The Veteran's lumbar degenerative disc and joint disease has not resulted in unfavorable thoracolumbar ankylosis, so a higher evaluation is denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not show unfavorable thoracolumbar ankylosis, which is required for a 50% rating under the general rating formula for diseases and injuries of the spine.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar degenerative disc and joint disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 25, 2012
- Citation
- 1233235
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1233235.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Board denied the veteran's attempts to appeal rating decisions due to untimeliness of the appeals.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The appeal for service connection of a neck condition was dismissed. The veteran's rating for thoracic strain, lumbar degenerative disc and joint disease, and stenosis was restored to 40 percent. A 10 percent rating for bursitis in the right hip was granted. The claim for sleep apnea was remanded.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's lumbar degenerative disc and joint disease is rated at 20 percent, the maximum schedular rating for this condition. The ratings for his right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy are denied.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar degenerative disc and joint disease as secondary to his service-connected left foot pes planus with left foot scattered osteoarthritis, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.
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