Need A Nexus Letter To Help Establish Secondary Service Connection
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How To Get A Va Disability Rating For Flat Feet And Plantar Fasciitis
If you have yet to claim VA disability for flat feet and plantar fasciitis, you should do so without delay. Both of these conditions can be debilitating and cause pain in other areas such as the knees, back, and legs.
To be successful claiming a VA disability for flat feet and/or plantar fasciitis you will need to prove that your condition is a result of activities you underwent while in service. Here are three things that can help you in proving this and gaining compensation:
- A current diagnosis of your foot condition
- Record of an in-service event or aggravation
- A medical nexus, or link, between the in-service event and the current disability
At first, it might seem almost impossible to provide documented proof that something like flat feet or plantar fasciitis was caused during service. However, if you go back there might be a paper trail that ties your affliction to service-related activities. This includes things like requests for different boots to be issued, requests for insoles or inserts. You might even have medical records of treatment for pes planus or plantar fasciitis while in service.
If the VA deems that there is some suggestion of a link between your current disability and your time in service, they will order a Compensation and Pension exam. During this, a VA doctor will assess your foot trouble and assign you a rating.
How to handle your C& P Exam for your VA benefits.
Va Disability Conditions List By Body System
I hope you enjoy reading this blog post.
If you want to learn how to implement these strategies to get the VA benefits you deserve, to speak with a VA claim expert for free.
Did you know there are more than 900 conditions eligible for compensation in the official VA disability conditions list?
In this post, we reveal and explain the complete VA disability conditions list by body system and diagnostic code.
Dont forget that to be eligible for VA disability compensation, you must first have:
- An honorable or other than honorable discharge
- Medical diagnosis of a disability condition
- Nexus for service connection either directly related to military service, secondary to another condition, or a presumptive disability, and
- Current symptoms of the condition that negatively affect your work, life, and/or social functioning
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Am I Eligible For Va Disability Compensation
You may be eligible for VA disability benefits or compensation if you meet both of these requirements.
Both of these must be true:
- You have a current illness or injury that affects your mind or body, and
- You served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training
And at least one of these must be true:
- You got sick or injured while serving in the militaryand can link this condition to your illness or injury , or
- You had an illness or injury before you joined the militaryand serving made it worse , or
- You have a disability related to your active-duty service that didnt appear until after you ended your service
Presumed disabilities
- Qualified dependents
Physical Conditions Occurring From Military Service
If your physical conditions were caused by your active-duty service, those impairments may be considered service-connected and you may be able to receive monthly compensation from the Veterans Administration. To receive VA benefits veterans do not have to be injured while serving abroad. Your injuries could have happened while stateside as well.
Many veterans do not know about secondary service-connected impairments. For example, if John Q. Veteran is exposed to Agent Orange, develops diabetes from exposure, his neuropathy may now also be considered service-connected. Because diabetes causes neuropathy, it is considered a secondary service-connected impairment in that scenario.
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How To Get A 100% Rating For Back Pain
A 100% rating is given when the entire spine is immovable because of a back injury. However, more commonly, veterans are able to achieve a 100% rating through a combination of back and neck injury ratings and other conditions. Often, nerve issues can arise from back or neck conditions and cause a veteran to lose mobility of their feet and hands.
The VA considers back issues in the lumbar spine separate from the cervical spine. A veteran with issues with both portions of the spine could get a rating for a back condition and a neck condition.
Veterans with a severe neck or back condition may be entitled to total disability based on individual unemployability .
TDIU, which pays at the same rate as a 100% rating, is given to veterans with service-connected conditions that prevent them from keeping substantially gainful employment. A veteran must have at least one service-connected disability rated at least at 60%, or two or more service-connected disabilities with a combined rating of 70% or more, including one single disability rated at 40% or more.
One way to find out if you could be entitled to this benefit is to look at your functional limitations, Ton said. The VA has to consider impairments in standing, sitting, bending, climbing stairs, grasping, and carrying objects, for example, because those are common work tasks.
Is Acid Reflux Considered A Disability Qualified For Va Benefits
Yes. Since acid reflux and its effects can interfere with your ability to work, you can obtain GERD and acid reflux VA disability benefits. The two steps to applying for VA disability for GERD and acid reflux are to prove you suffer from symptoms that meet the criteria under the VA disability rating schedule and establish a primary or secondary service connection to your GERD.
