Back Conditions)4:02 Arthritis Secondary to Knee Pain: VA Claims4:34 GERD Secondary to Knee Pain5:54 Depression Secondary to Knee Pain6:34 Obesity, Knee Pain, and VA Claims7:25 Headaches Secondary to Knee Pain7:56 Getting the Highest VA Rating for Knee and Secondary Conditions: TDIUFeel free to ask questions, give us feedback, or request new veterans' law topics below! ZTY5ZGVhMWQ2YzFlM2FmMDUyMmExYWYxZGJmNTg4NzJhY2FlYzIyMTA3MTZh For many veterans, exposure to Agent Orange and other toxic chemicals is presumed by the VA based on when and where they served in the military. Let Us Fight Your Claim For You Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. In fact they want to perform a TKR on my "Non-Service Connected" Right Leg when in 2005 they also performed a TKR on the Service Connected Left Leg. Many veterans will begin keeping records of their pain before they leave the military for this reason. My question is "What is needed to prove the connection?" This is because doctors can link worsening conditions to already claimed conditions through medical testing. N2Q3YjYwYmQ4YTQ3ZWMyYmZiNzZhNDdkOTdjODdmYmRjNTlkZjg5MzU3NTgz TDIU is based on your employability you only qualify if you are unable to find and keep substantially gainful employment as a result of your service-connected knee condition. ZTFkMTExZjUwODMyZWE3MDIwYWU0NDM1ZWJkYjE5NzM4ODI0NWIyNmUwMGFj This is often viewed as a secondary condition because it may result from a disability that has a clearer connection to a veterans military service. Source: schedule of Ratings. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form. Each of these are viable options under the AMA legislation. The best tech tutorials and in-depth reviews; Try a single issue or save on a subscription; Issues delivered straight to your door or device Visit our website at cck-law.com or call (888) 559-1385. If the diagnosis only partially explains your knee pain, VA will not accept it. VA understands that disability that affects both knees limit your day-to-day ability to function more than single-knee conditions. A variety of other knee conditions can be evaluated for VA disability ratings as well. Depending on the severity described in statements, these documents can be helpful in getting an increase to ratings above 50%. Secondary conditions are often harder for the VA to assess, diagnose, and measure than disabilities that are directly connected to a Veterans military service. A VA rating for knee pain or joint pain is determined based on multiple factors such as instability, reduced range of motion, movement without pain, and knee replacements. You can submit a new claim for a secondary condition that will result in a new VA rating. Copyright 2023 Woods and Woods, LLC | PO Box 1287 Evansville, IN 47706. NjlmYWU1MWU1ZDg5NDEwODUxMDJjNWM3M2UxZDZlNDlmMjlkZDc3MGJjNjIx Pain, weakness and fatigue are all taken into account when assigning a disability evaluation. I have filed for a reexamination of the right knee and to have the left knee secondary SC. Under Diagnostic Code 5003, if a veteran has arthritis that is confirmed through X-ray evidence they should be assigned a 10 or 20 percent disability rating. Diagnostic Code 5055 covers individuals who receive a total knee replacement. This is a tougher claim, because there are many causes for low back-pain. -Knee joint osteoarthritis. All of our attorneys are VA-certified. I've tried over a dozen times and they always say "I don't want to get involved". There are many knee and leg conditions eligible for service connection. One of Berry Laws skilled attorneys can help you get a better outcome from the VA by supporting you in the appeals process. Adjustment disorder often manifests as anxiety, depression, frustration, numbness, and apathy during the transition from the military into civilian life. Additionally, in the event that the C&P examiner misrepresents the severity of your knee or leg condition, there will already be favorable medical evidence in your file showing the true severity of your condition, which can help combat unfavorable C&P exam findings. erature on secondary complications among people with lower-limb loss who are long-term prosthesis wearers. Depression is also a common secondary condition when pain generated by the service-connected condition causes depression, insomnia or anxiety. Radiculopathy. Common Secondary Conditions to Knee Pain Knee pain is incredibly common among servicemembers. This diagnosis must come from a medical professional and cover the condition you are trying to win compensation