The Veteran's multilevel degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is currently rated at 40 percent, effective December 5, 2011. His chronic cervical sprain/strain remains at a 20 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations consistently showed forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to be less than 30 degrees with pain throughout and no additional functional impairment upon repetitive testing.
- Claimed conditions
- multilevel degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- December 18, 2013
- Citation
- 1341887
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 1341887.
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 service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a special home adaptation grant as they do not result in anatomical loss or use of both hands, blindness in both eyes, deep partial thickness burns, full thickness or subdermal burns, or residuals of an inhalation injury.
- Granted
The Board granted earlier effective dates for the initial 20 percent and subsequent 40 percent ratings for service-connected multilevel degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, as well as for service connection for right and left lower extremity radiculopathies.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to March 29, 2018. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU from March 29, 2018 was dismissed as moot.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the initial evaluations of his spine and radiculopathy conditions. The Board dismissed the case as a result.
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