The Board denied an increased rating for the veteran's service-connected degenerative changes of the thoracic spine, finding that a higher rating was not warranted based on the evidence.
The deciding factor: The disability did not meet criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic codes due to lack of additional impairment beyond what is already provided by the current 10% rating.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative changes of the thoracic spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 24, 2003
- Citation
- 0303166
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,464 · Granted: 14% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0303166.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and evaluation due to inadequate range of motion assessments in previous examinations.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings in excess of the assigned disability ratings have been dismissed.,Service connection has been granted for major depressive disorder.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability, including degenerative changes of the thoracic spine, lumbar spondylosis, and lumbar spine DDD, had its onset in service and has been continuous since separation. Therefore, service connection is granted.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's lumbar spine disability and impairment of the right lower extremity as a residual of epidural abscess of the thoracic spine are granted with specific ratings, while TDIU for the period from March 28, 2007 to April 13, 2007 is granted.
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