The Veteran's appeal for increased ratings and service connection claims were dismissed. The claim for service connection for a cervical spine disorder was denied as new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim. The Veteran's depressive disorder was granted service connection, but his lumbar spine disability remains at 20% despite some functional limitations.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s lumbar spine disability does not meet or approximate criteria for higher ratings due to lack of limitation in range of motion and absence of ankylosis.
- Claimed conditions
- depressive disorder, cervical spine disorder, lumbar spine disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- December 14, 2018
- Citation
- 18158320
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 18158320.
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his active military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's vascular headaches are granted effective August 22, 2011. A TDIU is granted effective February 11, 2015. SMC based on housebound criteria is denied prior to July 14, 2020.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for miscarriage, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and right elbow disability due to insufficient examination opinions and incomplete service history verification.
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