that this too could be related to your condition with a strong medical opinion.
Was the ortho doctor from the VA or a private doctor?

The IMO criteria is in our IMO forum here if you need an independent medical opinion...and you might.

VA C & P doctors are as quick as us advocates are, to search for medical info on the internet. The excerpt from the Mayo Clinic below shows 2 possible ways the VA could go against the claim, if they find the same info I did in a brief search.:

You certainly seem to have the medical nexus already but they would seek any other cause as well..such as "excessive alcohoc intake" or High dose steoids.


"Avascular necrosis is the death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply. Also called osteonecrosis, avascular necrosis can lead to tiny breaks in the bone and the bone's eventual collapse.

The blood flow to a section of bone can be interrupted if the bone is fractured or the joint becomes dislocated. Avascular necrosis is also associated with long-term use of high-dose steroid medications and excessive alcohol intake.

Anyone can be affected by avascular necrosis. However, it's most common in people between the ages of 30 and 60. Because of this relatively young age range, avascular necrosis can have significant long-term consequences."

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/avascular-necrosis/basics/definition/con-20025517

I feel you certainly can rule out the alcohol stuff there....but have you ever been prescribed high doses of steroids by the VA?

In that case, that would be one more point to strengthen this claim.,if prescribed by the VA. And would not be a reason VA could go against the claim.

There are other claims for your conditions at the BVA:

Just put avascular necrosis into their search browser to get a better take on how VA handles these claims.




http://www.index.va.gov/search/va/bva.jsp

[jusus27360]

Thanks for responding, it was my orthopedic doctor fron the Va that said the ddd could be responsible for the avn. I did not fall into none of the categories for this to happen, we all were shocked when my test results came back. You can imagine my reaction when he said you have a dead bone in your arm! I will do more reserch like you suggested. Once again thanks for the input.

[Berta]

Thank YOU for your service.

Are you able to be employed with this condition?

[Gastone]

When in doubt or not, NEW DX = Immediate FDC Filing. At the very least, start a FDC on your E-Ben site to establish your filing date. If you have a VA or Non VA medical records supporting your claim, scan them and attach as pdf's, rating department needs all the help they can get.

What does your VA Specialist say regarding a possible Nexus to your SC Condition? You might and probably should request a condition specific DBQ from your VA Specialist. A Credentialed Specialist's opinion will trump an MD General Practitioner in rating decisions.

Semper Fi

Gastone