The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his lumbar spine disability and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 40 percent for the lumbar spine disability, or for initial compensable ratings for the bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy prior to October 23, 2008.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show unfavorable ankylosis of the thoracolumbar spine, nor did it demonstrate incapacitating episodes requiring prescribed bed rest from a physician. The Veteran's symptoms were evaluated under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine and Diagnostic Code 8520.
- Claimed conditions
- Lumbar Spine Disability, Bilateral Lower Extremity Radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 25, 2018
- Citation
- 1805052
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 1805052.
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 Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability, both before and after November 8, 2024.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a finding of total disability based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, as his service-connected back, bilateral hip, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, and left foot disabilities do not prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disability, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's military service.
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