The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for her low back disability, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, deviated septum with sinusitis, right wrist scar, and PTSD with depression was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for any condition.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show ankylosis or incapacitating episodes meeting criteria for higher ratings under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine (General Rating Formula) or the Formula for Rating IVDS Based on Incapacitating Episodes (IVDS Formula).
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, intervertebral disc syndrome, and residual of back injury (a low back disability), radiculopathy, lower left extremity, deviated septum with sinusitis, residual scar, ganglion cyst right wrist, postoperative (a right wrist scar), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with depression
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- March 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19120232
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 882 · Granted: 17% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19120232.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to incomplete Tri-Care records and the need to consider new evidence.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea and dismissed the claim for bilateral hearing loss due to a claims processing defect. The appeal was denied for increased ratings of PTSD with depression, erectile dysfunction, and cervical and lumbar spine conditions, while these issues were remanded for further consideration.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board granted an earlier effective date of March 11, 2016 for the service connection of PTSD with depression.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for PTSD with depression, finding the evidence against a link to an in-service event.
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