The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for lumbar spondylosis L5 with spondylolisthesis at L5-S1, currently rated as 20 percent disabling, has been denied. The VA examiner found no evidence of unfavorable or favorable ankylosis and noted that the Veteran’s forward flexion was within normal limits.
The deciding factor: The VA examination did not find any objective evidence of unfavorable or favorable ankylosis, and the Veteran's forward flexion was within normal limits (0 to 90 degrees).
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spondylosis L5 with spondylolisthesis at L5-S1
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- January 25, 2019
- Citation
- 19106430
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 122 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19106430.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's lumbar spondylosis L5 with spondylolisthesis at L5-S1 is rated as 20 percent disabling. The ratings for lower extremity radiculopathy are also addressed, but the Veteran does not meet the criteria for higher ratings.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied as his conditions did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under the applicable VA rating schedule.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded two issues: 1) the Veteran's claim for a higher rating for lumbar spondylosis L5 with spondylolisthesis at L5-S1, and 2) his claim for a higher rating for bilateral flat feet and posterior calcaneal spurs. The reasons provided by the Board were inadequate as they did not address whether the Veteran had any functional loss due to intermittent pain or if he experienced flare-ups.
- 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.
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