The Board has granted a 40 percent rating for traumatic arthritis of the lumbar spine with history of compression fracture and a separate 10 percent rating for traumatic arthritis of the thoracic spine. The veteran's service-connected back condition is now rated as 50 percent overall.
The deciding factor: The evidence supported the grant of increased ratings based on the severity of the veteran's arthritis in both lumbar and thoracic spines, with no significant intervertebral disc syndrome or other conditions that would warrant higher ratings under different diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- Traumatic arthritis of the lumbar spine, Traumatic arthritis of the dorsal spine (thoracic)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- October 18, 2002
- Citation
- 0214579
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 0214579.
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
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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