Va Service Connection For Knee Pain

As long as a condition was first diagnosed and developed while on active duty it.

Va service connection for knee pain. The VA rating for knee pain depends on how far your knee can bend and not feel pain. Previously pain without an underlying diagnosis was not awarded compensation meaning that. In April 2018 it was determined by the Federal Circuit that the VA must award disability benefits for pain due to military service. For example a veteran with a service-connected right-knee injury claims.

Even if your knee pain has NO impact on the knees range of motion you can get the minimum 10 VA disability rating for knee pain alone when accompanied with a diagnosis pain alone is a disability but it must relate to a functional impairment of earning capacity. Veterans can receive service connection for knee pain and conditions in a number of different ways including the following. An in-service event injury or illness. Zero percent is considered a straight leg.

A non-service-connected disability can be linked to a service-connected disability very easily. If you are diagnosed with a chronic disease such as arthritis diabetes or hypertension the VA can presume the condition is service connected even in the absence of any evidence of service connection. The Schedule of Ratings lists disabilities under different categories based on the part of the body affected. Secondary Service Connection for Knee Pain A new disability that appears secondary to a service-connected injury or condition may allow veterans to prove secondary service connection.

A knee instability VA rating can be related to arthritis but doesnt have to be. If you can bend your knee all of the way to 90 youll get a lower rating. The ruling is a result of Gulf war veteran Melba Saunders who served in the Army from Nov. Extending the knee straight out parallel to the ground is a 0 degree extension.

VA joint pain ratings are funny because you have to treat every disabled joint like a different disability rating. If you served in the Persian Gulf Iraq Kuwait Saudi Arabia or. The VA awards disability compensation for each Knee and Lower Leg condition that is service-connected. A veteran cannot submit just symptoms alone.

For a condition to be eligible for VA Disability you must be able to prove that it is service-connected. If you can show evidence of any kind of strenuous work put on your knee you can get closer to service-connected arthritis. To establish direct service connection veterans must provide the following. Saunders suffered a knee injury while in service and was treated by military.

For example if the veteran was looking to tie a knee problem to a service-connected back condition that knee problem must be diagnosed. Service Connection for Knee Pain and Conditions. Lets start with the good news about getting VA disability for back problems. Pain like functional loss is measured by its impact on the range of motion.

Knee instability or crepitation creeking and clicking sounds coming from your joints can help you get a higher rating too. One of the requirements when filing a secondary claim is that the secondary conditions must have a diagnosis. The DoD will also rate service-connected conditions as long as they also make the service member Unfit fo r Duty. Way to do this is to provide medical records from your time on active duty showing thorough evidence of the condition especially its original diagnosis.

If you cant bend your leg at all without experiencing pain youll have a higher rating. For Reservists the condition must have occurred in or resulted from an injury in the Line of Duty to qualify. The VA Schedule of Rating Disabilities provides a basis for service connection and rating each disability. Veterans within one year of release from active duty.