The Veteran's lumbar scoliosis with facet arthrosis and cervical degenerative arthritis were not rated higher than the assigned evaluations from January 24, 2009 to December 19, 2013 and since December 20, 2013 respectively.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's range of motion did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine (General Rating Formula).
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar scoliosis with facet arthrosis, cervical degenerative arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 28, 2015
- Citation
- 1553790
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1553790.
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 current cervical spine disability is related to service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied eligibility for attorney fees as the June 2024 TDIU decision was not an initial decision on service connection claims, but rather a determination of unemployability based on previously granted conditions.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for cervical degenerative arthritis and anterolisthesis C4 on C5, but remanded the issues of service connection for an eye disability (including pinguecula, dry eye syndrome, and hypertensive retinopathy) and entitlement to a TDIU.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for thoracolumbar degenerative arthritis and lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration, cervical degenerative arthritis, left shoulder acromioclavicular joint degeneration, right hip strain, anxiety as secondary to the Veteran's back condition, and depression as secondary to the Veteran's back condition. The claims for service connection for a left knee condition and a right knee condition were denied.
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