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List Of 0% Va Rating Benefits
At the 0% disability rating level, veterans with service-connected disabilities are eligible for these benefits:
- Youll be assigned to VA healthcare as Priority Group 6
- Travel pay to VA healthcare locations for service-connected conditions
- 10-point veteran preference for federal jobs
- Use of base or post commissaries, exchanges, morale, welfare, and recreation retail facilities, in-person and online
- Burial and plot allowance
Although this rating offers no monthly disability compensation, veterans at the 0% service-connected rating level are still qualified for VA healthcare. If youre a veteran with a 0% disability rating, you may be assigned to Priority Group 6. Your healthcare benefits as part of this priority group include free inpatient care. Some of the services below are free if income limits are met. Youll be charged a copay for:
- Prescription medications
- Specialty tests
- Urgent care visits
you might have to pay toward the cost of your care. Your priority group is determined by a combination of factors including your disability rating, income level, qualification for other health care programs, and other VA benefits you may be receiving. )
Are There Tax Incentives For Hiring Veterans With Service
Yes, there are tax incentives for employers hiring and accommodating veterans with service-connected disabilities under the Work Opportunity Tax Credit program. Employers receive tax credits when they hire veterans who have completed or are receiving rehabilitative services through the state or the Department of Veterans Affairs or who are members of families receiving or have recently received food stamps. Learn more about benefits available to employers who hire disabled veterans.
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Conditions Worsened By Militaryservice
While the VA can deny benefits for conditionsthat existed prior to a person enlisting in the U.S. Armed Forces, it may also grantbenefits for individuals whose conditions were aggravated by their military service.
The first step in these cases is establishingthat your condition existed prior to service. This will likely be noted in yourmilitary entrance documentation, but if not it may be necessary to track downmedical records from prior doctor or hospital visits.
Next, it must be demonstrated that yourcondition worsened due to active duty and not simply because of the naturalprogression of the injury or illness. For example, if the VA can prove thatyour condition would have grown worse even if you werent serving, it can denybenefits.
Ways Of Establishing A Service
There are five basic ways to show that you have a service-related disability that entitles you to benefits. They include the following:
If you are a member of the armed forces and are disabled due to your service, our experienced VA disability attorneys can help you file your application and gather the evidence you need to ensure that you receive the benefits you deserve. To learn more about how we can assist you, fill out our convenient online form.
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Traumatic Brain Injury Va Claims
Traumatic brain injury can be caused by many factors such as a blow to the head or an object penetrating the brain and may result in brain dysfunction. Common causes include motor vehicle accidents and combat exposure.
Symptoms of TBI may include short-term memory loss, inability to follow directions, headaches, and personality changes.
VA rates TBIs based on the residual symptoms a veteran is currently experiencing due to the trauma under 38 CFR § 4.124a.
Rating criteria for TBI residuals are divided into 10 subcategories to evaluate the condition based on the level of severity and impairment in each area. Ratings range from 0 to 100 percent.
Gulf War Veterans With Chronic Disabilities
Some Veterans may receive disability compensation for chronic disabilities resulting from undiagnosed illnesses and/or medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illnesses defined by a cluster of signs or symptoms. A disability is considered chronic if it has existed for at least six months.
The undiagnosed illness must have appeared either during active service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Gulf War period of Aug. 2, 1990, to July 31, 1991, or to a degree of at least 10 percent at any time since then through Dec.31, 2016. This theater of operations includes Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the airspace above these locations.
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Get Help With Your Application
The staff at any VAC office, CAF Transition Centre or Service Canada office can assist you or call us at 1-866-522-2122. Service Officers with The Royal Canadian Legion or The War Amps of Canada can also assist you with your application, including helping you get all of the information you need to support your application. Their assistance is free of charge.
Top 100+ Va Disability List Of Secondary Conditions
I hope you enjoy reading this blog post.
If you want to learn how to implement these strategies to get the VA benefits you deserve, to speak with a VA claim expert for free.
Hi veterans, Brian Reese here with VA Claims Insider, and in this Ultimate Guide, Im going to reveal and explain the Top 100+VA Disability List of Secondary Conditions.
Although this list is not exhaustive, we tried to stick with the most common VA secondary conditions for secondary service connection.
Youll also learn about VA secondary conditions as well as HOW to get your secondary VA claims service connected so you might become eligible for VA disability benefits under the law.
