The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 40 percent, effective from the date of this decision. For the period from March 1, 2014 to January 24, 2018, his right and left lower extremity radiculopathy are each rated at 20 percent.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed functional impairment limiting forward flexion of the lumbar spine to less than 30 degrees, which meets the criteria for a 40% rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The Veteran's radiculopathy was rated at 20 percent based on moderate incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative changes of the lumbar spine, Radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, Radiculopathy of the left lower extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- October 26, 2018
- Citation
- 18145049
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 18145049.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include a mood disorder and alcohol abuse disorder, secondary to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities. The other claims for increased ratings were denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for higher staged ratings and initial ratings in excess of 10 percent, 20 percent, and 10 percent for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, right lower extremity, and residual painful surgical scar, posterior trunk respectively, to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Denied
The Board denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and special monthly compensation (SMC) for the period from August 29, 2014, to June 16, 2019.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a lumbar spine disability and an acquired psychiatric disability, but remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus.
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