Need Arthritis Rating Info

[slowhand197]

I want to thank all of you for the information you have supplied. It has been a great help for me to try understand this complicated VA stuff. I

I am rated 40% DDD for my back 10% R Hip 10% LHip 10% R Knee. I filed a NOD on my hip claim because the doctor just told my I should have a hip replacement because of the arthritis. He also thinks there is a significant tear in the labrum on my right hip. I told him I can not miss any more work or I will get fired so he agreed to do an arthroscopy and clean up the R hip so recovery would not be too long. I will still need to replace the hip at some point just not now.

My question is can arthritis be rated separately from torn labrum. And they rated me 10% for arthritis L& R hip and knee (no mention of the torn Labrum) and I sent in doctor reports about time lost from work with the DRO request. The way I read the CFR 5003 is

With X-ray evidence of involvement of 2 or more major joints

or 2 or more minor joint groups, with occasional incapacitating

exacerbations 20

I guess they don’t see it that way because the denied the increase.

I have the same issue with my knee 10% for arthritis that includes residuals of meniscal tear. Should these be rated separately? Any advice you guys could give me would be great

Semper Fi

[wallyg]

Labrum: In medicine, a ring of fibrocartilage (fibrous cartilage) around the edge of the articular (joint) surface of a bone. The term labrum is used in anatomy to designate a lip, edge, or brim. Plural: labra.

The acetabular labrum, should be rated separately from the arthritis as long as you can either service connect it, or claim it as secondary to the hip arthritis..

For the question on DC 5003, the footnote ONLY applies, if you are NOT already rated for LOM on those specific joints. In other words, if you already have 10% each for knee and hip. then you cannot apply 5003 footnote for those same joints.

[slowhand197]

I believe the VA has rated my hips and Knee by x-ray findings only because my range of motion they say is normal. Does that mean the incapacitating exacerbations will be used?

With X-ray evidence of involvement of 2 or more major joints

or 2 or more minor joint groups, with occasional incapacitating

exacerbations 20

There is another potential problem with the incapacitating episodes. My doctor wrights notes that I should be out of work for a certain amount of time but in another one of my claims the VA said those letters were not valid. I guess because he did not put “stay in bed “like what the hell else can I do if I can’t work.

The knee and one of my hips also have tears one has been fixed and one I get operated on next week. Can arthritis be rated separately from tears as long as the rating is not for LOM they are different problems

The more I reed about this stuff the more confused I get thanks for the help

[wallyg]

VAs definition of incapacitating episodes is "requiring Doctor ordered bed-rest".

As I stated in my first reply, look under muscle codes for rating regarding 'tears', which are different than arthritis.