The Board has granted a 40 percent disability rating for the veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, effective from September 26, 2003. The ratings for arthritis of both hips remain at 10 percent.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed severe limitation of motion in the lumbar spine with forward flexion limited to 30 degrees by pain, which met the criteria for a 40 percent rating under the revised spinal disability rating criteria effective September 26, 2003. The arthritis ratings were not changed as they did not meet the criteria for higher ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, Arthritis of the right hip, Arthritis of the left hip
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- September 20, 2007
- Citation
- 0729667
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 0729667.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for his lumbar spine and right hip disabilities due to a duty to assist error. The effective date for DEA benefits is granted as May 1, 2014.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and higher initial rating for his back disability is denied. The effective date remains March 29, 2021, as the earliest date of claim. An initial rating in excess of 20 percent for the back disability from March 29, 2021, is also denied.
- Granted
The Veteran's low back disability and right leg radiculopathy are granted service connection, but left leg radiculopathy is denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU, finding that his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.
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