The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for the veteran's residuals of compression fracture of the lumbar spine with degenerative joint disease, but denied any increase in rating for his thoracic spine disability.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows significant degenerative changes throughout the lumbar spine at multiple levels with retained hardware and severe limitation of motion due to pain with radiculopathy. The veteran's thoracic spine disability is manifested by degenerative joint disease with moderate functional loss.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of compression fracture of the lumbar spine, residuals of compression fracture of the thoracic spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- June 26, 2001
- Citation
- 0117067
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0117067.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected residuals of compression fracture of the lumbar spine does not present an exceptional or unusual disability picture with related factors such as marked interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization, and therefore, a higher rating is not warranted.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were granted, with a 10 percent evaluation assigned for deformity of the vertebral body in the lumbar spine and a 20 percent evaluation assigned for moderate limitation of motion of the lumbar spine. The claim for an excess rating for residuals of compression fracture of the thoracic spine was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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