The Veteran's service-connected mechanical low back pain, right wrist sprain, left wrist injury residuals, and postoperative residuals of a fracture of the left ankle are all rated at 10 percent. The Veteran is granted increased ratings to 20 percent for his mechanical low back pain from July 31, 2014.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations conducted in October 2011 and July 2014 indicated that the Veteran's range of motion was within normal limits with no muscle spasm or guarding. However, he reported daily pain and limited motion, which resulted in a functional limitation between 30 and 60 degrees for forward flexion.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder (including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression), Mechanical low back pain, Sprain of the right wrist, Residuals of a left wrist injury, Postoperative residuals of a fracture of the left ankle
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- March 25, 2015
- Citation
- 1512695
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 1512695.
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 appeal for service connection of mechanical low back pain, finding no current disability and concluding that the March 1999 rating decision was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous.
- Denied
The Board denied an increased disability rating in excess of 20 percent for the service-connected back disability and an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for the right lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of individual unemployability (TDIU) is remanded due to new evidence received within one year of the February 2010 rating decision, which indicates that the Veteran was unable to work due to PTSD.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for mechanical low back pain and lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease L3-4 was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on limitation of motion or other factors. Service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy were also denied as there is no evidence of secondary service connection.
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