The Veteran's service-connected lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis is manifested by pain with muscle spasm productive of guarding severe enough to lead to an abnormal gait, warranting a 20 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms include significant back pain and functional impairment leading to an abnormal gait, which meets the criteria for a 20 percent rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- January 11, 2018
- Citation
- 1802539
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 1802539.
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.
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The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to inadequate VA medical opinions. The claims include increased rating and TDIU issues related to lower back condition and left lower extremity sensory deficit.
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The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for right knee degenerative arthritis prior to November 30, 2017 was denied as the evidence did not show flexion limited to 45 degrees or less, or by extension limited to 10 degrees or more.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome with degenerative arthritis prior to July 6, 2018 and since October 1, 2018 was denied as the evidence did not show flexion limited to 45 degrees or less, or by extension limited to 10 degrees or more.
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