The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine disability warrants a 20 percent evaluation, effective from March 1, 2008. A separate rating for right lower extremity radiculopathy is warranted prior to July 30, 2013.
The deciding factor: The VA examination revealed forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees and no additional functional limitations. The Veteran's symptoms did not meet criteria for ankylosis or incapacitating episodes.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spondylosis (lumbar spine disability), rheumatoid arthritis of the lumbosacral spine, mild degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine with mild scoliosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- November 1, 2013
- Citation
- 1335275
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 1335275.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the veteran's lumbar spine disability and radiculopathies effective November 30, 2018.
- Granted
The veteran's service-connected rheumatoid arthritis of the left hip, right hip, right knee, left knee, fingers of the right hand, fingers of the left hand, right elbow, left elbow, right wrist, and left wrist have been rated as 10 percent disabling. The veteran's service-connected rheumatoid arthritis of the left shoulder and right shoulder have been rated as 20 percent disabling.
- Granted
The veteran's lumbosacral strain was granted a 40 percent evaluation effective October 28, 1998. The TDIU claim is also granted.
- 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.
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