The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for the veteran's service-connected degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine, L5-S1, based on aggravation.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not show that the veteran's low back disability was manifested by forward flexion limited to 30 degrees or less, more than moderate limitation of motion, severe lumbosacral strain with listing of the whole spine, or ankylosis. Additionally, a separate compensable evaluation for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity attributable to the service-connected DJD was not warranted.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine (L5-S1)
- How they argued it
- Aggravation of a pre-existing condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- January 14, 2009
- Citation
- 0901450
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 0901450.
What this means for you
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