The Board found that the Veteran's chronic lumbar strain did not meet or approximate the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent. The Veteran was also denied TDIU benefits as her service-connected disabilities do not preclude her from obtaining substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations showed no ankylosis, and the Veteran's range of motion did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under Diagnostic Codes 5235-5243. The Board also found that there were no incapacitating episodes due to intervertebral disc syndrome in the past year.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic lumbar strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- April 20, 2016
- Citation
- 1616015
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 1616015.
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 service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy and a rating in excess of 10 percent for chronic lumbar strain. The claims for migraines and Meniere's disease are remanded.
- Denied
The Board has readjudicated the claim for service connection for chronic lumbar strain due to new evidence submitted after the prior final denial. However, it was determined that the Veteran's current condition is not related to service because his actions leading to the injury were considered willful misconduct.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for a chronic lumbar strain was dismissed due to an impermissible concurrent election of review options.
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