for. Because the knees are so vital to movement, knee joint injuries can have an impact on many other parts of the body. They also wear shoes that dont have the best support, carry bulky rucksacks, and do a lot of heavy lifting. NDZkMWM5MjA0Y2VjOTEwMmM3ODA4NjlhYWY5YTE5N2Q3MDgwMDA2NDg1MDYz This communication with the firm or any member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. This article will explore the conditions and VA ratings related to knee pain. Your access to this site was blocked by Wordfence, a security provider, who protects sites from malicious activity. This means an in-service event, injury, or disease related to your military service caused you to develop Knee Pain. Its not uncommon for veterans to develop VA disability hip pain secondary to knee pain, because they must move or sit in uncomfortable ways to keep their knees from hurting. The ratings of each condition on the two sides of the body will be combined. VA will only look past the range of motion tests to arthritis criteria in the case of arthritis in the knees. Owls, hawks, and snakes are all known to eat vol, This website uses cookies for functionality, analytics and advertising purposes as described in our, I am service connected 10% with chronic right knee pain for the past 12 years. Second, VA will expect documentation of an in-service event that caused or aggravated the knee condition. Contacting a VA disability lawyer for legal assistance can increase your chances of success and potentially result in a higher VA rating for knee pain. How will the VA rate my knee or lower leg conditions? YzkxNjFjNmRjY2FiMTU3NTdiNTE5Y2Q0NDhjYzAwNWYyYWUyNmMwNDA4ZDg5 Ya I could haver used a liberal office on my last appeal of my claim that was denied. The rating schedules for some of the most common service-connected knee and leg conditions are below: Diagnostic Code 5055, Knee replacement (prosthesis), For 1 year following implantation of prosthesis: 100%, With chronic residuals consisting of severe painful motion or, With intermediate degrees of residual weakness, pain or limitation. (a) General. Because secondary conditions can make life much more difficult for Veterans and were caused by military service, the VA recognizes secondary conditions as grounds for raising a disabled Veterans disability rating. A veterans military service may not directly cause these headaches, but they are often a secondary condition brought on by a service-related disability. Knee pain can also cause other health problems. Any help with this process will be greatly appreciated. The VA refers to these problems as secondary conditions. It's possible to pay with credit card or Western Union, but PayPal isn't an option. Whenever youre in a C&P exam, theyre measuring these limitations. Pyramiding occurs when the same symptom or disability is rated twice, and is not allowed by VA. If you have struggled with paperwork, communicating with the VA, or receiving the proper VA ratings for your knee pain, Woods and Woods can help. Check out our Knee and Lower Leg Conditions Ratings page for the exact codes and ratings. After one year passes, the knee will be reevaluated based on the remaining conditions. Depending on the severity described in statements, these documents can be helpful in getting an increase to ratings above 50%. Since secondary service connection for the "good" knee is so common, you should be OK. My right knee was covered by my initial claim filed in 1985 and confirmed in 1987. If you believe Wordfence should be allowing you access to this site, please let them know using the steps below so they can investigate why this is happening. ZTczNjM1NDUxMGY5Y2RmNGJhMGJiMzRiZjVmNDFhMmM5ODI1Yjc5MDVlYTA1 The physical demands of service, including marching, handling heavy equipment, and other strenuous activities, put veterans at greater risk of developing knee and leg impairments while serving or after discharge. Key words: back pain, fracture, leg-length discrepancy, lower-limb amputation, osteoarthritis, os teopenia, osteoporosis, pros-thetics, rehabilitation, secondary complications. Proving direct connection for knee pain relies on three main factors. Then, because the rating affects both sides of your body, VA will take 10 percent of the 44 (4.4) and add it on. Radiculopathy is classified as a pain syndrome and can be caused by several lower back conditions such as lumbar disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, and spinal stenosis. If you meet the requirements for Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) between one or multiple