Scoliosis is a condition that arises when the spine has an abnormal curvature. Veterans who developed scoliosis during their service may be eligible to receive VA disability benefits for their condition. What is Scoliosis?
Can I get VA disability for scoliosis?
These veterans may be eligible for a monthly VA disability benefit called TDIU, or total disability based on individual unemployment. This benefit compensates veterans at the 100 percent rating level, even if their disability rating for their scoliosis is less than 100 percent.
Can I join the military with scoliosis?
Lastly, you will need a nexus letter that connects your military service with your current diagnosis code indicating scoliosis. Without a service-connected disability, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) will deny your claim.
What is a Disability Benefits Questionnaire for scoliosis?
A Disability Benefits Questionnaire is a form created by VA that enables veterans to address important aspects of their condition, such as symptoms, severity, possible causes, and relation to other disabilities. Scoliosis is a condition that may be rated on how it limits a veteran’s range of motion.
Can I get VA benefits for arthritis in the back?
If a veteran has intervertebral disc syndrome of both the cervical spine and the thoracolumbar spine, then both are rated separately. Finally, it is also possible to get benefits for osteoarthritis in the back. Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative arthritis and is a very common rating for any joint in the body.
What benefits can I get for scoliosis?
Severe scoliosis can qualify for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits, if it causes an impairment that has prevented or will stop you from working for at least 12 months.
How hard is it to get disability for scoliosis?
You will only be approved for SSDI for scoliosis if it impacts your ability to work. However, it can cause debilitating conditions if it has severe symptoms and works in conjunction with other medical conditions or disorders that you have.
Is scoliosis a hidden disability?
While scoliosis doesn't have its own listing, if it's a severe enough case that causes significant issues with the spine, it can meet the requirements as a listed disorder of the spine.
What back conditions qualify for VA disability?
VA claims for a back condition Common back conditions include spinal stenosis, a cervical strain, segmental instability, a vertebral fracture, or ankylosing spondylitis. Some of these disabilities are injuries, while others are degenerative conditions, but they can all receive a medical diagnosis from your doctor.
What is considered severe scoliosis?
Health care providers measure scoliosis curves in degrees: A mild curve is less than 20 degrees. A moderate curve is between 25 degrees and 40 degrees. A severe curve is more than 50 degrees.
What does scoliosis pain feel like?
Pain related to degenerative scoliosis can range from a dull back ache to shooting pain in the legs, known as sciatica. Again, symptoms like pain can vary greatly, depending on factors such as the patient's age and severity of the condition.
Is scoliosis a spinal cord injury?
Abstract. Introduction: Scoliosis is frequently associated with pain and radiculopathy, but it is not considered a possible cause of acute spinal cord injury (SCI).
Is scoliosis a serious condition?
It can affect people of any age, from babies to adults, but most often starts in children aged 10 to 15. Scoliosis can improve with treatment, but it is not usually a sign of anything serious and treatment is not always needed if it's mild.
Does scoliosis get worse as you age?
Scoliosis is a progressive condition – it does tend to get worse as you age. However, scoliosis is somewhat unusual in that it does not have what we might call a “predictable trajectory” – this is to say that you cannot simply assume that after X years, scoliosis will have increased by X degrees.
Is it hard to get VA disability for back pain?
Medical Diagnosis Back pain is a broad term, and not all forms of it qualify for VA disability. In other words, back pain, even if it is constant and severe, does not mean you can receive benefits based on that alone. You need to have a medical diagnosis, and the VA requires that your diagnosis meets certain criteria.
How does the VA test for back pain?
Generally speaking, veterans will attend a Compensation & Pension (C&P) examination and the examiner will measure how far they can bend forwards, backwards, and side to side, using a goniometer.
What is the highest VA rating for back?
VA disability ratings for back pain can range from 10% to 100%, depending on the severity of the pain, the range of motion the veteran is left with, and the frequency of the pain.
How The SSA Determines If Your Scoliosis Is Disabling
People with scoliosis generally have a tough time getting approved for Social Security disability, unless their condition is combined with other ph...
How Scoliosis Can Be Disabling
Often people suffering from scoliosis, or past corrective spinal surgery associated with scoliosis, have pain that’s caused by sitting or standing...
Medical Evidence to Prove Your Scoliosis Is A Disability
The SSA will consider the medical records it gets from your treating orthopedic doctor. In particular, the SSA looks at restrictions your doctor pl...
Applying For Disability Benefits For Scoliosis
Call the SSA at 800-772-1213 to set up an appointment to submit an application through your local SSA office. Once you have submitted all necessary...
If Your Social Security Application Is Denied
Most people who apply for disability based on scoliosis alone (especially those under 55 with less than severe cases of scoliosis) are initially de...
What percentage of scoliosis is considered a disability?
