The Veteran's claim for higher ratings for his service-connected intervertebral disc syndrome at L4, spondylolisthesis L5-S1, residuals of a back injury and associated neurological disorders was denied. He is currently rated as 20 percent disabled for the right lower extremity condition from May 24, 2017.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's range of motion did not meet the criteria for higher ratings due to his significant flexion and lack of incapacitating episodes.
- Claimed conditions
- intervertebral disc syndrome at L4, spondylolisthesis L5-S1, residuals of a back injury, neurological disorder of the right lower extremity, neurological disorder of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- October 25, 2018
- Citation
- 18144146
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 18144146.
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 has denied service connection for neurological disorders of the right upper, left lower, and right lower extremities as there is no evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active service.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current neurological disorder of the right lower extremity, and therefore, service connection for this condition is denied as it is not secondary to his service-connected lumbosacral strain.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for a neurological disorder of the left lower extremity to obtain additional evidence and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Partly granted
The veteran is granted a 10 percent rating for tension headaches from April 13, 2022 to May 26, 2022. The claim for a higher rating and other service connection issues are remanded or denied.
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