The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for his thoracolumbar spine disability was denied by the Board in May 2017, and he appealed to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC). The CAVC remanded the case back to the Board for further development.,In June 2017, a VA examination showed that the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability had worsened such that it warranted an increased rating. However, the Board denied the claim as of June 27, 2017.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating due to the lack of unfavorable ankylosis and that there was no intervertebral disc syndrome.
- Claimed conditions
- Thoracolumbar spine disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- April 23, 2018
- Citation
- 1824890
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 1824890.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating of his cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, left shoulder, right shoulder, upper extremity neurological, and lower extremity neurological disabilities due to inadequate VA medical examinations in March 2019 and January-May 2016. The new examinations must consider the Veteran's reported onset dates for his symptoms.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities cause the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, which is granted based on the evidence provided.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for thoracolumbar spine disability and left hip disability due to inadequate medical opinions in the original decision. The claims will be reconsidered with new medical opinions.
- Granted
The Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted. The evidence does not support a finding of entitlement to an increased rating for this condition.
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