You would receive a 100 percent disability rating if scoliosis caused your entire spine to freeze in an unmovable position. The greater the percentage of flexion you have in your spine after a diagnosis of scoliosis, the lower your disability rating will be.
What is the VA's disability rating system?
The VA uses a system called the Veterans Affairs Schedule for Rating Disability (VASRD) when assigning a disability rating for conditions related to spine and back conditions, including scoliosis. However, scoliosis does not have a separate disability rating system on its own. The VA uses a general rating formula for all conditions related ...
What does it mean when you have a disease or disability related to a secondary service connection?
When you have a disease or disability related to a secondary service connection, it means that the condition developed in response to your primary disability of scoliosis. Spinal stenosis and arthritis of the spine are closely related to scoliosis and may develop as a result of this painful spine and back condition.
What is a TDIU?
You may qualify for a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) if your service-connected disability of scoliosis prevents you from finding or keeping gainful employment. This is true even if your disability rating from scoliosis is less than 100 percent.
What does it mean when you have scoliosis?
When you have scoliosis, it means that your spine has an abnormal curvature. Typically, the spine forms a curvature in the lower back and at the top of the shoulders. The most obvious sign of scoliosis is when the curvature in you back resembles the letter C or S instead. If you developed scoliosis during military service, ...
What is the name of the condition where the spine is inflamed?
Arthritis of the spine, also known as spinal arthritis, develops due to inflamed facet joints located in the spine or the sacroiliac joints that connect the pelvis and spine.
What is the degenerative condition of the spine?
When adults develop scoliosis, the AANS describes this as the neurological type caused by abnormalities in the nerves that affect the spine. The most common scoliosis symptoms include: Back pain.
What percentage of scoliosis is considered a disability?
You would receive a 100 percent disability rating if scoliosis caused your entire spine to freeze in an unmovable position. The greater the percentage of flexion you have in your spine after a diagnosis of scoliosis, the lower your disability rating will be.
What does it mean when you have scoliosis?
When you have scoliosis, it means that your spine has an abnormal curvature. Typically, the spine forms a curvature in the lower back and at the top of the shoulders. The most obvious sign of scoliosis is when the curvature in you back resembles the letter C or S instead. If you developed scoliosis during military service, ...
What is the VA's disability rating system?
The VA uses a system called the Veterans Affairs Schedule for Rating Disability (VASRD) when assigning a disability rating for conditions related to spine and back conditions, including scoliosis. However, scoliosis does not have a separate disability rating system on its own. The VA uses a general rating formula for all conditions related ...
What does it mean when you have a disease or disability related to a secondary service connection?
When you have a disease or disability related to a secondary service connection, it means that the condition developed in response to your primary disability of scoliosis. Spinal stenosis and arthritis of the spine are closely related to scoliosis and may develop as a result of this painful spine and back condition.
How do you know if you have scoliosis?
The most common scoliosis symptoms include: Back pain. Difficulty breathing because the chest does not provide enough room for the lungs to expand. Limited mobility and range of motion. One shoulder blade is higher and sticks out further than the other. Rotating spine.
Can you file for disability if you have scoliosis?
You could also qualify to file disability claims if you already had scoliosis, and it became worse during military service. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), approximately 80 percent of scoliosis cases are congenital.
Does military service cause scoliosis?
You will also need to provide documentation that proves your military service caused your scoliosis or caused it to become worse. Your injuries of the spine may have developed as the result of a single episode or from repeated painful motions you had to make to complete your military service duties.
What does the SSA look for in an orthopedic doctor?
The SSA will consider the medical records it gets from your treating orthopedic doctor. In particular, the SSA looks at restrictions your doctor places on your ability to work (for example, no lifting or bending, or no sitting for longer than two hours) and medical tests such as x-rays. Your doctor's records should also include information such as the range of motion of your spine, the scoliosis's effect on your gait, and whether you use a cane or other device for walking. The SSA is also required to consider your statements about the severity of your pain.
When does scoliosis occur?
Scoliosis most often appears in adolescence, and adolescent females are much more likely than males to have curvature of the spine. Scoliosis is often treated by the wearing of a brace during adolescence or by spinal fusion during surgery.
Does scoliosis qualify for Social Security?
The Social Security Administration's (SSA's) "blue book" of listed disabilities does not include scoliosis. That means that scoliosis is not one of the medical conditions considered severe enough by the SSA to automatically qualify for benefits when the severity reaches a certain level.
Can scoliosis be a disability?
Social Security disability benefits may be available for people with scoliosis, depending on the severity of the condition. Scoliosis alone will generally not trigger disability benefits, unless it is so severe that it limits movement or affects respiratory or cardiac functions.
Can a child with scoliosis get SSI?
