The Veteran's residuals of meningitis warrant a 'staged' increased rating of 20 percent, effective August 11, 2005.
The deciding factor: Forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine was limited to 60 degrees (and further to 50 degrees on use) as of August 11, 2005, warranting a 20 percent rating under the General Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of meningitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 11, 2009
- Citation
- 0909010
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,699 · Granted: 17% (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 0909010.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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 Veteran's claims for service connection on multiple conditions are being remanded due to the need for further development and clarification of his military service records.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the appeal due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, specifically failing to obtain in-service hospitalization records and post-service private treatment records. The Veteran's appeal for service connection for Reiter's syndrome and residuals of meningitis is now pending again.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of meningitis, increased ratings for peripheral neuropathy, and sleep apnea have been denied. The Board has also remanded several other issues related to the Veteran's disabilities.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory disability, chronic bronchitis, chronic sinusitis, and residuals of meningitis are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between these conditions and active duty service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.