The veteran's back condition, including lumbar myositis, bulging disc, degenerative joint disease, reverse lordosis, spondylosis, and discogenic disease, is currently rated at 40 percent. The Board has now granted a higher rating of 60 percent based on the severity of his symptoms.
The deciding factor: The veteran's back condition, characterized by constant low back pain with muscle spasm, tenderness, swelling, and restricted, guarded, and painful movement; radiculopathy manifesting in radiating pain, numbness, paresthesias, atrophy, and decreased sensation, strength, and reflexes of the lower extremities; x-ray evidence of reverse lordosis, spondylosis, degenerative joint disease, bulging disc, and discogenic disease of the lumbosacral spine, meets the criteria for a 60 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5293.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar myositis, bulging disc, degenerative joint disease, reverse lordosis, spondylosis, discogenic disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- May 16, 2006
- Citation
- 0614286
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 40 percent evaluation for sciatic nerve radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, a 30 percent evaluation for femoral nerve radiculopathy of the right and left lower extremities, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU), but denied an increased evaluation in excess of 40 percent for spinal stenosis and lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for residuals of a right knee meniscal tear to include degenerative joint disease, finding that the Veteran's in-service injury led to his current condition.
- Granted
The Board granted an increased initial rating of 20 percent disabling for the Veteran's right shoulder, effective November 22, 2011.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, diagnosed as degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease, intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), and lumbosacral strain, based on the Veteran's consistent account of having low back problems since service.
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