disabilities, you can receive maximum benefits. If the VA has only assessed your initial disability and not factored in any secondary conditions, you may have received a lower rating than your condition warrants. -Knee meniscal tear. When a primary condition causes or aggravates another disability or condition, that secondary condition can be service-connected for VA compensation. Additionally, there will be another 10% of that combined rating added. Consult a legal representative to determine whether or not you are eligible for VA disability benefits. Some of the common knee conditions covered by diagnostic codes are as follows: 5256 Ankylosis of the knee: Abnormal stiffening of the knee that can be assigned a rating between 30 and 60 percent. -----END REPORT-----. NmQzMDQ2Y2Y5ZDFjOTk1OTcyZjMyMzBhNTVlNDM4ZjBmM2M3MjM2Njc5MzI1 The amount of compensation is based on the combination of respective disability ratings. Sometimes the rating will not change, but in this example the disability rating goes from 40 percent to 50 percent, earning the veteran additional compensation for the bilateral factor. A secondary condition can influence the disability rating that a Veteran receives from the VA. NmFhMzM5NGMwZWY0MzZkNmNkYjU3YjQ4ZmJmMWM3NGUzZWVjNmIyZjYzZWQw For many veterans, reentry into civilian life is not a smooth transition. NWYzNDVjMmEzNTRlNDMzOWU1ZDFiYjU0NWI4ZDJlMTRiMDQ5M2U2ZGZhMGEy ZmZjZmZiZTRlYThiMTA0NDRiN2QzMDA5MzFiY2I1YWUyZTg3ZjNkM2U5Y2Fi So my question is besides possibly getting a statement from a doctor saying that it would be possible for the treatment of my left knee to not be documented due to not being entered into my records due to the either not being transcribed from doctor notes or recordings by the clinic medical staff or possibly being lost while in the tranfer to other stations or even to the miliary record storage sites after my discharge in 1984. 2. Answer: It depends. You can also increase your VA disability knee pain rating by filing it as bilateral if it is affecting both sides of the body. Gastrointestinal Conditions (GERD, IBS, and Acid Reflux): It is common for veterans taking pain medications to experience gastrointestinal issues such as constipation, diarrhea, and heart burn. The specific criteria for TDIU include: If you have one or more highly rated knee disabilities that prevent you from working, you may be eligible for TDIU. A variety of other knee conditions can be evaluated for VA disability ratings as well. The changes that come from the military transition can be extremely hard for veterans, especially disabled veterans, to get used to. The ratings are 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% and are evaluated using the VAs definition of slight, moderate, moderately severe, and severe disabilities of the muscle. Appeals to the Board of Veterans Appeals, Appeal to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, Increase Veterans Affairs Disability Rating, Total Disability Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU), VA Mental Health: Legal Help for Veterans, Veterans Affairs Compensation for Sleep Apnea, VA Rating for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Symptoms, 2023 Veterans Affairs Disability Rate Increase. The VA may recognize side effects from psychiatric medications as a secondary condition that can qualify a veteran for a higher disability rating. 20%. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. For example, if a veteran has a 20 percent rating in their left knee for instability and a 30 percent rating in their right knee for limitation of extension, VA will combine those ratings to get a 44 percent disability rating. They don't want to give any input. Instances of marginal employment (odd jobs) do not count. To prove service connection to the VA, assembling your service medical records, VA medical records, military personnel files reflecting an in-service accident, diagnosis, or change of duty due to knee issues, and any other private medical records you have will help you establish a connection between your condition and your military service. Because orthopedic conditions affecting the knee and legs are rated and compensated differently depending on the diagnosis and degree of disability, its important that you work with your doctor or an orthopedic specialist to determine the correct diagnosis for your condition. The left knee arthritus worsened over time and in 2002 I had left knee cleanout surgery to remove a slightly torn miniscus. OTNhNzg0YTI0MDQ2MWI4M2QzZDRjNjRiMWRkM2FhMmI5OTY1NjJiNDFhYWQ3 Takeaway.