General Questions About L-Spine

[alantleasure]

I am getting ready to pull all of my stuff together for a new file but kind of confused about the va rating system for the lumbar back strain.

I am currently rated 10% for a lumbar strain. Since that original rating, i have become worse. More herniated discs sine the original claim, constant pain and numbness down both legs, etc. So looking at the increased rating information, it is all based on ROM. Is this correct? If so, the other stuff thats been going on is not going to matter then? The physician that i see externally from the VA has created a nexus that all of it is intertwined including the pain in my hips and knees that i am going for a secondary connection. With all of the other things going on like the numness and foot drop/weaknes, would this get possibly rated as secondary claims to the original?

I am also considering the possiblity of asking for a change into the IVDS rating for increased compensation possibilities since this matches more closely what is going on.

Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

[kevin4998]

I have spinal stenosis at l5/s1. I was not only awarded for the issue with that, but also radiculopathy down both legs which has its own rating. I did not have to submit a claim for it as the examiner noted it during the exam and RO went ahead and awarded it in connection with the spinal stenosis. And, yes mine was also based on ROM. I was also awarded somatic symptom which is a combination of pain/anxiety/depression/ptsd/gulf war syndrome not as secondary to spinal stenosis but the doctor that gave the examine said something to that affect but did not write it up that way. I am not sure exactly how he claimed/explained it, but when I was talking to him I explained that due to the pain from spinal stenosis it effect my job(s), all relationships to the extent of my wife and children and alienation because of it as I was inactive and did not participate in things with them. Eventually it led to resentment on my side for my family not sticking by my side due to my disability. The gulf war syndrome I do not even know how that played a roll, again I have not seen anything that in writing that states I actually have gws other than this this Somatic note. I was in GW, but the examiner that actually did the exam for gws said she did not see anything related too gws.. even though I was awarded for gerd and do have ibs but not service connected (tried but failed). I hope this helps, basically Radiulopthy for legs and/or maybe Somatic symptom. Maybe others that I may not be aware of. I think maybe loss of control of bowels/bladder as I have seen those related to injury/disease of the spine relationship.

[pwrslm]

With stenosis, your nerves get pinched.

Conditions of the nerves, normally sciatic nerve, are rated as paralyzed, partial paralysis, neuritis, and then neuralgia, depending on the severity, and each leg can be rated from 10% to 80% (maxed out with complete paralysis).