The Veteran's low back disability is currently evaluated at 20 percent, but the VA examiner found that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating due to limitations in range of motion and pain.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined that the Veteran’s current symptoms did not meet the criteria for an increased evaluation beyond 20 percent as per the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) of the low back
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 10, 2014
- Citation
- 1445137
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1445137.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for DJD of the low back was reopened and granted. However, his claim for service connection for a migraine disorder was denied.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's increased disability rating for DJD of the low back was granted, and a separate compensable disability rating for post operative residuals of hemorrhoidectomies with anal stricture was also granted. The Board found that referral for an extraschedular rating was not warranted.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that a low back disability, diagnosed as DJD of the lumbar spine, had its onset during service and grants service connection for this condition.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
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