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Benefits - Issues on Benefits
DISABILITY HELP
I’m an active duty soldier been in service for almost 10 years. I was deployed to Iraq and Kosovo before, and I don’t have anything but good words for all the service members deployed all over the world.
While in basic training I suffered a knee injury, my knee cap came out of place I was treated back then with pain killers and ice. Over the years I had several issues on the same knee, although I tried to avoid the clinic mostly because I was trying to make rank Until recently I could not take it no more and had a knee surgery, I was diagnosed with osteo arthritis since it is so advanced I was told that there is not that much they can do for me that I will have to learn to live with the occasional pain and eventually I will need a knee replacement. I have a seven month post operation recovery time, after which I was told that most likely because of the degree of injury I have in the knee I will have to get med board.
Over the years I have also developed a Plantar Fasciitis case due to the constant running and road marching, for the past several years I been having corticoid shots once in a while to control the pain. I tried everything even had a bone scan to see what is going on with my heels still the same and even got worse.
I will have to decide within the next 3 months wethear to stay in with a permanent profile or get medical boarded as my physician is recommending me. Now if I get out is there anybody that knows what percentage I might be getting from VA? Has anybody out there got out of the service because of Knee osteo arthritis and Plantar Fasciitis? What percentage are they getting?. I have a family therefore I’m trying to see all my options
Marko,
If you are applying for service-connection right after discharge, your SMR's must show a chronic condition while in service, or if it's not a chronic condition upon disachrgeyour C&P exam needs to show you have a current disability with residuals and the doctor will need to make some sort of nexus opinion. Having said that, both of your conditions appear to be chronic with ample documentation in your SMR's, so service-connection shouldn't be an issue.
The knee is rated according to the limited range of motion. It can be rated anywhere from 0% to 60%, depeneding on what Disagnostic codes is assigned. Also, if there is evidence of another disability such as lateral instability that warrant at least a 10% rating, the knee can be rated for this too. Normally the VA can only compensate for residuals and symptoms of one disability per body system. However, the knee is the only joint that alows for more than one rating.
Plantar Fasciitis can also warrant a rating from anywhere between 0% and 50%, depending on what diagnosyic code is assigned. It is rated according to the amount it affects the other muscles in the foot and toes.
I hope this helps!
Vike17
disability ratings
In addition to your disability, where you live will determine your disability rating. For example, New Mexico Veterans average about $12,000 per year per veteran, while Ohio Veterans fetch about $5000 per year less, according to the Insititute for Defense Analysis as reported by the Toledo Blade. So, If you are in Ohio, Illinois, or a few other states, you will be in the "lower tier" but if you are in Maine, or New Mexico, you will be in the "upper tier" states. Congress is upset about the disparity between states, but has done nothing about it. The VA hasnt fixed the problem, but they are attempting to fix the blame.
plantar fasciitis
I have plantar fasciitis in both feet. I have had this for 13 years. I have been rated for 13 years at 10%. I went earlier this year for a percent increase, and was denied. Sometimes I can't even walk with the pain so bad, yet I was denied an increase. I have two bad knees rated at 0% for the last 13 years as well. I went to an orthopedic surgeon and he found that my right knee's meniscus is going away, and his diagnosis was permanent and stationery. Funny thing here is that afterwards i went to the VA and didn't tell them what the MRI showed and just kept my mouth closed about it. They came back with their results "Knee's are fine, no increase from 0%".
The VA is laughable at best, they don't really bother to do an MRI, just an X-ray and that should be enough to see if something is wrong. I have to pay for more MRI's out of my pocket, but it will be worth it, because once it is done they will have to increase the percent along with back pay. I was seen for my problems 2 years during my service in the Army. So it is all connected.
Anyway enjoy the 10% you will receive, I think last time I checked the amount I get is $115 dollars, and a handful of ibprophin.
