The Veteran's service-connected residuals of a back injury, including multilevel degenerative disc disease and degenerative arthritis, are rated at 40 percent throughout the appeal period. The associated right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy is rated at 20 percent, while left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy is also rated at 20 percent.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected residuals of a back injury have been found to meet the criteria for a 40 percent evaluation under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine, as they result in forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine being less than or equal to 30 degrees.
- Claimed conditions
- multilevel degenerative disc disease, degenerative arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- June 8, 2011
- Citation
- 1122309
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 1122309.
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.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's rating for his right elbow condition from 10 percent to 20 percent effective May 5, 2025, finding that the evidence was in equipoise regarding whether there had been improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.
- Granted
The Board has granted earlier effective dates of January 13, 2020 for the service connection of low back disability and related radiculopathy issues. The Veteran's claims were reopened due to new evidence submitted in January 2020.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, finding that it is related to his in-service injury. The claimant did not contest this decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to predecisional duty-to-assist errors, including inadequate medical opinions and missed VA examinations. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition is being returned to the RO for further action.
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