The veteran's claim for an increased rating for IVDS of the thoracolumbar spine was denied, as his disability is currently rated at 40 percent. The claim for service connection for bilateral knee disability secondary to lumbar spine disability was also denied.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the veteran’s low back disability did not result in additional chronic impairment of either knee as proximately due to his service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Arthritis of the Lumbar Spine, Herniated Nucleus Pulposus (L5-S1)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- January 7, 2005
- Citation
- 0500523
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 0500523.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied all claims for increased ratings, except for sinusitis which was granted a higher rating.
- Denied
The Board denied increased disability ratings for PTSD, bilateral plantar fasciitis and pes planus, TBI, right shoulder strain, SLAP, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, and radiculopathy of the right lower extremity associated with degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, right hip disability, and right knee disability as not related to the Veteran's lumbar spine disability or otherwise related to service. The claim to reopen a pinched nerve in the cervical spine with headaches was also denied due to lack of new and material evidence. The denial included initial and increased rating claims for shingles, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, radiculopathy of both lower extremities, and granted an evaluation of 60 percent for shingles from August 12, 2020, as well as a TDIU from May 15, 2014 to August 12, 2020.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's DDD of the cervical spine was granted a 20% rating effective February 28, 2018. His bilateral hearing loss and degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine were denied increased ratings. The TDIU issue is remanded.
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