The Board has granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's lumbar degenerative changes at L5-S1, with small disc bulging, mild lateral recess stenosis, and paraspinous thoracic myalgia with Schmorl's nodes effective from January 26, 2009. The effective date of this grant has been set as July 31, 2008.
The deciding factor: The Veteran met the percentage requirements for a grant of a 20 percent disability rating for lumbar degenerative changes at L5-S1 with small disc bulging, mild lateral recess stenosis, and paraspinous thoracic myalgia with Schmorl's nodes effective from July 31, 2008.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar degenerative changes at L5-S1, small disc bulging, mild lateral recess stenosis, paraspinous thoracic myalgia with Schmorl's nodes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- May 10, 2010
- Citation
- 1017163
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 1017163.
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 lumbar degenerative changes at L5-S1, with small disc bulging, mild lateral recess stenosis, and paraspinous thoracic myalgia with Schmorl's nodes have not been manifested by thoracolumbar flexion to 30 degrees or less, ankylosis, or incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least four weeks during the past 12 months. Therefore, her claim for an increased rating is denied.
- 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.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected musculoligamentous strain, right knee, is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.
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