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Torn Rotator Cuff

RobLyman

- hawk Pilot
pilot
None
Different regs in the Army, but you get 365 days to be on a "temporary" medical profile and still receive flight pay. Since flight pay is service wide, I would think the Navy has a similar policy.

I tore my labrum (3/4 of circumference) and rotator cuff, had surgery, and was back flying in 4 months. I had AGGRESSIVE physical therapy. It's worth 20% VA disability now, but I would gladly give up the compensation to not require ibuprofen on the many days it "bothers me". #$%@$ mountain bikes!!!
 

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
Different regs in the Army, but you get 365 days to be on a "temporary" medical profile and still receive flight pay. Since flight pay is service wide, I would think the Navy has a similar policy.

I tore my labrum (3/4 of circumference) and rotator cuff, had surgery, and was back flying in 4 months. I had AGGRESSIVE physical therapy. It's worth 20% VA disability now, but I would gladly give up the compensation to not require ibuprofen on the many days it "bothers me". #$%@$ mountain bikes!!!
A friend of mine just had his disability rating come back and he received 40% for his torn rotator cuff injury and subsequent surgery.
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
Different regs in the Army, but you get 365 days to be on a "temporary" medical profile and still receive flight pay. Since flight pay is service wide, I would think the Navy has a similar policy.

Correct, and I've seen guys struggle to get the money flowing again when they came back up due to administrative latency.
 

RobLyman

- hawk Pilot
pilot
None
A friend of mine just had his disability rating come back and he received 40% for his torn rotator cuff injury and subsequent surgery.
This would not be uncommon for immediately following surgery. 40% would be appropriate for someone who could raise their arm half way or less from their side to parallel to the ground. ie in the neighborhood of 25 degrees. The rating has to be reevaluated (after 6 months and every two to five years). At some point, having met the appropriate criteria, the disability can be considered permanent. If the movement is still restricted when it becomes permanent, the 40% rating would be permanent. This sort of surgery requires a lot of PT to get movement back. In my case I also needed a cortisone injection in my joint. I have movement. but not without pain. I would not be surprised if mine is increased to 40% sometime in the future and your friend's was decreased to 20% at some point if movement was increased as a result of PT and other treatment. YMMV
Correct, and I've seen guys struggle to get the money flowing again when they came back up due to administrative latency.
I know the Army uses this as a trigger. As a pilot, if it gets to 365 days, a medical review board is started. Somehow, that action is able to stop any favorable processing immediately, while efforts akin to moving Everest are required to get the processes moving again.

Honestly, I support moving toward a review board if the recovery time is excessive. For example:

I was back up and flying in 4 months and never lost my flight pay. Another pilot in my unit had a 1/4 labral (maybe labia, I'm not sure) and took full days off work for PT, because "I have to take pain pills after PT, and I am not allowed to drive after taking them. And I'm not coming in for a couple of hours before my PT appointment only to turn around and leave." Me? I scheduled my PT at the beginning or end of the day. 800 mg ibuprofen was fine for me. Also, somehow his PT was five days a week while mine was only two. Ten months later he still wasn't clear to fly, and more importantly not cleared to do a physical fitness test. When the unit told him to be prepared to lose his flight pay at 365 days, he came out with an "UP SLIP" but a renewed PT prescription for 12 more weeks! No required PT test yet.:rolleyes:
 
Last edited:

exNavyOffRec

Well-Known Member
This would not be uncommon for immediately following surgery. 40% would be appropriate for someone who could raise their arm half way or less from their side to parallel to the ground. ie in the neighborhood of 25 degrees. The rating has to be reevaluated (after 6 months and every two to five years). At some point, having met the appropriate criteria, the disability can be considered permanent. If the movement is still restricted when it becomes permanent, the 40% rating would be permanent. This sort of surgery requires a lot of PT to get movement back. In my case I also needed a cortisone injection in my joint. I have movement. but not without pain. I would not be surprised if mine is increased to 40% sometime in the future and your friend's was decreased to 20% at some point if movement was increased as a result of PT and other treatment. YMMV

I know the Army uses this as a trigger. As a pilot, if it gets to 365 days, a medical review board is started. Somehow, that action is able to stop any favorable processing immediately, while efforts akin to moving Everest are required to get the processes moving again.

Honestly, I support moving toward a review board if the recovery time is excessive. For example:

I was back up and flying in 4 months and never lost my flight pay. Another pilot in my unit had a 1/4 labral (maybe labia, I'm not sure) and took full days off work for PT, because "I have to take pain pills after PT, and I am not allowed to drive after taking them. And I'm not coming in for a couple of hours before my PT appointment only to turn around and leave." Me? I scheduled my PT at the beginning or end of the day. 800 mg ibuprofen was fine for me. Also, somehow his PT was five days a week while mine was only two. Ten months later he still wasn't clear to fly, and more importantly not cleared to do a physical fitness test. When the unit told him to be prepared to lose his flight pay at 365 days, he came out with an "UP SLIP" but a renewed PT prescription for 12 more weeks! No required PT test yet.:rolleyes:
His PT is done, they doc said there would likely be no further improvement and this is unfortunate given he isn't that old.
 
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