The veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 40 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating under the old criteria. The new general rating formula for diseases and injuries of the spine does not change this rating as it still meets the criteria for a severe lumbosacral strain.
The deciding factor: The veteran's disability meets the criteria for a severe lumbosacral strain, warranting the maximum schedular rating under both the old and new criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- March 13, 2007
- Citation
- 0707441
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 0707441.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeals for increased disability ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for posttraumatic headaches, and concluded that his cervical spine and lumbar spine disabilities are not related to military service.
- Granted
The veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis of the lumbar spine have been rated at 10 percent since August 1, 2004.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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