VA Diagnostic Code 8022Spinal cord, new growths of: Benign
Rated from 10% to 60% under § 4.124a. Here is what the VA requires at each level.
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What each rating requires
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- 60%
Benign, minimum rating
- 10%
Rate residuals, minimum
Notes on this code
These notes are part of the regulation. They change how the levels above are applied.
- Note: It is required for the minimum ratings for residuals under diagnostic codes 8000-8025, that there be ascertainable residuals. Determinations as to the presence of residuals not capable of objective verification, i.e., headaches, dizziness, fatigability, must be approached on the basis of the diagnosis recorded; subjective residuals will be accepted when consistent with the disease and not more likely attributable to other disease or no disease. It is of exceptional importance that when ratings in excess of the prescribed minimum ratings are assigned, the diagnostic codes utilized as bases of evaluation be cited, in addition to the codes identifying the diagnoses.
Benign Spinal Cord New Growths (VA Diagnostic Code 8022)
Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders — 38 CFR § 4.124a
What This Condition Is
Diagnostic Code 8022 covers benign (non-cancerous) new growths of the spinal cord. Because the spinal cord is central to how the body sends and receives nerve signals, growths in this area — and the effects they leave behind — are rated under the VA's schedule for neurological conditions.
Under this code, the VA distinguishes between the active condition itself and the residuals (lasting effects) that may remain over time.
Available Rating Levels
The VA schedule lists the following ratings for this diagnostic code:
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 60% | Benign, minimum rating |
| 10% | Rate residuals, minimum |
The 60% minimum rating applies to the benign growth itself. When the condition is being rated on the basis of its residuals, a minimum rating of 10% applies.
What the VA Looks For
For the minimum ratings for residuals under diagnostic codes 8000–8025, the VA requires that there be ascertainable residuals. Key points the VA considers:
- Objective residuals — lasting effects that can be verified — form the primary basis for evaluation.
- Subjective residuals — such as headaches, dizziness, or fatigability — that cannot be objectively verified are approached on the basis of the recorded diagnosis. These subjective residuals will be accepted when they are consistent with the disease and are not more likely attributable to other disease or to no disease at all.
- When a rating higher than the prescribed minimum is assigned, it is considered exceptionally important that the diagnostic codes used as the basis of evaluation be cited, in addition to the codes identifying the diagnoses.
This information is drawn directly from the VA rating schedule under 38 CFR § 4.124a for Diagnostic Code 8022. It is provided for general educational purposes and does not guarantee any particular rating or outcome.
These criteria are a rendering of § 4.124a, diagnostic code 8022. The official version is the one that governs your rating.
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