The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 40 percent, effective from the date of this decision. The claim for increased ratings for radiculopathy of both lower extremities remains pending.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability resulted in a functional loss due to pain that more nearly approximated restriction of forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to 30 degrees or less, warranting a 40 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5237.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine diskectomy at L4-L5 with spurring and narrowing of the disc space, radiculopathy of the right lower extremity associated with the lumbar spine diskectomy at L4-L5, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity associated with the lumbar spine diskectomy at L4-L5
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- March 19, 2012
- Citation
- 1210120
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 1210120.
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
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