The Veteran's thoracic spine strain is currently rated as 10 percent disabling, and the Board finds a 20 percent rating is warranted.,The Veteran’s right elbow lateral epicondylitis warrants an initial rating in excess of 10 percent.,The effective date for service connection of diabetes mellitus must be earlier than December 17, 2007.,The Veteran's diabetic nephropathy requires a higher initial rating.,The Veteran’s coronary artery disease with bypass graft warrants an initial rating in excess of 30 percent.,The effective date for service connection of nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy must be earlier than March 25, 2010.,The Veteran's hypertension requires a higher initial compensable rating.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s thoracic spine strain is manifested by pain beginning at 60 degrees on forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine. He does not have ankylosis or forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine to 30 degrees or less, and no incapacitating episodes having a total duration of at least 4 weeks but less than 6 weeks in a 12 month period.,The Veteran’s right elbow lateral epicondylitis warrants an initial rating in excess of 10 percent due to moderate recurrent subluxation or lateral instability.,Service connection for diabetes mellitus must be granted with an effective date earlier than December 17, 2007.,Diabetic nephropathy requires a higher initial rating based on the severity of the disability.,Coronary artery disease with bypass graft warrants an initial rating in excess of 30 percent due to the severity of the disability.,Nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy requires an effective date earlier than March 25, 2010 for service connection.,Hypertension requires a higher initial compensable rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Thoracic spine strain, Right knee status post meniscectomy with residual scars, Right elbow lateral epicondylitis, Diabetes mellitus, Diabetic nephropathy, Coronary artery disease with bypass graft, Nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, Hypertension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 24, 2018
- Citation
- 18129501
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 18129501.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- Denied
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- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for hypertension and has remanded the issue of an increased rating for skin condition.
- Granted
The Board has restored the Veteran's 10% rating for hypertension effective December 1, 2025 and denied a rating in excess of 10%. The reduction from 10% to noncompensable was not proper.
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