The veteran's claims for increased ratings for right eye macular degeneration and osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine were denied. The right eye disability is currently rated at 30 percent, while the lumbar spine disability remains at 20 percent.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of the veteran's conditions or any additional factors that would warrant an increased rating under the applicable diagnostic codes.
- Claimed conditions
- Osteoarthritis of the Lumbar Spine, Right Eye Macular Degeneration
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 5, 2006
- Citation
- 0637740
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,710 · Granted: 15% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0637740.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine due to additional development being necessary, including a VA examination.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since December 1, 2011. The Board has granted TDIU from that date.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability and denied an earlier effective date for the grant of a 40 percent rating for osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine. The Veteran's cervical spine disability was not incurred in service, and his claim for increased rating for osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine is granted with an effective date of September 17, 2005.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claim for increased evaluations for right shoulder strain and osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine was denied. The Veteran received a rating of 40 percent for right shoulder strain (dominant) from January 6, 2012 onwards, but her claim for an increased evaluation in excess of 20 percent for osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine remains pending.
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