The Veteran's lumbar spine DDD was found to be manifested by forward flexion of less than 60 degrees and a combined range of motion less than 120 degrees, with no additional functional loss due to pain or weakness. The Board denied the claim for ratings in excess of 10 percent prior to March 5, 2011, and 20 percent beginning March 5, 2011.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lumbar spine DDD did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under any applicable diagnostic code due to the lack of additional functional loss or incapacitating episodes as required by the evaluation criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- January 11, 2012
- Citation
- 1200999
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 1200999.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for lumbar spine degenerative arthritis and DDD, as well as right and left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to the now service-connected lumbar spine condition. The decision is based on a finding of relative equipoise in the evidence regarding whether these conditions are related to service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error regarding the service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy, including as aggravated by service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD).
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine disability, including spondylosis, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD), facet joint arthritis, and L4-5 disc bulge, is now rated at 40 percent effective June 11, 2019.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's requests to appeal the May 12, 2023 rating decision that granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied service connection for lumbar spine DDD, left heel injury, and right knee injury. The reasons given were that the appeals were not timely filed.
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