Note: If you have a child with severe scoliosis and your income is low enough for your child to qualify for SSI, the SSA may find your child disabled and eligible for a monthly SSI payment. The SSA allows severe scoliosis to equal an official impairment listing (and thus be eligible for benefits) if a child has difficulty walking, ...
Can you appeal a disability claim based on scoliosis?
Most people who apply for disability based on scoliosis alone (especially those under 55 with less than severe cases of scoliosis) are initially denied disability benefits. But some of these cases can be won on appeal.
Is scoliosis a congenital condition?
(There are other types of curvature of the spine, including kyphosis and kyphoscoliosis.) Scoliosis is either idiopathic (cause unknown) or congenital, meaning spinal deformity is present at birth.
What is a VSO?
Veteran Service Organizations (VSO), like Paralyzed Veterans of America, United Spinal, and Disabled American Veterans, can also assist you with VA disability claims, benefits, and services. To see a complete list of VSOs and designate a VSO to assist you, talk to your VA social worker about completing a VA Form 21-22.
What is the VA Caregiver Support Program?
VA’s Caregiver Support programs offer family caregivers of Veterans an opportunity for education, financial planning, peer support, and resources. Your local VA Caregiver Support Coordinator can connect you to resources or you can call the Caregiver Support Line at 855-260-3274.
What is PSAS in VA?
The VA’s Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) is an integrated delivery system designed to provide eligible Veterans medically prescribed devices such as hearing aids, eyeglasses, speech and communication devices, home dialysis supplies, orthopedic braces/supports/footwear, wheelchairs, home respiratory aids, hospital beds, and other daily-living aids. The basic eligibility for prosthetic items is enrollment in the VA system and proper medical justification. Service connection does not have a role in eligibility except for certain programs. While PSAS has many programs and services, the three below may be of particular interest to Veterans with MS.
What is the eligibility for prosthetics?
The basic eligibility for prosthetic items is enrollment in the VA system and proper medical justification. Service connection does not have a role in eligibility except for certain programs. While PSAS has many programs and services, the three below may be of particular interest to Veterans with MS.
What kind of medical care is available for MS patients?
Medical care for eligible Veterans with MS may include specialty care visits with a neurologist and/or rehabilitation medicine physician, disease modifying therapies, symptomatic medications, physical and occupational therapy, and other health care services and medical equipment. Veterans may also be eligible for services through the VA’s Extended Care program.
What is the presumption of MS?
For MS, the presumption is that MS is service connected when symptoms or a diagnosis of MS occurred during military service or within seven years after honorable discharge. Non-service connected (NSC) status refers to Veterans who have a disability or health issue not related to their military service.
How long can you be on the VA benefits for MS?
Veterans diagnosed with MS after the presumptive period of seven years could be eligible for some VA benefits under the non-service-connected status. VA has a wide range of benefits that may be of particular interest to Veterans with MS.
How long does scoliosis last?
It would have to prevent you from doing the work you did before. It would have to prevent you from doing other similar work. Your scoliosis has lasted a year, or is expected to last a year, or result in death.
What is degenerative scoliosis?
Degenerative scoliosis: degenerative scoliosis is caused by degenerative changes to the spine, mainly in the discs that separate the vertebrae of the spine. Traumatic scoliosis: traumatic scoliosis, as the name suggests, is scoliosis that develops due to a trauma experienced by the spine. We’ve discussed the main forms that scoliosis can take so ...
Why did I write Scoliosis Hope?
This is, in part, why I wrote Scoliosis Hope: to change the narrative surrounding peoples’ scoliosis story. Having scoliosis isn’t a life sentence of limitation and pain, at least it doesn’t have to be.
What is the Cobb angle of scoliosis?
In order to be diagnosed as scoliosis, a person’s spine has to curve abnormally to the side, coincide with rotation, and have a Cobb angle measurement of 10+ degrees. To put things in perspective in terms of ...
What is the SSA disability?
The United States Social Services Administration (SSA) has a strict set of criteria that need to be met in order to collect Disability payments.
When does scoliosis develop?
Scoliosis can develop at any age, but it is most commonly diagnosed between the ages of 10 and 18. This is the condition’s most common form and accounts for a staggering 80 percent of diagnosed cases: adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).
What is a RFC form for scoliosis?
Using what’s known as a ‘residential functional capacity’ (RFC) form, they will determine if there is any other type of similar work you could be doing.
What are the symptoms of a disc injury?
Intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), which is the condition wherein there is degeneration of one or more of the discs of the spine. A disc of the spine can deteriorate which could lead to loss of disc height. A disc can also herniate or protrude into the spinal column. Both disc conditions may cause symptoms of sharp pain, shooting pain, numbness, tingling, muscle spasms, or weakness. IVDS may receive the following ratings: 1 60% – a total duration of at least 6 weeks during the past 12 months with incapacitating episodes 2 40% – incapacitated at least 4 weeks but less than 6 weeks during the past 12 months
How many vertebrae are in the thoracolumbar spine?
