TugnTow

Ok, Here's what's going on and my question. My back issue was rated as 40% for DDD Lumbar Spine with Herniated Disc and Lumbar Microdiscectomy, 20% Radiculpathy right lower extrimity and, 10% Radiculpathy Lower Left Extrimity. Bilateral Upper Extrimity radiculpathy was deffered. So I got a call today from the VA and they set me an appointment for tomorrow (plenty of notice right?) and it is to do a nerve study on my upper extrimity for the deffered claim. When I submitted my DBQ's originally the nerve study I had done by an outside neurologist showed nerve problems in my upper and lower back. I didn't specifically claim my upper back but the VA added it in themselves. My question is how would this be rated? I've done some reading and used the VA math chart and I see how they got to 60% and if they gave the upper extrimity a rating of say 10% it doesn't look like it would up my 60% rating but I also read that the upper and lower spine are rated seperately so does that mean that they add the full 10% for the serperate rating making it go up to 70%? I hope I expained the question clearly. I've attached a photo from eBenefits showing what they have on there currently. Its my understanding that nerve problems in the cervical spine can't be related to nerve problems in the Lumbar spine. That just what I've read. I don't really know.

They have already back payed me to the date of the original claim for the 60% and I was already in the system at 20% prior to that for years so the direct deposit shouldn't be a problem. I'm just anxious to see what the big brown envelope says...

My file says that I am rated at 60% based on 40% for the DDD with Lumbar Microdiscectomy, 20% Right Leg Radiculpathy with nerve Damage, and 10% Left Leg radiculpathy as I had stated earlier in another thread. I guess I overlooked it but they also list a deferred "Bilateral Upper Extremity Radiculpathy". I called the VA today to see what that meant but they said it would be explained in a letter that I haven't received yet. I assume this has something to do with the nerve study I had done but they said that the 60% disability was approved and the other was deferred. Does that mean they are looking at the possibility of rating that as well?

I have another question that came up that I'm not sure what it means. My file says that I am rated at 60% based on 40% for the DDD with Lumbar Microdiscectomy, 20% Right Leg Radiculpathy with nerve Damage, and 10% Left Leg radiculpathy as I had stated earlier. I guess I overlooked it but they also list a deferred "Bilateral Upper Extremity Radiculpathy". I called the VA today to see what that meant but they said it would be explained in a letter that I haven't received yet. I assume this has something to do with the nerve study I had done but they said that the 60% disability was approved and the other was deferred. Does that mean they are looking at the possibility of rating that as well?

I got my claim dicision back and they moved me from 20% to 60%. 40% for Degenerative Disc Disease with herniated disc and lumbar microdiscectomy, 20% Right Leg Radiculpathy with nerve Damage, and 10% Left Leg radiculpathy. I'm happy with the decision. Honestly its more than I was expecting.

Sorry I am so late getting back to you on my original question. Some of the things I learned while going in for physical therapy was that one, my ROM for my back was as follows. Forward Flexion 19 deg Back Extension 0 deg Left Lateral 13 deg Right Lateral 15 deg Twist from waist 5 deg left and right My Legs were mesured for flexibility while lying flat on my back with my thigh at 90 deg to my back and those measurements were as follows. Left leg was 75 deg from straight and the right was 70 deg due to tight hamstrings. I basically looked like I was sitting in a chair lying flat on my back if that makes any sense. I also have documentation of required bed rest from my doctor for 2-4 weeks that was submitted with my DBQ's with restrictions of lifting to 10-15lbs. I don't know about the scar. It won't be visible while wearing clothes but it does hurt and is sensitive to touch. I have radicular pain that is documented as bilateral as well as the facet arthropathy which is basically arthritis of the spine. All of the measurements that I gave were taken with a goniometer by a physical therapist after the VA Dr. Visit. The VA Dr. measured with the goniometer as well but he didn't give me my measurments though I'm sure they were really close to or worse than the ones I gave above due to them being taken after the VA appointment. My ebenefits page shows that the initial review is complete and they aren't waitin on anything else so I assume they are just reviewing all of the documentation. A couple of weeks ago they showed that they were requesting info from the VA for files on my previous dealings with them. Not sure if this will help from what you initially commented. Thanks for the info

Hello all, I am new to the forum and this is my first post so I hope that its in the correct forum and makes sense. I'll give my background. I did 5 years in the USGC all aboard seagoing buoy tenders. I was a Boatswains Mate 2nd Class when I got out. I hurt my back while on the ship moving anchor chain around for the buoys we serviced. When I got out I was given 10% VA compensation for Degenerative Disc Disease but I had already had an MRI which showed a tear in the L4-L5 disc and a small herniation in the L5-S1. In 2011 I recieved an added 10% for sciatic nerve damage right lower extremity. My condition has since gotten a lot worse so I decided to re-file for an increase. The following is what I claimed Disabilities Claimed: degenerative disc disease lumbar spine with herniated nucleus pulposis (Increase), sciatic nerve damage right lower extremity (Increase), L4-L5 Right paracentral annular tear small central disc protrusion slightly effacing ventral thecal sac mild bilateral facet disease. (New), L5-S1 Large paracentral disc protrusion effacing the ventral thecal sac severly compressing S1 Root. Moderate left severe right recess stenosis. Bilateral radiculpathy right greater than left. Mild Bilateral Facet Disease. (New) Under the section "Pending Disabilities" in ebenifits it says Degenerative Disc Disease Lumbar Spine With Herniated Nucleus Pulposis 01/03/2018 INC View Pending Claim Sciatic Nerve Damage Right Lower Extremity 01/03/2018 INC View Pending Claim L4-l5 Right Paracentral Annular Tear Small Central Disc Protrusion Slightly Effacing Ventral Thecal Sac Mild Bilateral Facet Disease. 01/03/2018 NEW View Pending Claim L5-s1 Large Paracentral Disc Protrusion Effacing The Ventral Thecal Sac Severly Compressing S1 Root. Moderate Left Severe Right Recess Stenosis. Bilateral Radiculpathy Right Greater Than Left. Mild Bilateral Facet Disease. 01/03/2018 NEW View Pending Claim I submitted all sorts of documentation (MRI's, Nerve Studies, several years worth of documentation showing my treatment from my primary care doctor, letters from my wife, DBQ's, and letters from my surgeon who recommended a lumbar microdiscectomy. Since filing the claim in October I went forward with the surgery to try and relieve some of the pain I was having and because I was told I may cause irreversable nerve damage and loss of feeling in my legs. I went for my VA exam this past Thursday in Hinesville, Ga. and the Dr. asked questions and measureed the scar on my back from the surgery and did all of the range of motion measurements. I wasn't able to see what any of the measurements came out to be which is disappointing because I wanted to compare those to what I know is part of the VA requirements. Some of my questions are: 1 is it possible to get an increase in sciatic nerve and degenerative disc disease based on the info provided 2 are tears in the disc rated seperately than ruptured discs (I have one disc that is ruptured, one that is torn) 3 is Bilateral Facet Disease rated seperately than Degenerative Disc Disease 4 are Radiculpathy and Stenosis rated separately 5 does the increase if any change if it affects both sides of the body (Bilateral) as opposed to just one leg 6 is the scar that he measured ratable. 7 about how long after the VA exam can you expect a decision? I submitted it through the ebenifits website as a fully developed claim 8 In your opinion or experience what is the highest rating that you can get for the conditions I listed. I hope this post was laid out in a way that is understandable and appropriate for the forum. I'm not sure how all of this works yet. Thank you in advance for any help or advice.