VA Disability For Back Pain

Back pain is a common condition that veterans experience after discharge from the military and can be the result of a single traumatic event or a build-up of stress over time. Fortunately, this pain could form the basis of a claim for benefits under the VA’s disability compensation program.

In order to be eligible for benefits, a former servicemember must prove that they suffer from disabling back pain and that their current condition is directly traceable to their time on active duty. A VA-accredited attorney can help you make this essential service connection for back pain claims to obtain compensatory benefits.

EXAMPLES OF QUALIFYING BACK PAIN

Many back pain claims center around a chronic injury, which results from a single traumatic incident. For example, exposure to enemy fire, an IUD explosion, or being in a motor vehicle accident can cause back injuries such as herniated disks, pinched nerves, or fractures. However, even a veteran who never serves on the front lines can sustain back injuries while serving in a logistics unit, an administrative role, or in an office setting.

Chronic back pain can also be the result of repetitive stress. For instance, moving heavy machinery or continuous physical training may wear down the disks separating the vertebral bones and cause extreme pain.

Conditions such as degenerative disk disease, sciatica, or lumbago can result from continuous stressors over time. Regardless of the exact event which caused the injury, a chronic condition resulting from active duty service, which causes back pain may be the foundation for a successful disability claim.

MAKING A SERVICE CONNECTION

Proving that you suffer from chronic back pain is only one part of pursuing a successful claim for VA benefits, as it is also necessary to establish a connection between your time on active duty and your current health. The best way to make this connection is to present records from your time in the military, which point to a specific instance that may have caused your back injury. Documentation of an explosion, exposure to enemy fire, or even the date when you first complained of the pain to a medic or doctor can establish an event in service which may lead to qualifying for entitlement to service connection.

Follow-up care in the VA after discharge can also help prove this connection. It is essential to be honest with VA doctors when describing your symptoms and providing background on how they came to be, as their records can also be submitted as evidence of an in-service connection.

VetLaw’s team of steadfast attorneys can help veterans make the essential connections between their time in uniform and their back pain claims for VA disability compensation benefits. Failure to make this connection is a common reason for a veteran’s denial of benefits, but a VA-accredited lawyer can help you pursue an appeal if you are denied compensation.

A VA-ACCREDITED ATTORNEY CAN ASSIST WITH VETERAN BACK PAIN CLAIMS

Back pain is a common disabling condition that limits many veterans’ mobility and ability to work. These injuries can be the result of isolated incidents that fracture vertebrae, misalign the spine, or damage disks, as well as repetitive stress from lifting heavy loads, riding in military vehicles, or even being on your feet for extended periods of time.

A back pain claim for VA disability compensation benefits must demonstrate not only the disabling nature of your condition but also its connection to your time on active duty. VetLaw’s team of skilled attorneys can help you prove the severity of your condition and gather military records which indicate that your injury took place while in uniform. Call today to learn more about veteran back pain claims for disability compensation.