If you’re diagnosed with essential tremors, it’s worth considering whether the condition may be related to your military service or another service-connected condition. These tremors can be caused by various medical conditions, and getting an essential tremor VA rating could provide you with disability benefits you deserve.
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It was just annoying when it began. You noticed that your right hand shook slightly when you were using it to take a drink, eat, brush your teeth, or tie your shoes. Now, the shaking is in both hands, and it’s gotten so bad that you have difficulties more often than not when trying to perform daily tasks. You may have essential tremors from your time in the military. And, if so, you’ll want to consider whether you’re eligible for essential tremor VA disability.
In this article about the essential tremor VA rating:
What are essential tremors?
Essential tremors are involuntary shaking or trembling caused by a neurological condition. The tremors can impact any part of the body but are most common in the hands. Essential tremors aren’t life-threatening, but they can become severe and make basic tasks of daily living challenging. For example, it may be difficult to feed yourself if your hand is shaking severely.
Essential tremors typically:
- Start gradually and worsen over time
- Are limited to or more severe on one side or area of the body
- Are worsened by movement and less noticeable with rest
- Can worsen with stress, certain medications, fatigue, caffeine use, or extreme temperatures
- Are most common in people 40 or older, but may start at any time
Doctors don’t know what causes essential tremors, but they’ve been linked to various other medical conditions, which we’ll address below.
Essential tremors vs. Parkinson’s disease
Many people confuse essential tremors with the shaking associated with Parkinson’s disease, but the two conditions are not the same, and symptoms present differently.
Key differences between essential tremors and Parkinson’s disease include:
| Trait | Essential tremors | Parkinson’s disease |
| Timing | Most often occur when the affected body part is moving | Occur when the affected body part is resting |
| Associated conditions | Doesn’t often cause other health problems; occasional other neurological symptoms | Causes stooped posture, slow movement, and dragging of feet |
| Affected areas | Typically involves the hands, head, or voice | Usually involves the hands, but can affect the legs, chin, and other parts of the body |
| Impact | Can affect quality of life, but doesn’t shorten lifespan | Worsens over time and can reduce a person’s lifespan |
Essential tremors in veterans
It’s estimated that about 10 million people in the U.S. experience essential tremors, but the exact number of people the condition impacts is unknown.
There is no evidence that essential tremors are more common in veterans than in the general population. However, tremors also have been linked to extreme stress, which people may experience during active duty in combat or military service in general. There may be an association between PTSD and other mental health diagnoses and essential tremors in some veterans.
Veterans can receive VA disability benefits for essential tremors if they are linked to their service, or if they can prove that an injury or illness during service worsened the condition. A veteran can receive a secondary service-connected disability rating for any health condition that is medically related to a condition that is eligible to be service connected.
Essential tremor VA rating
There is no specific essential tremor VA rating. However, the VA often rates essential tremors in the arms or hands using diagnostic code 8515. This code is for paralysis of the median nerve, and the rating depends on the severity of the condition and whether it’s the primary (major/dominant) or secondary (minor/nondominant) side of the body that’s impacted. The ratings are as follows:
| Description | VA Rating: Major | VA Rating: Minor | Monthly payment (vet only) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete nerve paralysis; the hand inclined to the ulnar side, the index and middle fingers more extended than normally, considerable atrophy of the muscles of the thenar eminence, the thumb in the plane of the hand (ape hand); pronation incomplete and defective, absence of flexion of index finger and feeble flexion of middle finger, cannot make a fist, index and middle fingers remain extended; cannot flex distal phalanx of thumb, defective opposition and abduction of the thumb, at right angles to palm; flexion of wrist weakened; pain with trophic disturbances | 70% | 60% | Major: $1,759.19 Minor: $1,395.93 |
| Incomplete: Severe | 50% | 40% | Major: $1,102.04 Minor: $774.16 |
| Incomplete: Moderate | 30% | 20% | Major: $537.42 Minor: $346.95 |
| Incomplete: Mild | 10% | 10% | Major: $175.51 Minor: $175.51 |
TDIU for essential tremors
In some cases, a veteran may be awarded total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for their essential tremors. TDIU is also known as individual unemployability or simply IU. Veterans are eligible for these benefits if they can’t hold down “substantially gainful” employment due to their service-connected conditions.
Veterans with tremors may struggle to work because of difficulties with fine motor skills and holding and handling objects. Just as essential tremors can make eating, drinking, and other activities of daily living difficult, they can make it nearly impossible to type an email, control machinery, sort through items, work a cash register, and more, precluding both manual labor and desk jobs.
Veterans who receive TDIU benefits are compensated at the same level as those with a 100% disability rating, even though their combined rating is below 100%.
Veterans will typically be eligible for TDIU if they have:
- At least one service-connected disability rated at 60% or more disabling OR
- Two or more service-connected disabilities with at least one rated at 40% or more disabling and a combined rating of 70% or more
“Woods & Woods are the only attorneys I would recommend for veterans, they did a great job for me. 100 percent P&T disability, very caring and understanding. They will not quit until they win. I am so thankful for what they did for me.”
B.C., a Navy veteran in California
From a Google review for Woods & Woods
How Woods & Woods can help
The VA-accredited attorneys at Woods & Woods have helped thousands of veterans nationwide get the disability benefits they deserve. Call us today for a free case evaluation. You won’t pay us a dime unless we win your case.
Talk to Us About Your Claim:
(812) 426-7200
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Yes, you can receive essential tremor VA disability benefits if you can connect the tremors’ development or worsening to your military service.
While there is no specific diagnostic code for essential tremors, tremors in the arms and hands are often rated analogously using DC 8515 for paralysis of the median nerve.
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.
