The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating of 20 percent prior to January 3, 2009 for her low back disability was denied as the evidence did not show an increase in severity until after this date.
The deciding factor: The VA compensation examination conducted on January 3, 2009 showed less range of motion compared to a previous evaluation in May 2007, indicating that the Veteran's condition had worsened by then.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the lumbar spine with sacroiliac joint strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- December 3, 2010
- Citation
- 1045213
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 1045213.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
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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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