The VA has determined that the veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine does not meet or approximate criteria for a higher disability rating, as it does not involve ankylosis and its impact on employment is already contemplated by the current evaluation.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not demonstrate ankylosis of any portion of the veteran's spine, which would allow for a higher evaluation under the applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- April 4, 2006
- Citation
- 0609780
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,643 · Granted: 15% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0609780.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the appeals for various rating and service connection claims due to the Veteran's death.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for alcohol use disorder is denied.,A disability rating of 100% (total) is granted for PTSD, effective from the date of this decision.,A disability rating of 100% (total) is granted for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, effective from the date of this decision.
- Dismissed
The appeal concerning the revisions of evaluations for various conditions and special monthly compensation has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claim for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine with degenerative arthritis, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and right lower extremity radiculopathy is granted as it meets the criteria for direct service connection due to an in-service injury during combat operations.
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