The Most Common Qualifying Disabilities for VA Benefits
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides a rating for service-connected disabilities, medical issues, and diseases and assigns a disability percentage rating. Veterans who suffer from a mental or physical condition must highlight their experiences and symptoms when filing for VA benefits. The most common qualifying disabilities for VA benefits are:
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent VA-rated disability. In this article, you’ll learn that PTSD may not necessarily be a precise diagnosis of a particular mental condition, but it’s like other mental conditions that exist on a spectrum. Veterans may experience mild PTSD, severe PTSD, or something in between. A VA provider evaluates veterans for the issuance of a VA rating for their PTSD. The evaluation helps establish whether the trauma is service-connected aside from establishing its severity.
Knee Issues
Veterans who suffer from limited motion due to an injury should submit documentation for the injury. Individuals with issues that aren’t injury-related but include painful motion and other limitations must present a current diagnosis for their claims. Some of the issues related to knee problems include the following:
- Weakness
- Easily fatigued
- Arthritis
- Issues with muscles and joints
- Lack of coordination
- Decreased movement
Some knee problems aren’t standalone, and veterans may have issues associated with other injuries and diseases.
Scars
Scarring occurs for various reasons, including surgery, trauma, and other injuries. Scarring may be life-threatening, or it could be cosmetic, depending on multiple factors. The VA criteria for providing a rating is strict, and most veterans may obtain a 0% rating unless the scarring leads to unstable hearing and pain. The rating for scars is usually associated with the magnitude of the scars rather than the confirmed location. Scars present distinctive issues for veterans as they may fail to secure VA compensation for post-surgery scars. Veterans can, however, secure temporary VA disability benefits while healing from the operation. Slow-healing surgical wounds and those that heal irregularly may qualify for temporary disability. Other criteria apply while filing for VA benefits, but it’s crucial to know the available options when pursuing treatment.
Hearing Loss
Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are frequent ear-associated disabilities. Veterans may receive up to a 10% rating for hearing loss and tinnitus. Veterans should note that a doctor’s diagnosis isn’t enough to make a solid claim in this area. The VA assesses the veterans’ tinnitus and hearing loss independently of additional diagnoses but considers them when working on your claim. Some veterans receive a 0% rating for their hearing loss. Don’t be surprised if that happens, as the VA rates your issue depending on your claim’s circumstances and nature. Regardless, ensure you present your hearing problems to the VA when filing your claim.
Neck and Back Pain, Spinal Issues
Veterans can include numerous neck and back issues in their VA claims. The VA assesses how your issues affect your flexibility, range of motion, and other aspects, including your ability to sit, stand, bend, and work. VA claims include a determination process to assess whether your neck and back pain problems are service-related. Veterans must list all military experience connected to working in uncomfortable sound positions, carrying heavy objects, running, prolonged hiking, and walking with fully loaded backpacks and rucksacks. The concerns are usually similar when it comes to spinal issues. Cervical strain is a prevalent VA disability claim regardless of a veteran’s sex or age. VA ratings are often high in this area, and veterans can secure a rating of up to 20%, which may go higher depending on the severity and nature of the condition.
Filing a VA claim can be confusing and stressful. Veterans who sustain service-related issues should work with a reliable attorney. A seasoned lawyer will guide you through the entire process to enable you to secure fair compensation for your injuries.
Cervical Strains and Lumbar
Unfortunately, back situations are quite regular among Veterans. VA rates return conditions, like cervical strains and lumbar, under 38 CFR § 4.71a, Ratings of Schedule, Musculoskeletal System, & the criteria is located largely on a veteran’s extent of motion. Overall, veterans will assist in a Compensation and pension exam, & the examiner will measure how far they may bend backward, forwards, and side by side, utilizing a goniometer.
VA will define the severity of a veteran’s return situation based on the extent of the motion supplied by the examiner. The C&P examiner must also consider the operative loss created by the veteran’s return condition, as shown by pain over motion. For instant, a veteran could be able to bend forward at Eighty-Five degrees but start to endure pain at Fifty-Five degrees. Once returned, Gulf veterans are further affected by cervical strains and lumbar.
Paralysis: Sciatic Nerve
Sciatica is a nerve shape in which pain shines from the sciatic nerve, journeying from the back down using the legs. It often transpires during the sciatic nerve is pinched or compressed, usually by a hatched disk with the spine or an outgrowth from the bone on the vertebrae. Such a condition includes a reduction in feeling and movement of positive limbs. Nerve problems, like sciatica, are rated in 3 various categories established on the degree of severity of symptoms:
- Neuritis
- Neuralgia
- Paralysis
