The Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine is rated at 20 percent, effective September 26, 2007. He also has separate ratings for peripheral neuropathy of his right and left lower extremities (10% each).
The deciding factor: The VA examinations confirmed the current severity of the Veteran's DDD of the lumbar spine warranting a 20 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine, Peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity, Peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- September 21, 2012
- Citation
- 1232733
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 1232733.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that there is a need for additional medical examination and opinion to address the Veteran's claim of service connection for a back disability, including DDD of the lumbar spine. The current VA opinions are deemed inadequate due to their failure to consider the Veteran's lay reports of in-service injury and continuous symptomatology since service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his bilateral lower extremity neuropathy due to diabetes mellitus, have resulted in loss of use of both lower extremities. The Board has granted eligibility for specially adapted housing and dismissed the claim for a special home adaptation grant as moot.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty to assist error, requiring clarification on whether the Veteran's left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy is early-onset and if it is related to Agent Orange exposure during service.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for peripheral neuropathy of both the right and left lower extremities, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected hypertension.
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