EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. Not legal or medical advice. Not affiliated with the VA.
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Myelopathy (Spinal Cord Compression)
✓ VERIFIED AGAINST 38 C.F.R.§ 4.124a (Neurological conditions and convulsive disorders) · reviewed 2026-05-15 · ClaimRecon Editorial Team
Myelopathy (Spinal Cord Compression) is rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under DC 8024 of 38 CFR § 4.124a, DC 8024 across 1 severity tier (0%). Service connection requires (1) a current diagnosis, (2) an in-service event, injury, or exposure, and (3) a medical nexus opinion linking the two under 38 C.F.R. § 3.303.
OVERVIEW
Spinal cord dysfunction from compression causing weakness, numbness, balance problems, and fine motor difficulty.
RATING CRITERIA (1 LEVELS)
0%
Myelopathy is a clinical syndrome of spinal-cord dysfunction, typically from compression (cervical spondylotic myelopathy is the most common). Rate by combining: (1) the underlying spine condition under § 4.71a (General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine), (2) each affected neurological residual separately (motor weakness via § 4.124a 8500-8730 by territory; bowel/bladder under § 4.115a/b; spasticity by analogy under DC 8024), and (3) combining under § 4.25. DC 8024 (syringomyelia) by analogy may apply for the cord-dysfunction component if syringomyelia-like findings (cyst, dissociated sensory loss) are imaged.
KEY EVIDENCE TO GATHER
-Service treatment records showing injury or complaints
-Imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT)
-Range of motion measurements
-Flare-up documentation per Sharp v. Shulkin
-Buddy statements describing limitations
-Prescription history
-Physical therapy records
-Employment impact documentation
C&P EXAM TIPS (6)
1.Do NOT stretch, warm up, or take pain medication before your exam. The VA needs your baseline limitation.
2.Report your WORST day. DeLuca v. Brown requires documentation of functional loss during flare-ups.
3.Tell the examiner about flare-ups: frequency, duration, estimated ROM loss. Sharp v. Shulkin (2017) requires estimates.
4.Request active, passive, weight-bearing, and non-weight-bearing ROM testing per Correia v. McDonald (2016).
5.If you use assistive devices (brace, cane), bring them.
6.Describe daily activity impact: work, sleep, household tasks.
SOURCES & EDITORIAL
Rating criteria text quoted verbatim from 38 C.F.R. § 4.124a (Neurological conditions and convulsive disorders). Source verified 2026-05-15 by ClaimRecon Editorial Team during a regulation-text comparison against the Cornell Law CFR mirror; eCFR.gov is the authoritative government source.
EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. NOT LEGAL OR MEDICAL ADVICE.
NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
CLAIM RECON 2026