The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is currently rated at 20 percent, which reflects the limitation of motion and associated symptoms. His bilateral hearing loss is also rated at 20 percent.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s lumbar spine disability has been found to have forward flexion limited to 55 degrees with pain, not meeting criteria for a higher rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. His bilateral hearing loss is rated based on speech recognition scores which are within normal limits.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder, Cardiovascular disorder, Lumbar spine strain, Bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- July 14, 2014
- Citation
- 1431470
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 1431470.
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 claims for service connection for a low back disability and an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the current disabilities to military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for a determination on whether injuries sustained in a November 2001 incident were in the line of duty. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is also remanded due to its interdependence with the line of duty issue.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeals of the initial ratings for his service-connected chronic cough and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to procedural errors in the evidentiary record.
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