Secondary Condition?

[garlicBreath]

Hi, I'm sc at60%. Have backinjury . And depression. I have always complained that the back pain radiates down my left leg. I never thought to claim my leg as part of my condition. As time moves forward, it gets worse. Should I claim the leg as secondary? Thanks for any help you can offer.

CK

[71M10]

Do you have medical evidence of neurologic deficit? Do you have a medical diagnosis of nerogenic claudication?

[garlicBreath]

Yes, the last time I had a claim open was in 2009. They basically hooked an ohm meter up to my legs with needles. They shot a signal downy leg to look for physical evidence of nerve damage. They did discover nerve damage from a "traumatic event". It's all there in my VA medical file.

[71M10]

There are many different ways they can TRY to wiggle on this. Provided there are not documents in the file that indicate a non-service connected traumatic event you should be good to go. Most definiately file a claim for it.

[john999]

You need a letter from your private doctor saying that your leg problem is secondary to the SC back condition. Same for the depression if it is not SC. On secondary conditions the VA will not connect the dots. I have had three secondary conditions connected to DMII. It took letters from doctors every time. I had a VA PCP who at that time would really help me. She wrote perfect letters to connect the secondary conditions. Now new doc won't do squat because of change of policy I guess, or lack of guts.

[garlicBreath]

The depression is already part of my rating. The leg has been a symptom used in my rating decisions as well. I just never thought to claim it.

[john999]

If you are going to claim it as secondary on its own then you will still need a letter from a doctor to make the nexus most likely. If you just throw it up to the VARO they will find a reason to deny it.