How Does the VA Rate Spinal Injuries?
Military veterans are no strangers to back injuries and chronic back pain with an estimated 21% of veterans reporting severe back pain — and an estimated 42,000 veterans claiming spinal cord injuries. More than 11% of the men and women injured in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom have sustained spinal cord injuries.
Veterans who have sustained back and spinal injuries may have questions about the disability claims process for a spinal injury, and may want to know — how does the VA rate spinal injuries? We are here to answer your questions at VA Benefits Attorneys.
What Are the Disability Ratings for Veteran Spinal Injuries?
Spinal cord injuries are rated based on five distinct factors — Range of Motion (ROM), Ankylosis, loss of function, incapacitating episodes, and neurological or secondary symptoms associated with spinal injuries. When the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides a disability rating for a spinal injury, it is based on the severity of these factors and can range from 10% to 100%.
Here is a better look at the disability ratings for veteran spinal cord injuries:
- 10% Rating: Forward flexion of the spine is between 60 degrees and 85 degrees and the veteran may experience muscle spasms, tenderness, and an abnormal stride or spine shape.
- 20% Rating: Forward flexion of the spine is between 30 degrees and 60 degrees, or the whole spine is limited to 120 degrees of flexion or less.
- 40% Rating: Forward flexion of the spine is 30 degrees or less or there is Favorable Ankylosis of the whole spine.
- 50% Rating: There is Unfavorable Ankylosis of the Thoracolumbar spine.
- 100% Rating: There is Unfavorable Ankylosis of the entire spine with complete immobility.
5 Factors of Spinal Injury Disability Ratings
The factors that impact spinal injury disability ratings play an important role in the claims process and are graded in different ways by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The combination of these factors and how they are measured and graded will determine the disability rating that veterans receive and their monthly compensation.
1. Range of Motion (ROM)
This is the most important factor for rating spinal cord injuries and measures the amount of motion a veteran has before experiencing pain. Key elements of Range of Motion include forward flexion, extension, rotation, and lateral flexion. These elements can be measured as a single factor or as Combined ROM.
2. Ankylosis
Ankylosis — spinal fusion — is an important factor because it impacts mobility. Ankylosis can be categorized in two ways, Favorable Ankylosis where the spine is stuck in an upright position with limited mobility or Unfavorable Ankylosis where the spine is stuck in a curved or bent position.
3. Loss of Function
Veterans who have a spinal injury may experience a loss of function in day-to-day life that may not be apparent in a single exam by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The DeLuca Criteria requires the VA to look at additional factors of functional loss that can include painful flare ups, weakness or fatigue in the back, a loss of control over movement, and overall loss of motion.
4. Incapacitating Episodes
Do you have episodes of back pain that leave you incapacitated? These incapacitating episodes are defined as a period of acute symptoms that require rest and relaxation to recover. Incapacitating episodes can be tied to Intervertebral Disc Syndrome.
5. Neurological and Secondary Symptoms
There are a variety of neurological and secondary symptoms that can be tied to spinal cord injuries. The symptoms can include Radiculopathy (radiating nerve pain from the back to the limbs), Sciatica, loss of bladder control, muscular atrophy, paralysis, and more.
READ MORE: How Does the VA Rate Knee Pain?
Are you a veteran who battles a back or spinal injury? You may have questions about how the VA rates spinal injuries, and VA Benefits Attorneys is here to help answer your questions. We hope that this overview of veteran spinal injuries has shed some light on the topic.
