Multiple Sclerosis - DoD vs VA Rating

DanielleGibson

PEB Forum Regular Member
Registered Member
My med board has officially kicked off and I am looking for a little input. I know MS is a minimum 30% but the VA rates based on the symptoms so the ratings are normally more than the minimum. I have two main questions:
1- Does the DoD rate the same way? I know they only look at the unfitting condition but will I get an automatic 30% from the DoD or do they calculate their percentage based on the symptoms like the VA does?
2- What kind of ratings can I expect with the following symptoms of MS:
- Fatigue - severe enough to require daily medication to even get through the work day and then my evenings and weekends are essentially just recovering enough to go back to work the next day.
- Numbness - my right leg is numb and will always be
- Spacisity (muscle spasms) - requires medication 4-5 days a week
- Anxiety - requires daily medication and counseling
- Dizziness - occasional dizziness

I know no one here is able to tell the future, I'm just looking for a sanity check, thank you!!!
-Danielle
 
DoD essentially adopts VA's rating as long as the condition is determined to make you unfit to continue military service.

People end up with different overall rates from DoD than from VA because they have conditions rated by VA that aren't taken into account by DoD.
 
So the DoD does rate MS based off of symptoms?

There is a super wide range of MS ratings, I'm just hoping to get an idea of how others have been rated with similar symptoms.
 
DoD uses the VA ratings for conditions that are unfitting. Should you believe the IPEB dId not include all your MS related conditions, then you can get counsel and appeal to the FPEB.
 
Tha VA will rate your MS by symptoms and combine the results. I’m rated for a similar condition, Myasthenia Gravis. This is how my rating worked out:

40% per leg plus bilateral factor of 10% for leg weakness and atrophy due to MG

60% pulmonary residuals of myasthenia Gravis

0% ocular features of MG

So DOD found myasthenia Gravis unfitting. So they accepted all of the above VA ratings which added up way more than the minimum 30% just for having the diagnosis.

They also found me unfit for mental health at 70%

So I ended up 100% PT and 100% DOD but dod only pays out at 75%.


Your MS will get you past the 30% mark just for having the diagnosis. The more severe your individual MS symptoms the more you’ll get above that 30.

I would be careful on the day of the CP exam. Make sure you are tired and showing the worst of your symptoms. Don’t go in there all rested and minimizing your symptoms. Do your homework on militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com
 
Tha VA will rate your MS by symptoms and combine the results. I’m rated for a similar condition, Myasthenia Gravis. This is how my rating worked out:

40% per leg plus bilateral factor of 10% for leg weakness and atrophy due to MG

60% pulmonary residuals of myasthenia Gravis

0% ocular features of MG

So DOD found myasthenia Gravis unfitting. So they accepted all of the above VA ratings which added up way more than the minimum 30% just for having the diagnosis.

They also found me unfit for mental health at 70%

So I ended up 100% PT and 100% DOD but dod only pays out at 75%.


Your MS will get you past the 30% mark just for having the diagnosis. The more severe your individual MS symptoms the more you’ll get above that 30.

I would be careful on the day of the CP exam. Make sure you are tired and showing the worst of your symptoms. Don’t go in there all rested and minimizing your symptoms. Do your homework on militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com
Thank you! I've heard horror stories about the C&P exams. This is what I'm thinking but again, I don't know what the burden of "proof" is...

SymptomCodeRatingDescription - Military Disability Made Easy
Numbess852910%Paralysis of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. Complete paralysis or incomplete, severe paralysis is rated 10%. Incomplete, moderate or mild paralysis is rated 0%.
Fatigue635420-40%· 40 percent disability rating (“nearly constant and restricts routine daily activities to 50 to 75 percent of the pre-illness level” or results in periods of incapacitation of at least four but less than six weeks total duration per year)Link
Spacisity810310%· Convulsive tic is a condition where the nerves cause the muscles, predominantly in the face, arms, or legs, to spasm regularly. If it is severe, it is rated 30%. Moderate is rated 10%, and mild is rated 0%Link
· If there are muscles spasms and guarding present that do not interfere with the way you walk, it is rated 10%.Link
Anxiety940010-30%30% rating: This rating will have the majority of the following circumstances and symptoms:
The Ability to Care for Yourself: This individual may have occasional, short hospitalizations, but can entirely take care of himself most of the time.
Medications: This individual usually requires medication to function normally.
Symptoms: Some or all of the following symptoms will be present.
– Spikes or drops in mood, like depression
– Often anxious or becomes easily stressed
– Panic attacks occur, but no more than once a week
– Difficulty sleeping (nightmares, insomnia, anxiety, etc.)
– Mild memory loss could include regularly forgetting names or directions
– Often suspicious of other people, particularly ones he does not know
The Ability to Work: This individual will be able to work and will usually function normally. There may, however, be occasional times where he is unable to properly fulfill all job requirements. This could result in occasionally losing his job.
Social Relationships: Like his ability to work, this individual will normally have fairly stable relationships. These relationships, however, will not be great and will often be strained by the symptoms of his condition. Divorce or breakups could occur, but not in every case.
Link
Dizziness620410%If there is occasional dizziness, it is rated 10%.Link

I'm hoping for the higher end on the two with ranges but we will see I guess...any other advise for the exams?

-Danielle
 
So the DoD does rate MS based off of symptoms?

