The Board has determined that the Veteran's lumbar spine degenerative disc disease warrants an initial 20 percent rating, but no higher, throughout the appeal period.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that during periods of overuse or repetitive use, the Veteran's range of motion is reduced to a combined range of motion not greater than 120 degrees, which meets the criteria for a 20 percent rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, psoriasis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- September 30, 2016
- Citation
- 1639855
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 1639855.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability, as there are insufficient medical opinions and records. The case will be returned to the AOJ for further development.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for heart attack, kidney stones, polycythemia vera, diabetes mellitus type 2, and psoriasis is remanded due to inadequate VA opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial rating for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease was denied, and his claims for right knee, left knee, right hand, left hand, GERD, neck disability, and bilateral hearing loss were also denied. The effective date of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea was granted on December 14, 2022.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU based on a single disability, finding that his psychiatric disorder alone did not render him unemployable and that he was not in receipt of a total disability rating based on a single service-connected condition.
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