The Veteran's upper back strain and lumbar facet arthrosis are rated at 20 percent each, effective May 2, 2015. The right knee disorder is rated noncompensable based on painful motion.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations confirmed the presence of degenerative joint disease in both the upper back and lower back, warranting a higher rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The right knee disorder was found to have some limitation of flexion but no compensable limitation based on painful motion.
- Claimed conditions
- Upper Back Strain, Lumbar Facet Arthrosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- April 17, 2018
- Citation
- 1823246
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 1823246.
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.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the reductions in evaluations for bilateral pes planus and upper back strain were not proper as they did not establish an improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions.
- Denied
The Board denied increased evaluations for the Veteran's upper back strain and right radius fracture, finding that a rating in excess of 40 percent is not warranted.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected lumbar myositis, psychoneurosis and conversion hysteria, residuals of shrapnel wounds of the left thigh and pelvis with retained foreign bodies and scars, and residuals of shell fragment wounds of the right thigh and left leg. The veteran was also denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
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