The Board found that the veteran's service-connected dorsal spine disability does not warrant a higher rating, as his range of motion is within normal limits and he does not have severe limitation of function.
The deciding factor: The objective evidence showed that the veteran could flex his back to at least 45 degrees and lateral tilt to at least 20 degrees bilaterally, which did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the new criteria for evaluating spine disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Back injury at D4-D5, Post-traumatic arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- June 3, 2005
- Citation
- 0515151
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 0515151.
What this means for you
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- Dismissed
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The Board denied an increased disability evaluation for post-traumatic arthritis right ankle, finding the Veteran's symptoms are equivalent to marked limited of motion and not warranting a rating in excess of 20 percent.
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