Peripheral arterial disease: Claims and ratings

[ASU_0331]

So I am currently at 20% DMII with 60% CAD secondary to the DMII.  I have recently been working on my pes planus claim and associated pain with plantar fasciitis.  This includes a ton of general pain in my legs from calf muscles into knees and thighs.  I have always attributed this pain to my pes planus altering my gait.  However with all the x-rays I have had for my pes planus claim and other items, something has been popping out to me.  On my latest knee x-rays this is included;

"There are atherosclerotic vascular calcifications."

On the x-rays of my hips there are these two notes in the report,

"Extensive calcified atherosclerotic vascular disease for age."

and

"Advanced calcified atherosclerotic vascular disease for age."

So looking for more info on this being a new secondary to the DMII or is it secondary to the CAD which is secondary to the DMII.  I wasn't even sure where it falls under on the ratings tables either.

Appreciate the help.

[john999]

Seaman

          I have DMII also and I got an additional 60% for almost the same thing you did.  I think the VA may just lump your artery disease with the CAD because if you have it in your legs they assume you have it in your other major arteries.  I had swelling in my right leg and I got a C-Scan at the VA and they said I had extensive calcification in my leg.  I ended up with a 60% rating for  CAD just like you.  Do you have PN in your feet and/or hands?  It is associated with DMII.  I got 40% in my right  arm, 30% in left arm and 40% in each leg.  They often get PN mixed up with PF.  That neuropathy can get much higher ratings than PN.  Do you have numbness in your feet or hands?

[brokensoldier244th]

Its not really your job to be the doctor and associate causation- that s your doctors job, and it should be in your notes already. If its not, ask them to put it in there. You don't even have to tell them why (I wouldn't- many doctors try to stay OUT of the disability process- civilan or otherwise, and VAMC doctors are not required to participate in the disability process unless they are C&P examiners). Its a potential conflict of interest and some of them take it more seriously than others). In any case, you can claim all three, I see it all the time, and when the exam request is entered its notated in that request to to have the examiner evaluate all three potential causes. You may get a negative opinion on one or two of them, and its caught me, also, when I started working here, to not just CTRL-F the page for the word "Least" or "Likely" and just stop on the first one, because it may have multiple opinions on the form. The examiers aren't always good about putting it in the OPINION  block or REMARKS, some of them like to sprinkle it through the whole examination- even though there is a section specifically for it on the medical opinion DBQ.