The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, status post lumbar fusion was denied as there is no evidence showing forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to 30 degrees or less, or favorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his degenerative joint disease of the right knee was denied as there is no evidence showing flexion limited to 30 degrees, or extension limited to 15 degrees; or ankylosis.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not show that the Veteran's lumbar spine condition meets the criteria for a higher rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, status post lumbar fusion, Degenerative joint disease of the right knee, Left lower extremity radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 4, 2018
- Citation
- 1800484
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 1800484.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The appeal for higher ratings and effective dates for various conditions was denied, with the exception of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy which were granted an earlier effective date.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted an effective date of July 31, 2012, for TDIU and October 22, 2012, for service connection of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's cervical spine disability is granted a 30 percent rating, while the lumbar and lower extremity radiculopathy claims are denied. An earlier effective date for right lower extremity radiculopathy was granted, and TDIU based on single service-connected disability is remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for further development to ensure that the severity of the Veteran's bilateral knee disability is accurately assessed without considering the ameliorative effects of medication.
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