The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, which includes scoliosis, is rated at 20 percent based on its severity and impact on function.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's muscle spasms resulted in an abnormal spinal contour (scoliosis), warranting a higher rating than the current 10 percent assigned under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, scoliosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- March 13, 2014
- Citation
- 1410636
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 1410636.
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 Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a back condition, including degenerative disc disease and scoliosis, due to lack of current disability evidence.
- Granted
The Veteran's hypertension, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, and right knee patellofemoral syndrome have been granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected disabilities. The lumbar spine disability has also been granted but the effective date is not specified.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to deficiencies in the duty to assist, and will require a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's pre-existing scoliosis and/or additional lumbar vertebra clearly and unmistakably existed prior to service and whether any increase in severity during service was due to natural progression.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, scoliosis and compression fracture of T5 and L2, cervical strain, herniation to C5-6, and narrowing at C3-5, and right knee strain. The decision is based on the Veteran's credible reports of symptoms during active duty.
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