The Veteran's lower back disability is rated at 40 percent effective April 3, 2018. The rating for bilateral lower radiculopathy remains at 10 percent.
The deciding factor: The VA examination showed forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine limited to 35 degrees and a combined ROM of 115 degrees, meeting the criteria for a 40 percent rating under the General Rating for Spine Disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- lower back disability, left lower radiculopathy, right lower radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 8, 2019
- Citation
- 19126557
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,329 · Granted: 31% (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 19126557.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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 determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to reconsider the Veteran's claims for service connection for left hip, left knee, right hip, and lower back disabilities. The claim for left hip disability is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left knee and lower back disabilities due to incomplete information about the Veteran's duty status during his periods of active service in the National Guard and Reserves.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's lower back disability, finding that it is etiologically related to his in-service duties of lifting heavy equipment.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lower back disability, migraine headaches, fibromyalgia, CFS, and PTSD due to lack of a current diagnosis. The appeal is now remanded for further development.
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