The thoracolumbar spine is composed of two parts of the spine; the thoracic (twelve vertebrae) and the lumbar (5 vertebrae). These are the two areas that will be examined in order to determine benefits for any back pain. ( For more information regarding chronic back pain, click HERE)
What is the condition wherein there is degeneration of one or more of the discs of the spine?
Intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), which is the condition wherein there is degeneration of one or more of the discs of the spine. A disc of the spine can deteriorate which could lead to loss of disc height. A disc can also herniate or protrude into the spinal column.
How long is a veteran incapacitated?
20% – incapacitated at least 2 weeks but less than 4 weeks during the past 12 months. 10% – incapacitated at least one week but less than 2 weeks during the past 12 months. If a veteran has intervertebral disc syndrome of both the cervical spine and the thoracolumbar spine, then both are rated separately.
What is degenerative arthritis?
Degenerative arthritis of the back is the accelerated “wear and tear” of the spine due to service-related activities or injuries. For successful ratings of arthritis, there must have x-ray evidence of arthritis. If you have been diagnosed with any of these issues as a veteran, immediately go to the doctor!
What is the VA disability for back pain?
In determining benefits, the VA refers to the back as the “thoracolumbar spine”. This is the term used to reference middle or lower back pain. The VA considers upper back pain in the same category as neck pain.
What is VA claims insider?
VA Claims insider is an education-based coaching/consulting company. We’re here for disabled veterans exploring eligibility for increased VA disability benefits and who wish to learn more about that process. We also connect veteran s with independent medical professionals in our referral network for medical examinations, disability evaluations, and credible Independent Medical Opinions & Nexus Statements (Medical Nexus Letters) for a wide range of disability conditions.
What does enhanced eligibility mean?
You may qualify for enhanced eligibility status (meaning you’ll be placed in a higher priority group, which makes you more likely to get benefits) if you meet at least one of the requirements listed below. At least one of these must be true.
How many priority groups are there for VA?
When you apply for VA health care, you’ll be assigned 1 of 8 priority groups. This system helps to make sure that Veterans who need immediate care can get signed up quickly. Your priority group may affect how soon we sign you up for health care benefits.
How long did you serve at Camp Lejeune?
Served at least 30 days at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987. If none of the above apply to you, you may still qualify for care based on your income. Learn more about how the amount of money your family makes can affect whether you qualify for VA benefits. Learn more about income limits.
Can I get VA health care benefits if I served in the military?
Am I eligible for VA health care benefits? You may be eligible for VA health care benefits if you served in the active military, naval, or air service and didn’t receive a dishonorable discharge.
Programs
- Veterans may be eligible for a broad range of programs and services provided by the VA. These programs are based upon enrollment eligibility and discharge status from active military service. There are several categories of eligibility based upon a variety of factors. Some of these factors are related to time of service and priority groups. For example: If you are a Veteran that served in a theater of combat operations after November 11, 1998 you ar…
Benefits
- Women Veterans are eligible for the same VA benefits as male Veterans. Their eligibility is based upon the same Enrollment Priority Group process mentioned above. Once eligibility is determined, women Veterans can receive their medical care from specialized Womens Centers available at each VA Medical Center. The VA recognizes the importance of supporting family caregivers and provides a temporary relief benefit for unpaid caregivers. The fa…
Definition
- Service-connected (SC) status refers to Veterans who are disabled by an injury or disease that was incurred or aggravated during active military service. MS is a presumptive condition and benefits are based on the presumption that the disability is service-connected (SC). Veterans with symptoms of MS in the military or within seven years after hono...
Treatment
- Medical care for eligible Veterans with MS includes disease modifying therapies, other medications, physical and occupational therapy, and other health care services and medical equipment.
Service
- Veterans with MS are eligible for many services from the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) program. The basic eligibility for prosthetic items is enrollment in the VA system and proper medical justification. Service connection does not have a role in eligibility except for certain programs. All mental health services provide support and focus on recovery. VA works with Veterans to meet a variety of mental health needs. Eligible Vetera…
Purpose
- PSAS is an integrated delivery system designed to provide eligible Veterans medically prescribed devices such as hearing aids, eyeglasses, speech and communication devices, home dialysis supplies, orthopedic braces/supports/footwear, wheelchairs, home respiratory aids, hospital beds, and other daily-living aids.
Cost
- The typical medication prescription co-pay is $8 per prescription for a 30-day supply. Depending upon eligibility status co-pays can be waived or slightly higher. (medication copayments brochure)
Membership
- Veterans and survivors who are eligible for a VA pension and require the aid and attendance of another person, or are housebound, may be eligible for additional monetary payment.