The Veteran was awarded a 60% rating for his degenerative disc disease of the thoracic and lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome also claimed as neuro foraminal stenosis, effective August 23, 2012. The Board found that this date marked the earliest ascertainable increase in disability.
The deciding factor: The VA treatment notes from August 8, 2012 constituted an informal claim for an increased rating, and a lumbar MRI revealed moderate bilateral neural foramina stenosis on August 23, 2012.
- Claimed conditions
- degenerative disc disease of the thoracic and lumbar spine, neuro foraminal stenosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- October 24, 2018
- Citation
- 18144422
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 18144422.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and thoracic/lumbar spine, both secondary to left shoulder fracture.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to incomplete records and for additional examinations to determine the current severity of his disabilities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for degenerative disc disease of the thoracic and lumbar spine and uveitis are being remanded due to the addition of VA treatment records, including visual field test results from a July 2016 examination. These records may be relevant to his disability evaluations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal for a total disability based on individual unemployability.,The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for ischemic heart disease, diabetes, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to potential new evidence and further development is needed.,The claim for increased rating for degenerative disc disease of the thoracic and lumbar spine remains pending. A VA examination will be conducted to assess the current severity of the condition.,The claims for service connection for ischemic heart disease, diabetes, and an acquired psychiatric disorder are remanded due to potential new evidence from the Veteran's hearing and need further development.,A VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran has a diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and adjustment disorder. The examiner must also attempt to corroborate the Veteran’s reported stressors.
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