The Veteran's lumbar spine disability was rated at 20 percent prior to October 26, 2011 and increased to 40 percent effective October 26, 2011. The right lower extremity sciatic nerve impairment was also rated at 10 percent prior to October 26, 2011 and increased to 20 percent effective October 26, 2011.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lumbar spine disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the General Formula due to his range of motion being greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees. The right lower extremity sciatic nerve impairment also met the criteria for a 20 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative changes of the lumbar spine, Sciatic nerve impairment
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- January 27, 2015
- Citation
- 1503798
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 1503798.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, based on sciatic nerve impairment, is granted with a disability rating of 40 percent effective from March 4, 2023. The Veteran's radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, based on femoral nerve impairment, is also granted with a disability rating of 20 percent effective from March 4, 2023.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for a thoracolumbar spine disability, finding that the VA examination and opinion were inadequate as they did not consider the Veteran's complete medical history. The case is now to be reviewed with an addendum VA opinion.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal was dismissed because the Board Appeal request was not timely filed with respect to the June 14, 2023 rating decision that decreased the rating for degenerative changes of the lumbar spine to 20 percent effective September 1, 2023.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability and an acquired psychiatric disability, but remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus.
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