The veteran's service-connected back disability is manifested by essentially full range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine with subjective complaints of pain; there is no competent evidence of incapacitating episodes of intervertebral disc disease, muscle spasm or guarding severe enough to result in an abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour, or a compensable neurological disorder.
The deciding factor: The veteran's back disability does not meet the criteria for a rating higher than 10 percent as there is no evidence of incapacitating episodes, muscle spasm or guarding, or a compensable neurological disorder.
- Claimed conditions
- postoperative residuals herniated nucleus pulposus lumbosacral spine with thoracic dextroscoliosis T7-8 with residual myofascial syndrome, left shoulder impingement syndrome, status post arthroscopic surgery
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 25, 2008
- Citation
- 0809849
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,419 · Granted: 21% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0809849.
What this means for you
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- Denied
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- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
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