Are you a veteran with service-related back or neck pain? Does your pain get worse when you bend, sit, or stand for long periods? It could be degenerative disc disease. Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is the gradual wearing down of spinal discs that cushion the vertebrae.
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Qualifying veterans with service-connected DDD may be eligible for a degenerative disc disease VA rating. To help you understand how you can earn compensation, this article describes what DDD is, what the VA rating for degenerative disc disease is, and how to service connect your condition.
In this article about degenerative disc disease VA ratings:
What is degenerative disc disease?
Degenerative disc disease is characterized by the wearing down of spinal discs that cushion the vertebrae. When discs are worn, the vertebrae start to rub together, making twisting, bending, and moving painful. As we age or put added stress on our spine, the soft center of spinal discs which are made of mostly water can start to dry out. When discs dry out, they get thinner and their ability to absorb shock and impact lessens.
Symptoms of DDD include pain in the lower back or neck that:
- May lead to numbness and tingling in the arms or legs
- Gets worse when sitting or after bending over, twisting, or lifting
- Extends to the arms and legs
- Radiates to the buttocks or thighs
- Comes and goes
- Causes weakness in the leg muscles
DDD can develop with age, but can also be caused by physical strain. Due to the physical demands of military life, veterans can develop degenerative disc disease from:
- Falls from vehicles, down hills, etc.
- Joint overuse
- Joint impact from pivoting and running
- Injuries that lead to cracks in the spinal discs
- Repeated heavy lifting
VA rating for degenerative disc disease
The VA classifies degenerative disc disease as a musculoskeletal disorder of the spine, and rates it on the basis of limitation of motion, using diagnostic code 5242 in the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.
When assigning ratings for DDD based on limitation of motion, the VA considers the lower back, upper back, and neck joints to be minor joint groups. The lower back and upper back are referred to as the thoracolumbar spine, and the neck as the cervical spine.
Ankylosis is the stiffening or immobility of a joint, kyphosis is an abnormal forward rounding of the upper back, and lordosis is an abnormal inward curvature of the spine.
| Description | VA Rating | Monthly payment (vet only) |
|---|---|---|
| Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine | 100% | $3,737.85 |
| Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine | 50% | $1,075.16 |
| Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine; or, forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine 30 degrees or less; or, favorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine | 40% | $755.28 |
| Forward flexion of the cervical spine 15 degrees or less; or, favorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine | 30% | $524.31 |
| Forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees; or, forward flexion of the cervical spine greater than 15 degrees but not greater than 30 degrees; or, the combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine not greater than 120 degrees; or, the combined range of motion of the cervical spine not greater than 170 degrees; or, muscle spasm or guarding severe enough to result in an abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour such as scoliosis, reversed lordosis, or abnormal kyphosis | 20% | $338.49 |
| Forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 60 degrees but not greater than 85 degrees; or, forward flexion of the cervical spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 40 degrees; or, combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 120 degrees but not greater than 235 degrees; or, combined range of motion of the cervical spine greater than 170 degrees but not greater than 335 degrees; or, muscle spasm, guarding, or localized tenderness not resulting in abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour; or, vertebral body fracture with loss of 50 percent or more of the height | 10% | $171.23 |
When the limitation is not severe enough, the VA rates degenerative disc disease at either a 10% or 20% rating, using diagnostic code 5003.
A 10% rating is given when X-ray evidence shows symptoms of degenerative disc disease in two or more major joints or two or more minor joint groups.
A 20% rating is granted when X-ray evidence shows symptoms of degenerative disc disease in two or more major joints or two or more minor joint groups when it causes occasional incapacitating flare-ups.
This 10% or 20% rating will only be given if the veteran is not already receiving a rating of at least 10% for DDD affecting the same joint(s).
How to service connect degenerative disc disease
To be eligible for VA benefits for degenerative disc disease, your condition must have been caused or worsened by your service.
A major part of filing a claim for compensation is providing proof of service connection. As we mentioned earlier, DDD is common in aging adults, which may lead some veterans to assume their condition is age-related, when it might not be.
If you think back to your time in the military, you may recall a slip, fall, injury, or a training accident that could have led to your degenerative disc disease diagnosis. Even without a serious injury, the constant strain on your joints from running, lifting, drills, and other activities during service can contribute to DDD.
To submit a claim for degenerative disc disease VA benefits, you’ll need the following evidence to prove service connection:
- Proof of the in-service event or injury that led to DDD.
- Documentation of a current diagnosis of DDD from a medical professional
- A medical nexus showing the connection between your DDD diagnosis and its cause.
Conditions related to degenerative disc disease
Degenerative disc disease could also lead to other spinal issues such as:
- Scoliosis
- Osteoarthritis
- Spinal Stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Herniated discs
Ongoing pain from DDD is linked to depression in some patients. If you experience prolonged sadness for more than a few days due to severe pain from DDD, you may be able to claim depression secondary to DDD.
Degenerative disc disease secondary to other conditions
Degenerative disc disease may also develop because of a different injury that is connected to your time in service. For example, an injury to your knee, foot, or back during service could contribute to complications in your lower back. In this case, your degenerative disc disease is a result of your service-connected injury, and you could claim DDD secondary to that injury.
Unemployability for degenerative disc disease
Sometimes, a veteran’s pain from degenerative disc disease makes it difficult, if not impossible to perform physical labor at work, or even sit at a desk for extended periods. Getting comfortable in bed and getting a good night’s sleep could be hard, and may cause you to feel less focused and drowsy throughout the workday. All of this may cause increased absences at work, poor performance, and the inability to keep a job.
Total disability based on individual employability (TDIU) is reserved for veterans who are unable to seek and hold gainful employment due to a service-connected disability.
If you submit a claim for multiple service-related disabilities, those ratings have the potential to add up to a 100% rating. For those whose disability ratings don’t add up to 100%, TDIU could be available.
TDIU pays at the same monthly rate as a 100% rating, without the requirement of earning a 100% rating.
To be eligible to receive TDIU, you must:
- Have one disability rated at 40% or more with a combined rating of at least 70%
OR - Have a single service-connected condition with a rating of at least 60%
“If you were injured while serving this country and are reading this review, I encourage you to contact Woods and Woods right away. They are always standing ready to assist veterans in need.”
J.B., a Navy veteran in Virginia
How Woods and Woods can help
Applying for a degenerative disc disease VA rating can be a long, frustrating process. The VA-accredited attorneys at Woods and Woods have helped veterans across the country get the compensation they deserve, and we can help you too. Contact us for a free legal consultation today.
Talk to Us About Your Claim:
(812) 426-7200
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The VA classifies degenerative disc disease as a musculoskeletal disorder of the spine, and rates it using the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. Depending on the frequency and severity of symptoms, DDD can warrant a rating of 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, or 100%. When limitation of motion is not severe enough, it will be rated using diagnostic code 5003, at a rate of either 10% or 20%.
Veterans with service-connected DDD that keeps them from holding down “substantially gainful” employment can apply for TDIU. TDIU benefits pay at the 100% level without the veteran being awarded a 100% rating.
Neil Woods
VA disability attorney
Woods & Woods
Neil Woods is the firm’s owner and president. He received his law degree from Western Michigan University.
