The Board granted increased ratings of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease and 20 percent for cervical strain with degenerative disc disease, effective from the date of the appealed July 1996 rating decision.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations showed marked limitation of motion in both lumbar and cervical spine disabilities, including loss of lateral motion, x-ray findings of degenerative disc disease, and functional impairment due to pain. These findings supported a higher evaluation under the applicable criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease, cervical strain with degenerative disc disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- June 9, 2006
- Citation
- 0617019
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 0617019.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to her service-connected disabilities, as the evidence demonstrated she was unable to obtain and maintain gainful employment.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for increased initial ratings and service connection, effective November 18, 2019.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbosacral strain, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood chronic, sleepwalker disorder, and lower lumbar extremity radiculopathies. The claims for service connection for PTSD, erectile dysfunction, obstructive sleep apnea, and a TDIU were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease was granted a rating of 40 percent on and after August 11, 2018.
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