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

  • hohomepage-banner-2024-2.png

  • 27-year-anniversary-leaderboard.png

    advice-disclaimer.jpg

  • donate-be-a-hero.png

  • 0

Service Connected Diagnosis's

Rate this question


Dale Jr. 8

Question

I have a service connection that is diagnosed as lower back pain ICD-9-CM 724.2. I recently had an MRI which shows 2 ruptured disks and 2 bulging disks pressing on the left side nerve roots. First question, will VA consider this part of the service connected LBP and second question if they do consider it part of the LBP do I stand a good chance of getting a secondary service connection for sciatica? It seems that VA uses some very general diagnosis codes. I will have my Primary care update the diagnosis codes tomorrow when I see him. Dale Jr 8

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Answers 12
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters For This Question

Recommended Posts

Can someone direct me if I am in the wrong topic. Denied service connection for knees, working at US Postal Service 20+ years, degenerative arthritis, appealing VA decision and contemplating filing for sheduled award (occupational disease) with OWCP. VA has given me nothing so far. Would OWCP claim interfere as dual compensation or show the VA condition severity. Anyone have experiences with both agencies at the same time? Thanks...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HadIt.com Elder

Wingnut

You can start your own topic on this subject. The answer is that getting VA compensation and OWCP for the same injury can cause a problem. You cannot get OWCP and VA compensation increase at the same time. The rules are in the OWCP Procedure manual. There are others here who had issues with the OWCP. VA has little to say about it but it is the OWCP you have to really worry about. They check up on your VA disability.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest rickb54
I was wondering what has been wrong with my left leg for so long after Vietnam. I have seen by a private Neurologist that only gave me pain pills. I have been tested by the local VAMC and they found periphial nerve damage in the left leg, via electro-stimulation testing. I have pain down my left leg, constant, 24-7. I also have drop foot in my left foot and keep triping on it as I stand to walk from sitting. My left leg was wounded in Vietnam, 1968, 3 places, shrapnel still remains in the leg in 3 places as shown by x-ray and CT scans. The VAMC said in their report that the periphial nerve damage is most likely due to the combat wounds of the leg, but ...... ???

In July 2005, I finally filed a VA claim for the left leg problems, but haven't received a rating yet. Since what rickb54 described, below, I am wondering if I have Sciatic Nerve Damage to the spine and possibly Degenerative Nerve Damage (DDD)!?! Ever since Vietnam, I have had to favor the left leg because it cramps and has pain. I wonder if I have this Sciatic nerve problem and possibly DDD. Unfortunately, none of the MDs have ever thought to look for it. They looked at the leg as the problem instead of the spine. Wonder if there is a possible connection between the leg problem and the possible spine problem? I'm not over-weight and can bend over without a problem. Its the constant pain down the left leg from the exterior main top area of the leg above the knee, like shooting sharp pain and numbness.

??? Hmmmmmm ? My Father was a Chiropractor and I understand a little about back problems, just a little, and how spine problems can cause other problems. Of course, maybe the spine problems were precipitated by the leg wounds in combat

because I have always had to favor the left leg during walking, etc ??? Could the spine problems be SCed to the leg problems?

Comments, please?

It is my understanding that the only way to get siatiac nerve damage is if a disc has inpinged (pushed on) the nerve root at the L4-L5 level at the spine. I don't know how shrapnel would case direct damage to the nerve unless to cut the nerve, in which case I don't think you would have pain down the entire leg. This condition does not cause cramping. Siatice nerve damage does not normally cause 24/7 pain, it is an intermitten pain, that may not be present for days, or even months. You can have drop foot with out a spinal nerve injury.

see:

http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticl...rticle2620.html for drop foot

http://www.spine-health.com/topics/cd/d_sciatica/sc01.html for siatiac nerve damage

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HadIt.com Elder

You know you should probably get a nerve test. It is the test you get for PN. You don't want to bring that up at the VA since if they can blame your spine for the leg problems that would hurt your SC claim, unless you hurt your spine in the Army. A neurologist should give you this test as a routine thing. Don't use the VA unless you are sure it is an SC condition.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HadIt.com Elder

An Osteopath has an MD degree

Well, I don't really mean to "split hairs", 68VV, but they have D.O. degrees..............but, they do have all the "Rights of Practice" that an M.D. does.

And, on a personal note, my family physician is a D.O. and we have been his patients for about 10 years now and I would NOT go to anyone else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HadIt.com Elder

When advancing a claim that involves injuries in service and injuries post service you have to be very careful that they do not attribute your current condition to "intercurrent" injuries. That is they will claim the post service injury is actually the cause of the current disability. They did this to me on one of my claims. It is really helpful if you were service connected at some rating level before the post service injury occured.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Guidelines and Terms of Use