The Veteran's arthritis of the lumbar spine is currently rated as noncompensable under Diagnostic Code 5242. The VA examiner found no limitation in range of motion, muscle spasm or guarding severe enough to result in abnormal gait or spinal contour. Therefore, a compensable rating is not warranted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's lumbar spine disability does not meet the criteria for any higher evaluation under Diagnostic Code 5242 due to lack of limitation in range of motion and no evidence of muscle spasm or guarding severe enough to result in abnormal gait or spinal contour.
- Claimed conditions
- Arthritis of Lumbar Spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 22, 2018
- Citation
- 1811521
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 1811521.
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 determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's increased evaluation claims related to his service-connected right and left knee disabilities, right shoulder disability, sinusitis, and lumbar spine disability. The claims are being remanded for further examination and consideration.
- Denied
The Veteran's right knee disability is rated at 10% for arthritis with limitation of motion and a separate 10% rating for residuals of the meniscectomy. For the lumbar spine, a noncompensable rating was assigned from January 1, 2012 to March 10, 2016, and a 10% rating has been granted since March 11, 2016.
- Granted
The Board finds that the Veteran's degenerative disc syndrome and arthritis of lumbar spine originated in service, with symptoms dating back to his military service. The evidence supports a finding that these conditions are related to service.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's neurological impairment of bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy is not related to his service-connected low back strain, and thus denied a separate compensable rating for this condition.
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