But first, lets explore the five types of service connection, keeping in-mind the focus of this post, which is secondary service connection and service connection by aggravation.
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Herbicide Exposure And Agent Orange Presumptive Conditions List
During the Vietnam War, there was a multitude of herbicides used in support of military operations the most notorious was Agent Orage. For veterans that served between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, in the Republic of Vietnam, the following disease are presumed to be VA service-connected:
- Respiratory cancers
- Soft-tissue sarcomas
There are also certain childrens defects presumed to be associated with exposure to Agent Orange, including:
- Birth defects in the children of female veterans
Healthcare Benefits For Veterans With A 50% Va Disability Rating
With a 50% VA rating, the VA will assign you to Priority Group 1. As a 50% disabled veteran, youre eligible for cost-free care and medications. Youre eligible for:
- No-cost prescription medications
- No-cost VA inpatient and outpatient care
- Free urgent care visits for the first three per calendar year
For more information on benefits at the 50% rating, see our post 50% VA Disability Benefits Explained.
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Fourth Most Common Va Disability: Scars
Veterans can receive service connection for scars that result from their time in military service, or from service-connected conditions that required surgery. When considering scars, it is common to think of gunshot and/or combat wounds as the cause. However, it is often more common to see scars as secondary to surgeries, as mentioned above. Veterans with service-connected orthopedic conditions may undergo surgery that results in a scar.
About 1 million veterans are service connected for scars, making it one of the most common service-connected disabilities. VA disability ratings for scars, however, are usually fairly low as the criteria to get above a 0 percent rating is very difficult. About 76.6 percent of veterans are rated at 0 percent for skin conditions, while 18.1 percent of veterans have a 10 percent disability rating for skin conditions.
To qualify for the 10 percent rating, veterans must have more than one or two scars that are painful or unstable . This tends to be uncommon. VA does not rate scars based on where they are located, but the percentage of the body that is covered by the scars. Overall, scars affect nearly 10 percent of all veterans.
When providing evidence for service connection or increased rating claims for scars, it may be helpful to include clear, in-color photographs. Providing both the VA examiners and adjudicators detailed evidence of your scars may influence the final rating.
Can A Veterans Primary Disability Cause Gerd
GERD is often included in a VA disability benefits claim as a secondary service-connected disability. This can often be an easier path for obtaining GERD and acid reflux VA disability benefits than trying to establish a service connection for GERD itself.
Secondary service-connected disabilities piggyback off a primary service-connected disability that is related to, or caused by the secondary disability. The process begins with establishing a service connection for a primary disability. Then, you provide a nexus letter from a VA doctor or private doctor that establishes a relationship between the primary disability and GERD. If the VA approves benefits for the primary disability, it will also approve benefits for any secondary disabilities with a nexus to it.
One of our Certified VA Attorneys talks about how to move your VA Rating from 80% to 100%.
GERD is sufficiently related to many primary disabilities to obtain GERD and acid reflux VA disability benefits under the secondary service-connected disability doctrine. These include:
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Limitation Of Motion Of The Arm Claims
Typically, limitation of motion of the arm develops when an injury in the arm or shoulder has not healed fully or not been rehabilitated adequately. Repeated injuries can further increase instability in the shoulder or arm and limit the range of motion.
Common causes of arm conditions include:
- Lifting heavy objects
- Scar tissue in muscles
- A fall, impact, or accident
VA uses 38 CFR § 4.71a, Diagnostic Code 5201, to rate limitation of the arm at a 20, 30, or 40 percent. VA takes into consideration whether the veterans dominant or non-dominant arm is affected and how severely it is limited.
Contact An Experienced Disabilitylawyer Today
Although you are not required to work with alawyer when applying for veterans disability benefits or appealing a deniedclaim, doingso has advantages.
The Law Offices of Michael Hartup handles onlydisability cases. Tennessee disability attorney Michael Hartup understands theVA benefits process, and he has extensive experience helping disabled veteransget the financial help they need and deserve.
At the Law Offices of Michael Hartup we can help you file your initial application for benefits, or guide you through the appeals process if you believe your claim was wrongfully denied. The VA benefits process can be confusing, and many disabled veterans who otherwise have qualifying disabilities are denied due to simple mistakes in their applications.
To learn how we may be able to help you, please call us today at or contact us online for a free consultation. We are proud to serve veterans from the greater Jackson, Tennessee, area.
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