Get Va Form 21 0960m 12

Most often, VA rates this condition as 10 or 20 percent disabling. If shoulder replacement surgery takes place, a higher rating may be warranted.

Generally speaking, veterans will attend a Compensation & Pension (C&P) examination and the examiner will measure how far they can bend forwards, backwards, and side to side, using a goniometer.

Once you file a disability benefits claim, the VA will often schedule a C&P exam. During your appointment, you will meet with a doctor and other healthcare professionals who will gather information about your back pain. This often involves both an interview and a physical examination.

You can file for a rating increase if your pain has worsened, or you can also apply for total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU). TDIU requires that you have one condition with at least a 60% rating or two disabilities that add up to 70%.

The criteria are based largely on a veteran's range of motion and functional loss. Specifically, VA will determine the severity of a veteran's back condition based on both the range of motion measurements provided by an examiner and the point at which the veteran starts to experience pain.

You can get a 20%, 30%, 40%, or 50% rating for a torn rotator cuff. The VA might also use diagnostic code 5304 to assign the rating if the injury affects the shoulder muscles. The ratings are 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% depending on severity and whether the injury is to your dominant or non-dominant arm.