The Veteran's low back injury with L5-S1 degenerative joint disease has been rated at 20 percent since April 13, 1999. The current rating is the maximum available for this condition.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms have resulted in forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine limited to 80 degrees and combined range of motion limited to 154 degrees, without favorable or unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine. Incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 2 weeks but less than 4 weeks during the past 12 months have been noted.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back injury with L5-S1 degenerative joint disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- June 13, 2012
- Citation
- 1220728
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 1220728.
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 claim for a higher rating for her low back disability was denied by the Board, as the current evaluation of 20 percent adequately reflects the severity of her symptoms and functional impairment.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for low back injury with L5-S1 degenerative joint disease was denied by the Board.
- 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.
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