Back Injury

[121212]

I Have ?, I hurt my back and went to the ER to have it checked out and they told me to keep off my back and rest and if it was not better to see my doctor, that is were the problem started. I called my doctor and talked with the nurse and see told me my doctor was out of town, so I ask to see another and see told me i could not see any other doc and offered me medication, I told her I wanted to find out what was wrong with my back not to get medication, so see gave me traidal might not spell it the right way, it almost killed me, it made me pass out lowered my temp and made me fill like someone was watching me all the time had to change medication. called back 3 more time she refused to see me. I went to another hospital and made a compliant, the one i went to was a out patient clinic. I finely got a cat scan 2 week later on my back and had disk problems, I made a appointment to see my new doctor and it took 4 weeks from the day I hurt back and my new doctor made me a MRI appointment, 2 week later and it came back that my back had disk problems, narrowing of the canal of the spine, arthritis of the facets. The nurse did give me a week bed rest with out seeing me just wrote it out and medication, a doctor wrote it out with out seeing me the first week when I hurt my back. The problem is I should of been on bed rest for 2 or 3 weeks from the date I hurt my back but could not get that because I could not see a doctor other than the ER doctor I saw 2 time before i saw my new doctor, is there any thing i could do about this and i did get service connected on my back for this injury i just lost some percentage points for the time I lost for not being on bed rest. My new doctor did give me a work wave a month after I hurt my back so my back was hurting enough for him to give me that waver and I do not know how much more I hurt back from not seeing a doctor like the ER said to do.

THANKS

KEN

[Berta]

I am a little confused by this-

obviously you had a bad reaction to the med-

If this all happened at a VA facility-I would send a written complaint to the VAMC's Medical Director-

I see you are 20% SC----- for the back problems-as I understand this-

If I were you I would file claim for a higher rating-and geta copy of the MRI results as well as a copy of the work waiver from the doctor-

I would attach copies of them both-the MRI results and the work waiver-to the claim you file for higher rating and also attach them to the Director's complaint letter.

I cannot assess what your rating should be- or even if it should be higher but-

The schedule of ratings is here under a search-

just seems to me that the 20% has gotten a lot worse than 20%

What is the Diagnostic code for your service connected 20% disability?

Edited July 5, 2007 by Berta

[JohnM]

John's is SC for back injury and he got 60% Yes you should file for a higher rating and do what Berta said.

JohnM's wife Dianne

[LarryJ]

How long ago since you hurt your back?

Did you hurt it in the military?

Why did they "service connect" your back injury?

And, why did they take off percentage points because you were not on bed rest?

Expiring minds like mine need to know.

[121212]

I hurt my back in the air force 1993, I was a M-60 gunner and our ops officer took away my assistant gunner which made me Carrie the gun the ammo 2 cans, the spare barrel and all protective gear, after that I hurt it a couple of other time while in the air force(The ops officer got in a little trouble and the assistant gunner was added backto help the M-60 gunner). I hurt it again in 2000, just got out of bead and could not walk,jury of 2006 was the last time I hurt it and that is were i am now.

The percentage part you get percentage points for the time you are on bed rest incapacitating episodes.

Thanks for the help I am going try and do what you all said, going to the VA to day for a doctors visit

I will ask him about it all and get my records i do not have. I am 40 percent for back a left and right ankle another story, on my right ankle I broke it in the air force and did not know it until a year, when I broke it they said I sprung it the next year when sprung it the doctor told me i had broke it before and it held up a little off and sent me to get a MRI in england and it showed a fracture and the VA says i never broke or fractured my ankle and i sent them the report 3 time and still say the same thing but I do have limited motion, hill spurs and Achilles tendon problems because it rubs on the bone spurs, i will appeal this one.

THANKS

KEN

[LarryJ]

121212,

Thanks for answering my questions. I'm really not trying to be nosy, it's just that I just sent in a claim for my lower back and I want to hear about anyone that has a claim turned in on their back.......kinda gives me a "play book" like we used to use when playing football, you know, like if the VA runs this play then we counter with this play.

[Vike17]

121212,

It's unclear whether you have a 20% or a 40% evaluation for your back, but from the info you posted the prescribed bed rest of an additional 2-3 weeks you could of had would not have made any difference in the rating unless you were rated at 20% and the additional 2-3 weeks brought the incapacitating episodes over the 4 week period.

Vike 17