What is the VA rating for bulging disc?

40% – with incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 4 weeks but less than 6 weeks during the past 12 months. 20% – with incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 2 weeks but less than 4 weeks during the past 12 months.

How does the VA rate bulging disc?

Bulging discs are rated based on the number of incapacitating episodes that have occurred due to the disability. For example, if a Veteran experienced 4-6 weeks of incapacitating episodes in the past year, they can receive a 40% bulging disc VA disability rating.

Can you get VA disability for bulging disc in back?

VA Disability Ratings for Herniated Discs

20% – Veterans who have had episodes that last for at least 2 weeks, but less than 4 weeks, in the past 12 months, may be able to qualify for this rating. 40% – Having episodes that last for at least 4 weeks but less than 6 weeks in the past 12 months.

Can you get disability for a bulging disc?

A VA rating for a herniated or a bulging disc will not automatically qualify you for disability benefits, but it may be able to be used as evidence to back up your disability claim. You can qualify for both VA disability benefits and Social Security disability benefits.

Is herniated discs a VA disability?

A Veteran can receive VA disability for herniated discs if they can show that their military service caused the disability, the disability worsened while in the military, or another disability caused by service led to the herniated disc.

Most Common Back Pain VA Claims and Ratings Among Veterans

What worse herniated disc or bulging?

Herniated discs are considered more severe than bulging discs because they put significant pressure on nearby nerves, which can cause intense pain, inflammation and difficulties with movement.

Is bulging disc the same as herniated disc?

"A bulging disc is like letting air out of a car tire. The disc sags and looks like it is bulging outward. With a herniated disc, the outer covering of the disc has a hole or tear. This causes the nucleus pulposus (jelly-like center of the disc) to leak into the spinal canal."

How much compensation do you get for a bulging disc?

The average settlement value for a bulging disc in a personal injury lawsuit is about $15,000 to $30,000. The median jury award in bulging disc cases is $31,000. Bulging disc cases have a lower average settlement value when compared to herniated disc cases.

What is a severe bulging disc?

A bulging, or herniated, disk occurs when the spongy disks in the spine become compressed. It can press on the spinal cord and nerve roots, leading to pain and problems with mobility. Bulging disks are usually due to age-related degeneration, while symptoms tend to progress gradually.

Is bulging disc permanent?

Disc bulges are not permanent. The disc is a fluid filled structure and therefore has the capacity to heal, resolve and be re-absorbed.

What is the highest VA disability rating for back pain?

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.

What is the VA rating for nerve damage?

All VA ratings for peripheral neuropathy range from between 10% and 40% maximum. Ratings are determined based on the severity of the Veteran's displayed and recorded symptoms. However, a Veteran may be entitled to a maximum rating of 40% disability benefits for each extremity affected.

What is the average VA rating for lower back pain?

VA generally rates low back pain as follows: ”100% – unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine. 50% – unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine.

What type of back problems 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.

Is chronic back pain a VA disability?

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.

Is L4 L5 disc bulge serious?

Most importantly, an L4-L5 disc bulge can lead to prolonged pain and other, more serious conditions like spondylolisthesis if you delay treatment. Spondylolisthesis is a condition in which a vertebra shifts or slips, and can cause significant pain that may require surgery to fix.

What is L3 L4 disc bulge?

L3/L4. This refers to the disc that is situated between Lumbar bones 3 and 4. Learn more about L3L4 Symptoms. Pain: You may feel sharp shooting pain on the inside of the lower leg usually from below the knee to the top of the big toe.

Can a bulging disc heal after 2 years?

After 2 years: 76 people out of 100 who had surgery had no symptoms or almost no symptoms. This means that 24 still had some symptoms. 69 people out of 100 who had non-surgical treatment had no symptoms or almost no symptoms.

Is a bulging disc a serious injury?

A bulging disc in the neck after a car accident can be a serious injury. It can cause severe and chronic pain and can cause permanent nerve damage. Prompt medical treatment for this injury increases the chances for faster recovery.

Is a bulging disc a soft tissue injury?

Soft tissue injuries include: back, neck, shoulder sprains, strains, whiplash, herniated discs, bulging discs, and other types of injuries to muscle and tendons. These muscle injuries can be painfully disabling and may greatly impact your quality of life.

Do steroid injections increase the value of a herniated disc case?

Herniated Disc Injury Settlements with Steroid Injection

If you have a herniated disc and need an injection for pain management, this has the potential to increase your overall settlement in court, but only if you know how to file and handle your case.

What is L4 L5 disc bulge?

The L4-L5 spinal segment is a common cause of acute and chronic lower back pain (backaches). An L4-L5 disc bulge can impinge nerves that run down the legs, causing sciatic-like symptoms. A slipped disc is one of the most common causes of a pinched nerve.

How is a bulging disc diagnosed?

What causes a disc to bulge?

A bulging disc occurs when the nucleus shifts to press against the disc's outer ring, causing the disc to flatten and protrude into the spinal canal. Age-related wear and tear on the spine is the most common cause of a bulging disc. A traumatic accident like a car crash or sports accident can also damage spinal discs.