The Veteran's low back disorder is rated at 40 percent, the highest available rating for a lumbar spine disability. The other issues are either granted or referred to the AOJ.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's low back disorder was found to be productive of forward flexion functionally limited to 30 degrees or less, meeting the criteria for a 40 percent evaluation under the general formula for rating diseases of the spine.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative joint disease, degenerative joint disease (DJD), left ankle, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), radiculitis, left lower extremity, degenerative joint disease (DJD), right knee, diabetes mellitus, degenerative joint disease, cervical spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- May 14, 2014
- Citation
- 1421801
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 1421801.
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 service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, visual impairment, hypertension, and erectile dysfunction due to lack of exposure to herbicide agents during service. The Veteran's claims were not granted.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including right shoulder disability, abdominal hernia, GERD, bilateral ankle disabilities, and bilateral foot disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during the appellant's period of active duty.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection on the merits are being remanded due to new evidence and development needs. The maximum disability rating for tinnitus has already been assigned.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right lower extremity peripheral artery disease, left lower extremity peripheral artery disease, and hypertension as the evidence did not establish an in-service event or exposure to herbicide agents.
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