There is a super wide range of MS ratings, I'm just hoping to get an idea of how others have been rated with similar symptoms.
In 2017 I have been diagnosed with MS (I'm AF Reservist) and have been found Unfit by IPEB. I have enough TAFMS to get a Regular (AD) Retirement, thus I am in the process of retiring regularly vs medical retirement. I have accomplished C & P exams in 2017. My examiner was a contractor and did not give me any attributing MS symptoms associated with my MS, even tho I stated such. The disease progression is causing more symptoms with me, so I have recently filed Secondary claims to the MS 30% (Fatigue and Parenthesis) but I did not get rated for Numbness or Anxiety which I have.
 
Thank you! I've heard horror stories about the C&P exams. This is what I'm thinking but again, I don't know what the burden of "proof" is...

SymptomCodeRatingDescription - Military Disability Made Easy
Numbess852910%Paralysis of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. Complete paralysis or incomplete, severe paralysis is rated 10%. Incomplete, moderate or mild paralysis is rated 0%.
Fatigue635420-40%· 40 percent disability rating (“nearly constant and restricts routine daily activities to 50 to 75 percent of the pre-illness level” or results in periods of incapacitation of at least four but less than six weeks total duration per year)Link
Spacisity810310%· Convulsive tic is a condition where the nerves cause the muscles, predominantly in the face, arms, or legs, to spasm regularly. If it is severe, it is rated 30%. Moderate is rated 10%, and mild is rated 0%Link
· If there are muscles spasms and guarding present that do not interfere with the way you walk, it is rated 10%.Link
Anxiety940010-30%30% rating: This rating will have the majority of the following circumstances and symptoms:
The Ability to Care for Yourself: This individual may have occasional, short hospitalizations, but can entirely take care of himself most of the time.
Medications: This individual usually requires medication to function normally.
Symptoms: Some or all of the following symptoms will be present.
– Spikes or drops in mood, like depression
– Often anxious or becomes easily stressed
– Panic attacks occur, but no more than once a week
– Difficulty sleeping (nightmares, insomnia, anxiety, etc.)
– Mild memory loss could include regularly forgetting names or directions
– Often suspicious of other people, particularly ones he does not know
The Ability to Work: This individual will be able to work and will usually function normally. There may, however, be occasional times where he is unable to properly fulfill all job requirements. This could result in occasionally losing his job.
Social Relationships: Like his ability to work, this individual will normally have fairly stable relationships. These relationships, however, will not be great and will often be strained by the symptoms of his condition. Divorce or breakups could occur, but not in every case.
Link
Dizziness620410%If there is occasional dizziness, it is rated 10%.Link

I'm hoping for the higher end on the two with ranges but we will see I guess...any other advise for the exams?

-Danielle
@DanielleGibson I was just diagnosed with MS as well, how did your C&P exam workout?
 
I’m sorry to hear that, I hope that you’re doing well despite the diagnosis. I ended up with 40% DoD and 90% VA. I don’t have my paperwork with me as I’m in the middle of a move but once I get settled I can get you the break out. If you have any questions, definitely let me know!
 
I’m sorry to hear that, I hope that you’re doing well despite the diagnosis. I ended up with 40% DoD and 90% VA. I don’t have my paperwork with me as I’m in the middle of a move but once I get settled I can get you the break out. If you have any questions, definitely let me know!

@DanielleGibson thank you so much! So it looks like start to finish the process was about 10 months?
 
@DanielleGibson thank you so much! So it looks like start to finish the process was about 10 months?
I have another autoimmune disease that attacks my nerves but make sure you look at the wording in this section as well. Such as paralysis incomplete severe, do you have muscle atrophy, poor blood circulation?

Paralysis
Complete: This is defined for each nerve a little differently, but basically, it means that the nerve is completely paralyzed and the body part cannot function at all, like if it had been amputated.
Incomplete, severe: If the nerve is not completely paralyzed, and there are symptoms like poor blood circulation and muscle atrophy, that seriously limit the body part’s ability to function, then it is rated as severe. The condition must be very severe to be rated here.
Incomplete, moderate: If the nerve is not completely paralyzed, and there is tingling, numbness, moderate pain, or other symptoms that definitely and significantly interfere with the ability of the body part to fully function, it is rated as moderate.
Incomplete, mild: If the nerve is not completely paralyzed, and there is only tingling or mild pain in the affected body part, it is rated as mild. There could also be slight or very mild limitations in the movement of the body part, but these limitations would not really affect the overall functioning.
Neuritis
Severe: If there are all three of the main symptoms (loss of reflexes, muscle atrophy, and loss of sensation), and they seriously limit the body part’s ability to function, then it is rated as severe. The condition must be very severe to be rated here.
Moderate: If there are one or more of the main symptoms that definitely and significantly interfere with the ability of the body part to fully function, it is rated as moderate.
Mild: If there are one or more of the main symptoms, but they are mild and do not interfere significantly with the ability of the body part to function, it is rated as mild.
Neuralgia
Moderate: If there is tingling, numbness, moderate to severe pain, or other symptoms that definitely and significantly interfere with the ability of the body part to function fully, it is rated as moderate.
Mild: If there is only tingling or mild pain in the affected body part, it is rated as mild. There could also be slight or very mild limitations in the movement of the body part, but these limitations would not really affect the overall functioning.
 
@DanielleGibson thank you so much! So it looks like start to finish the process was about 10 months?
It can be hard to gauge how long it will take based off others timelines, as mine was drug out for almost two years. It really depends upon your medical facility staff and how much they know about the entire process, but I got really deep into the AFI's and was constantly letting my Med folks know what the guidance stated. Now if they follow it is a different story? Good luck to you Paul and never give up! :cool:
 
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