The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine is currently rated at 20 percent, and his radiculopathy of both lower extremities are also rated at 20 percent each. The rating for the thoracolumbar spine remains unchanged.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations consistently showed flexion limited to 50 degrees or more in some instances, which aligns with a 20% disability rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease, thoracolumbar spine, Radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, Radiculopathy of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- August 12, 2014
- Citation
- 1435858
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 1435858.
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 extraschedular ratings for the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine and lower extremity radiculopathy disabilities, as well as a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to February 3, 2011.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has found new and relevant evidence for the Veteran's claims of service connection for back and right knee disabilities. The claim for a back disability is granted, while the claim for a right knee disability is remanded due to insufficient rationale in supporting opinions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's lumbosacral spine disability is rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that it warrants a rating of 40 percent throughout the appeal period.,Service connection for left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral spine disability is granted. The Veteran's claim for an initial rating will be remanded for further evaluation.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's radiculopathy of the right lower extremity is currently rated at 70% effective from February 11, 2010.,Entitlement to an earlier effective date for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity was denied.
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