The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability was denied, and the claim for an earlier effective date for his chloracne rating was also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support granting a higher rating than 20% for the lumbar spine disability or any earlier effective date for the chloracne.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's report showed that the Veteran had forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to at least 75 degrees, which is greater than 30 degrees but less than 60 degrees. The combined range of motion was also within normal limits (120-240 degrees). Muscle spasms and localized tenderness were noted, resulting in abnormal gait or spinal contour.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease, Chloracne
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- November 19, 2014
- Citation
- 1451387
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 1451387.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
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Service connection for GERD is granted and a 10% rating for hypertension is granted.,Disfiguring scars of the face secondary to chloracne are granted with a 30% rating from August 6, 2020. A separate 20% rating for painful scars of the face secondary to chloracne is granted. From June 19, 2025, a higher rating for disfiguring scars of the face and painful scars of the right groin secondary to chloracne are denied.,An increased 20% rating for chloracne is granted.
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