Question about Claim--is it worth it?
This is my first visit to this thread. I am a bit lost in that I haven't dealt with the VA for many years and I hesitate to "rock the boat" with any additional requests to the VA. Having said that, I was medically discharged form the Marine Corps in 1986 with several injuries. I have been rated at 80% since 1991 for multiple injuries; but the one I'm interested in is my lower back currently at 10% for spondulothesis in the L4-L5 segment. My other injuries are 30% for cervical injuries; 30% for tension headaches; 20% ankle; 20% hypertension; and 10% eye. I have been in a lot of pain lately and recent medical exams have shown that the lower back problem has become a lot worse; with degeneration of the disks, further movement of the spondylothesis, and "severe" problems with the L4-L5 and L5-S1 segments of the spine. I don't fully understand how they got to 80% with the total of my issues, but I get the feeling that further movement up in percentage is difficult at best. Is it even worth the effort?
Thanks!
Steve
This is my first visit to this thread. I am a bit lost in that I haven't dealt with the VA for many years and I hesitate to "rock the boat" with any additional requests to the VA. Having said that, I was medically discharged form the Marine Corps in 1986 with several injuries. I have been rated at 80% since 1991 for multiple injuries; but the one I'm interested in is my lower back currently at 10% for spondulothesis in the L4-L5 segment. My other injuries are 30% for cervical injuries; 30% for tension headaches; 20% ankle; 20% hypertension; and 10% eye. I have been in a lot of pain lately and recent medical exams have shown that the lower back problem has become a lot worse; with degeneration of the disks, further movement of the spondylothesis, and "severe" problems with the L4-L5 and L5-S1 segments of the spine. I don't fully understand how they got to 80% with the total of my issues, but I get the feeling that further movement up in percentage is difficult at best. Is it even worth the effort?
Thanks!
Steve
