Help In Finding Out Numbers Va Used To Compute Disability

[JeffSoCal]

I am 90% service connected and reopened my case 12/7/10 because of disabilities getting worse.

I'm 40% Lumbar Strain

40% Phlebitus

40% right lower leg radiculopathy

20% left lower leg radiculopathy

10 % bilateral metarsalia

Using VA calculator I come up with raw score of 86 which equals 90%.

I have a two part question. Shouldn't my radiculopathy be rated bilaterally because of

same condition in both legs. My award letter says nothing about the 40% and 20% being

bilateral. If it was my raw score would be now 88 which is still 90% but is closer to 95.

Who would I contact to find out what raw score the VA used to compute my 90%. And if they made

a mistake and didn't rate it bilaterally should I notify them since my existing claim is still in

development stage.

[john999]

If you are trying to get 100% schedular the last 10% are the hardest to get. I have had 90% for the last 5 years. If I win my CUE I might get 100% going back 40 years. Won't that be a blast now that it does not really matter that much.

[carlie]

As for some of your newly claimed conditions, the principle of pyramiding may apply. Although service connection for peripheral neoropathy, ......... spinal stenosis, IVDS perhaps might become service connected, it is unlikely that you'd receive separate evaluations for them because you are already service connected for a RLL and LLL radiculopathy and a lumbar back condition.

jvretired,

Ditto on the above.

Welcome and thanks for a really good post.

[evandc]

Could it be TDIU time?

[Veldrina]

Could it be TDIU time?

Agreed...if you haven't filed IU yet, you should try (provided you aren't working right now that is). JVretired explained it very well. VA math is baffling, but he is correct re bilateral factors & metatarsalgia . And if you are experiencing anxiety/depression due to your s/c conditions, you can file it secondary to them, as Gulfvet said.

[JeffSoCal]

Someplace on this forum are some rather detailed explanations on how the Combined Ratings Table and the Bilateral Factor are supposed to work. I suggest you search for them for review.

1. Boy you have me confused. Same here.

2. I didn't list that my phelbitus was right leg only (40%) Well, that's all academic because the evaluation of RLL phlebitis is computed using the bilateral factor if appropriate - which it is in this situation.

3. I took my metarsalgia both feet (10%) bilaterally which equals 19 plus 10% 1.9 = 21 I believe this is incorrect. The evaluation of metatarsalgia is - or should be - under DC 5279, which awards a single 10% whether the condition is unilateral or bilateral.

4. Then 21 with 40% on combined ratings table equals 53. then 53 with another 40% equals 72. Then 72 with another 40% equals 83. Then 83 plus 20% equals raw score of 86 which gives me a rating of 90%. Here is the mo' better way:

First, combine all conditions to which the bilateral factor applies:

40% for RLL radiculopathy with 40% for RL phlebitis = 64

Combine the 20% for LLL radiculapathy = 71

Combine the 10% for unilateral or bilateral metatarsalgia. = 74

Add the bilateral factor of 7.4 (74 x 10%) = 81.4, which is rounded down to 81

Then, combine all other disabilities to which the bilateral factor does not apply:

Combine the 40% for lumbar strain = 89 raw score, which is rounded up to 90%

As for some of your newly claimed conditions, the principle of pyramiding may apply. Although service connection for peripheral neoropathy, ......... spinal stenosis, IVDS perhaps might become service connected, it is unlikely that you'd receive separate evaluations for them because you are already service connected for a RLL and LLL radiculopathy and a lumbar back condition. The neurogenic claudication, if service connected, may or may not receive a separate evaluation but that would depend upon some other factors which are not apparent to me at this moment. Note: I am presuming that the peripheral neuropathy is of the RLL and LLL.

[JeffSoCal]

jvretiredvet: So sorry for confusing you. I hope I can clarify a couple of items. I really appreciate your input. I went back to my original award letter from 30 years ago and it says diagnostic code 7819-5279 bilateral plantar keratosis, metatarsalgia 10%. I filed for increase in 2008 because of phlebitus and back conditions got worse and received increase from 40% to 90%. Urinary incontinence was mentioned in my documentation that I filed in 2008 but not claimed by me. In my award letter the VA said that in order for it to be claimed I needed to submit urological dynamics test results to file for it. In my pending claim I have submitted such files along with statement from a urologist that urinary incontinence may be caused by sacral nerve compression. As for phlebitus are you saying that its considered bilateral even though I have it in one leg? The bottom line in my mentioning all this is I want to find out what my raw score is that my 90% was computed from. If the radiculopathy was not considered bilaterally then I should have a few more raw points which helps if I want to get to 95.